Aurous – Manchester

THIS PLACE HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED DOWN!

Located on the outskirts of Central Manchester, Aurous is 190-seater restaraunt situated in the quiet, high-end area of Altrincham.

The interior décor was most impressive, with a polished, black and gold colour scheme, and embossed wall back drops.

Low hanging Moroccan-style lanterns cast intricate shadows across the dimly lit eatery and successfully managed to create a serene atmosphere that quite literally left us in awe.

As such, we’d recommend Aurous as perfect for couples seeking after an intimate, romantic backdrop for that special occasion.

Seating was comfortably set out in tables of two, along with a few corner booth sections that offered cushioned seating for those arriving in larger groups.

Additionally, an outdoor option is also available, complete with heating and canopies, and intended for the use of the shisha.

(Left-Right) Garden Party – falernum, apple juice, fresh lime, cucumber, £9.00; Strawberry Kiss – chambers, pressed strawberries, pineapple juice, £9.00; Mojito £8.00

Both the Garden Party and the Strawberry Kiss are part of the Contemporary Cocktails section. For our dietary requirements, however, these were made on request without the alcohol.

As for the former, then this was a glass full of refreshing tastes and decorated in a way befitting the name. Though the basil was the soul taste here, the addition of the refreshing cucumber complemented it extremely well. Who would’ve thought vegetables would make an amazing mocktail?

The Strawberry Kiss was a combination of summer fruits that tasted more like a sweet berry concoction than a mocktail. A pleasing beverage that went well with the most of the mains.

The Mojito was one of the best we’ve tried, with the mint leaves strong enough to allow for the burst of the lemon to deliver that incredibly intense freshness of a well made mojito.

You wouldn’t expect anything less than beautifully presented beverages, with just the right ratio of ice, from their “trained and experienced mixologists”!

Salmon, chilli and ginger croquettes, £5.00

By far the best of the Small Plates were these Salmon, Chilli and Ginger Croquettes. With a deliciously crispy, golden breaded exterior, these were light, full of flavour and an absolute picture of perfection.

What’s more, and much to our surprise, they were presented on an avocado mash which added a sweetness that wonderfully enhanced the soft chilli-salmon interior. RECOMMENDED!

Thai garlic and chilli king prawns, £7.00

The most impressive thing about this dish was that, while some chilli king prawns are often mildly so, these were, indeed, chilli king prawns; so much so, in fact, that a kick of spice was assured with every bite.

Nonetheless, while the prawns were cooked just right, we were slightly put off by how the entire dish was overwhelmingly dominated, even with the squeeze of the lime, by the chilli spice. What was perhaps required was a complementary sauce to help harmonise things.

Sweet chilli halloumi fries, £5.00

Now, this is how halloumi should be served – as fries!

What we had here were strips of halloumi covered in a sweet-cum-sticky chilli marination that worked perfectly in countering the natural saltiness of the cheese. Not only was this a generous portion, but expertly cooked to leave us with soft Sweet Chilli Halloumi Fries, but with just the right level of chewiness – a difficult thing to achieve with halloumi. Kudos!

Gyoza – vegetable or chicken, £4.00

These Gyoza, soft and doughy on the outside and filled with a chicken and vegetable mixture, were served atop stir fried vegetables and accompanied by a teriyaki soya sauce.

While the crunchy stir fried veg provided textural contrast, the salty soya sauce was needed to lift the subtley flavoured, aromatic Gyoza packages. Definitely worth a try if you haven’t had these before.

Sticky beef pan-Asian salad, £12.00

NOTE: Given that the sticky beef component of this pan-Asian salad wasn’t Halal, the kitchen decided on substituting this for a Halal mince meat variant.

Consequently, not only did this ad hoc soft kebab come across as being out of place, but, more significantly, was entirely overpowered by an incredibly powerful and pungent sticky soya sauce glaze.

Chimmichuri chicken butterfly steak, £12.00

This tender, succulent chicken breast was served with a sublime zesty lime grass dressing which, while complementing the meat really well, was, nonetheless, slightly on the spicy-side for one of the Lions.

If the heat were to perhaps be toned down a tad, this would be an absolute winner.

Teriyaki Salmon, £13.00

Our biggest criticism with this dish was with the overly sweet sauce added to the dish which positively detracted from what was otherwise a beautifully soft and flaky piece of perfectly cooked salmon.

Sadly, the fish was entirely lost in translation.

Sliders and Fries – Salt and pepper chicken, sweet chilli halloumi or spicy beef, £12.00

As appealing as these sliders looked, albeit in a rustic sense, what appeared at first to be soft- and spongy-looking buns, turned out to be flaky and dry, and which crumbled somewhat as we ate.

Of the three – sweet chilli halloumi, salt and pepper chicken, and spicy beef – our go-to slider would be the salt and pepper chicken, which came across as fresher and richer in taste. And while all three were great, each one could have done with a little more sauce we felt.

Mini pancakes, £5.00

These Mini Pancakes were fresh and fluffy bites of goodness.

With a manageable portion of eight, they were perfect in fulfilling any sugar craving; and were served with chocolate and strawberries.

Reece’s Cheesecake (back), Tropical Cheesecake (front) – £5.00 each

Being neither sickly sweet nor overly cheesy, the Reeces’s Cheesecake, with a bouncy layer of cheese infused with just the right amount of peanut butter and chocolate, was a perfect blend of the two. Topped with pieces of Reece’s peanut butter cups, which added that textural contrast, this is a must for any peanut butter addict.

It isn’t often that you’ll have the option of a Tropical Cheesecake on a menu. As such, this was something a little different and, dare we say, difficult to put into words, suffice it to say: a zesty and tangy, fruity fantastic crumbly fusion! Although the cheese filling wasn’t as soft as most can be, it was a nice contrast to the chocolate overload just had. Our only criticism would be with the base, which turned out to be far too crumbly and dry for our liking.

Chocolate fondue, £12 for 2 or £20 for 4

The Chocolate Fondue, however, stole the show for us. Presented on a large, aesthetically pleasing black slate were a wide variety of condiments that included roasted marshmallows, strawberry slices, brownies, and pieces of soft cakes, all sprinkled with icing. These were meant to be dipped into a golden pot filled with a deliciously smooth salted caramel chocolate fondue, and which was perched atop a candle-heated stand. Whilst we only questioned the quality of the cake, which didn’t taste as fresh or flavorous as it should have, the rest were on point.

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, this dish would be it.