Manchester

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Is this Manchester's most OTT eatery?

Enjoy a dose of Buddha-bling at this new multi-million pound Thai

If the out-of-town retail parks that arose in the ’80s and ’90s taught us one thing, it’s that warehouse-sized shops and vast car parks generate a strangely soulless atmosphere. That's what makes Vermilion so intriguing – rather than an outlet of Toys ‘R’ Us or Comet, here we have a Thai restaurant located on what is basically the fringes of an industrial estate.

Location aside, Vermilion is a sumptuous affair. From the lifts that whisk you up to the bar where gigantic coconut-shaped seating pods treat the bold and the beautiful to the ornate display of Buddha heads that runs throughout the lower-level restaurant. It’s easy to see why it cost owner Iqbal Ahmed a tidy £4.5 million. Our impeccable waitress declares herself won over by its lacquered charms but says that her previous table said it felt too ‘London style’. Make of that what you will.

Fortunately, Ahmed's money has also been used to poach Chumpol Jangprai, once named as Bangkok’s best chef by Saveur magazine. His menu presents an accessible selection of Thai dishes with the emphasis on fish. This bias is welcome in some areas, such as a starter of wild trout and marinated salmon (£8), but seems to make little difference in others – handmade fishcakes suffered from an undesirable rubbery texture (£6).

Again, fish is the real star of the mains. Stir-fried rock lobster (a reasonable £18.50) came with fresh peppercorns on the spike and had an immediate flavour only found in good-quality fish. The roasted duck red curry with cherry tomatoes (£12.50) demonstrated real skill and a welcome subtlety of flavours that announces the arrival of this exciting, if strangely located, restaurant. Vermilion’s claim of being ‘out of this world’ seems ambitious, but for now simply ‘out of town’ will do. Don't forget your sat nav.

Vermilion Lord North St, Miles Platting, M40 8AD (202 0055/www.vermilionrestaurant.co.uk). Open lunch noon-3pm Mon-Fri; dinner Mon-Sun 6pm-11pm, buffet lunch noon-3.30 Sun.

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