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Beluga is a restaurant aimed squarely at the professional end of the market. A well-stocked, stylish bar upstairs caters well for the after work crowd with wine, champagne and cocktails, while the downstairs restaurant is spacious and stylish in that 'great for business dinners' way. Despite the name you won't find caviar on the menu. Instead there is a wide range of fish dishes, as well as some good meat and vegetarian options. The cuisine is mainly British, with the odd nod towards the Med.
The duck salad makes a good start to the meal, boasting just enough of the plump, succulent meat to entice you and balancing the richness of the meat with chilli and ginger. The black pudding stack, served with a poached egg, is very heavy and a little too salty for some tastes, but would balance well with a lighter main.
We particularly like the fish dishes on offer for the main course. The fish pie comes with the sweetest roasted baby carrots we've found in Manchester, though the creamy sauce could have been a little less heavy, and the king prawn noodles are a triumph. We have also heard good things about the roasted beef fillet.
Desserts are fairly standard - chocolate bombs, ice cream, Belgian waffles - though they're well executed. The wine list, on the other hand, is very well thought out with some excellent bottles and a good range of Champagne on offer too.
There isn't really anything to complain about at Beluga. The food is well thought out, averagely priced for the city centre (expect to pay around £30 a head) and the service is fine. However, something just didn't click for us at this restaurant; despite all its good points, we don't feel the need for a return visit. Perhaps it is because there isn't a strong feeling of identity when compared to its competitors. Perhaps it is that the dishes are perfectly well cooked but there isn't really anything surprising, new or energetic on the menu. Or perhaps we are simply spoilt for choice in this city...
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