Spinning a 4PLY yarn
When advising new contributors on what to include in a review, I tend to say the same four things: layout/decor, service, food, atmosphere. These headings more or less encompass all one needs to know about a place.
However, not everyone cares about all of these things. Some love what’s on their plate, but don’t care if they’re sat on a gilted gold throne or a hessian bean bag. Some love the music, and are indifferent to hostile service. Some want it all, but to make it easier to digest the extense of comment under each heading in reference to PLY, they are split here visually, into slices of information.
LAYOUT
It's not until
you look around that
you realise how big PLY actually
is. Up a few stairs and through a door,
you're faced with a large bar taking up the
majority of the front facing wall. The middle has a
few low sofas and chair for relaxing on, and either side has
long tables suitable for large parties and creative events. The right
side with high chairs that seems to mark the spot for after work drinks,
the left more suitable for casual dining and creative pizza-box doodling. PLY
has a second level which outskirts the perimeter, making for a more private and
intimate setting for those not wishing to mingle in large open space. For those with work
to do, PLY also has an area designated to reading, complete with a colour coded bookshelf.
SERVICE Everyone who works in PLY is also a really big fan of the place. The staff
are friendly, upbeat and ready to plug their own venue. Customers are
always greetedwith a smile and are attended to in a timely
fashion. Any questions will be happily answered and
requests always welcomed - even the tap water
is served in a quality glass with ice, straw
and a sprig of mint. When care is taken
with no money involved that really
shows a genuine attitude in
any establishment.
FOOD
PLY are
the proud
owners of a unique
mirror balled disco pizza
oven, the object responsible
for its production of irresistibly
chewy sourdough Neapolitan flatbreads,
all topped with a range of gourmet ingredients.
From porcini mushroom with garlic oil to fennel
sausage and wild broccoli, courgette taleggio and flowers,
confit tomatoes, rocket and goat's cheese. Gluten Free dough is also
available, confirmedly as chewy and delicious as the real thing. Drinks start
from a range of bubbly draft beers to a well stocked fridge of carefully selected
bottled varieties such as the Beaver Town Gamma Ray pale ale and ABC Crate Digger
coffee stout. Wines have been chosen to complement the food and the atmosphere, and a
range of in-house cocktails such as 'Kid in a Sweetshop' reflect PLY's playful and creative nature.
ATMOSPHERE PLY is more than just a bar-restaurant, it is a creative space that plays host to
exhibitions, artwork, and youthful eclectic parties. Due to the many areas sectioned around
the venue, there is a sense of being in a school workshop, an art day where the staff are
the supervisors (also serving beverages) and everyone is encouraged to think outside
of the box. Customers are encouraged to get involved with the displays and have
some down time for artistic thinking. At the moment they're exhibiting
pizza-enthusiast Scott Wiener's box artwork, where on the opening
night people could meet Scott and have their own go at
designing a luxury takeaway container. Previously
there has been a DJ-style pizza booth where
patrons could animate their own
topping-designed slip mat.
PLY's vibe put simply,
is fun.
26 Lever Street,
Northern Quarter,
M1 1DW
plymcr.co.uk/
