Restaurant critic Giles Coren has given a rare rave review for a Manchester restaurant - although his and his pal Anne Robinson's comments about Manchester's female population have raised eyebrows.
The Times' reviewer Giles dined at the Dakota Hotel restaurant near Piccadilly on the advice of his fellow journalist friend, Countdown host Anne Robinson, who stays at the luxury hotel when filming Countdown at MediaCityUK in Salford.
Giles joined her for dinner at the venue, despite her warning that: "Dinner in Manchester requires a girl to have a spray tan, stick-on tattoos and stilettos," with Anne apparently adding that she is 'often mistaken for a homeless person', while in the city.
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In the review published in Saturday's Times Magazine, Giles was informed by Anne that he would 'see the Manchester dress code in full. You can stroke the next table's false eyelashes without getting up."
Giles agreed with Anne that "indeed one can", writing that "two young ladies" were being shown to their table "in not really any clothes at all" adding that one of the girl's "immense eyelashes at least covers some of her chest".
However, Manchester's fake eyelashes seemed to have impressed him enough for him to give them their own "10/10" rating in his restaurant review scoring system. The venue also scored 8/10 for service and 7/10 for the cooking - giving the Dakota Grill a combined score of 8.33/10.
The journalist is known for his irreverent reviews and often controversial opinions, and has previously blasted Manchester 's hospitality scene, in 2016 branding it 'truly one of the worst cities to eat in Europe.'
In 2018 he added again that he "rarely got a decent meal" in Manchester when delivering a lukewarm review of Tast on King Street. Indeed in recent years he mostly reserves his praise for steakhouse Hawksmoor in Manchester, which he has previously hailed: "quite comfortably the best restaurant in the urban northwest" and which he mentioned once again in the Dakota review.
Talking about the Dakota restaurant, Giles wrote: "The food is unexpectedly great", praising his tempura prawns starter and red deer main course, while also praising the restaurant's "really good Washington State cabernet that goes beautifully with all the meat".
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Giles, also known for TV appearances including hosting the BBC's Amazing Hotels series, concluded: "It was a good meal. Very good. And absolutely worth the detour if you're in these parts and done with Hawksmoor."
The review had started with Giles explaining that Countdown star Anne had persuaded him to return to Manchester to film a guest slot on Dictionary Corner on the Channel 4 gameshow.
He wasn't particularly keen on the idea as he complained that "the fee wasn't enough to get me up to Manchester for an ancient mid-afternoon game show".
Although the prospect of taking Anne out for dinner in the city for the purposes of a restaurant review eventually won him over to the idea.
The luxurious Dakota Hotel first opened in a purpose-built site on Ducie Street in Manchester in 2019, and last year was voted one of the highest-rated stays around the world - alongside the world-famous Claridges in London.
It featured in TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Hotels in the UK and Channel Islands for 2021 at the Travellers' Choice Best of The Best Awards.
The 137-bedroom boutique hotel ranks among the top one per cent of hotels on TripAdvisor based on positive customer reviews and has been voted as one of the highest-rated stays around the world.
It boasts the large Dakota Grill restaurant and bar space on the ground floor, as well as the Dakota Terrace cocktail bar outside which offers lovely views out across the Rochdale Canal.
It fast became a hotspot for visiting celebrities, with Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman and Spice Girl Mel B among the first guests to stay in its luxurious suites.
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