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Sweet Mandarin

Chinese • Northern Quarter
Sugarvine
4.8/5
(0161) 832 8848 19 Copperas Street, Off High Street, Northern Quarter, Greater Manchester, M4 1HS (0161)83…Show
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The northwest's only Chinese restaurant with an AA rosette, Sweet Mandarin is owned and run by three Chinese sisters.
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About Sweet Mandarin

Winner of Gordon Ramsay's Best Local Chinese Restaurant on the F Word, beating off competition from 10,000 other restaurants, AA-rosetted Sweet Mandarin is run by three Chinese sisters. They come from a family of female restaurateurs and their menus feature recipes that have been passed down through the generations, dishes like Mabel's Claypot Chicken, Lily Kwok's Chicken Curry, Barbecue Chicken, Volcano Beef and Cantonese Fillet Steak. Passionate about catering for the coeliac market, they have a dedicated menu with more than 50 gluten-free items and Lisa Tse's gluten-free and nut-free sauces are sold in Selfridge's and major supermarkets. Complementing the food is a list of exotic cocktails as well as wines, beers and spirits. The decor is both contemporary and casual with wall-to-ceiling glass, eye-catching furniture and art, white walls, and subtle neon lighting. Sweet Mandarin also runs cookery courses teaching you the ABC of traditional and modern Chinese cooking for those with a passion for cuisine from the Far East.

Sugarvine
4.8
Food 5.0/5
Service 5.0/5
Atmosphere 5.0/5
Value for Money 4.0/5
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3 /5
3 /5
3 /5
3 /5
4.8
NQ Head
Always been a favourite of mine. Modern Chinese cooking in cool surroundings!
Trishmor
On reading about the restaurant's accolade as best Chinese, I booked for Valentine. My partner and I had dishes from one of the set menus and cannot for the life of us understand how this restaurant won any awards whatsoever. There are 100% better restaurants in Chinatown. We were bitterly disappointed and felt let down. Surely quality should not be compromised by ordering from the set menu? This is one Chinese restaurant we won't be returning to again.
Mcrterry
Went to sweet manderin last night and at best I can say is very average. We had the starters combo for 2 which consisted of 2 s&p ribs, very dry and tasteless, prawn toast, quite good, spring rolls, ok, and seaweed, again just ok. Mains I had the claypot chicken which again was alright and my wife had firecracker chicken which was sweet and sour with a bit, and I mean a bit, of chilli. We finished with 2 coffees which were instant! £3.50 for 2 instant coffees! The waiter was cheery, but a friend who knows the family reckon they are all well educated to degree level, well this guys maths was not his major as his adding up was shocking and I had to correct him twice on the bill. Funny though he knew what 10% of everything was.
Lucy Mccormick
We went for a pre-concert meal on Saturday at Sweet Mandarin. It was a buzzy atmosphere, service was really efficient and friendly and the food came out quick and was amazing. I ordered the salt and pepper wings which were so fresh and delicious. My partner ordered the hot and sour soup which had the right balance to it. Then we tried the Shanghai Beef and Mandarin Chicken - both were excellent. I will definitely be recommending Sweet Mandarin to my friends and be returning for more. Thanks for a wonderful meal.
Sarah
DO NOT eat here!! I had a hair in my food and the waiter tried to convince me it was mine, despite it being a different colour! He even turned the light on to show me when my friend was still eating her meal... Portions very small and not worth the money at all, even for the early dinner menu!!
Cath
PLEASE FORWARD TO THE RESTAURANT - My friend and I dined here on Friday and had the set menu 2 courses for £12 - the portion sizes were tiny and the food was not worth this expensive price. Being vegetarian I had no choice but the mushroom starter and vegetable main course - the starter was certainly not 'salt and pepper' as described, as had no flavour or heat to it and we had to order prawn crackers to fill ourselves up. My friend had the chicken dumplings, which were tiny and served with a few shreds of lettuce. My friend's main course was the worst part, as she found a human hair in her beef shanghai noodles! The waiter then returned to our table holding the hair explaining that it was not the chef's hair as it was the wrong colour and insinuating that it was my friend's hair - even though it was not her hair colour. My main course was far from substantial and was a plate of vegetables consisting of only water chestnuts and chinese leaf in a sauce. There was no vegetarian substitute, e.g. tofu, hence no protein balance as the rice was just plain rice. For £12 a head you are completely ripped off and leave the restaurant still hungry. The waiter was over friendly and this became irritating. I would not return here to eat again and was highly disappointed. The various other chinese restaurants in the city centre offer far better value for money with more extensive choices of food on their set menus, larger adequate portions, 3 courses and all at a cost of between £8 - £10. I think you should research the competition and adapt your menus and service significantly.
Barbara
I would highly recommend Sweet Mandarin. A number of friends and I visited for dinner and had a great time. The food was fresh, delicious and probably the best Chinese I've tasted in ages. We ordered the Mabel's Claypot Chicken, Lily's curry, Sweet and Sour Chicken, King Prawn Satay, Mixed Vegetables and Tofu and Wambamboo (Char Sui and Mushrooms). It was good to see that they had Chinese favourites and home recipes on the menu. The atmosphere was relaxed and fun. The service was exceptional - friendly and knowledgeable. Sweet Mandarin is in the heart of the Northern Quarter which is a huge plus - its a great place to hang out during the weekend. I will definitely be back soon.
Julie
We went out this weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday. The best surprise was when they gave a beautiful birthday cake to my friend. We ordered the banquet and it was delicious and tasty. I was so full after the meal. The service was top notch and also very friendly. Loved the restaurant it's got such a good atmosphere. I'll be back. Thank you
James Cantrill
My wife and I went to try the Beijing Taster menu. It was a brilliant dining experience as we learnt about the regional food and the pairing of the wines. Each course was delicious and the service was outstanding. I will be returning with more friends and also booking for Christmas at Sweet Mandarin. Thank you for a wonderful night out.
Sarah
We were recommended the restaurant by my work colleagues. We tried the banquet B and loved the platter (the best salt and pepper ribs i've ever tasted). There was so much food for 2 people we couldn't eat it all. The waiter was kind enough to encourage us to doggy bag. The food was very tasty, fresh and plenty of it. I loved the decor of the restaurant - so trendy and modern. I will be coming back for their Taste of China evenings. Also their wine was really good too. Thanks for a brilliant night.
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Sweet Mandarin File

Fact File

Main dining room capacity 90
Best seat Window seat
Max group booking size 90
Outside dining space Yes
Outside dining spaces 40
Outside dining details Beer garden in summer
Average 3 course evening meal price (excluding drinks) £20

Disabled Facilities

Wheelchair access throughout facility Yes
Dedicated disabled toilets Yes
Dedicated disabled parking Yes

Additional Information

Wifi no wi fi
Payment by credit card Yes
Payment by debit card Yes
Air conditioning Yes
Drink without food Yes
Takeaway services Yes
Covered smoking area no covered smoking area