5oz Wagyu Steak and Asparagus
Cottonopolis
If you want beef, you should look no further than Cottonopolis and their selection of the very finest cuts of Wagyu beef which bred right here in the UK. There are a few dishes on the menu which sample wagyu beef, but the 5oz served simply with charred asparagus, confit tomatoes and tomato dashi was utterly sublime. The beautiful natural marbling in the beef ensures a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture and full-bodied flavour, whereas the cooking over the grill brought a welcome smoky taste which just took this already delicious beef to the next level. – Kate Tighe
Saint Clair Noble Riesling
Brasserie Abode
I’m not usually a wine guy – in fact I know very little about the stuff except that it’s wet and sometimes when I drink too much I end up in a ditch. I was pleasantly surprised with how informative and enjoyable Brasserie Abode’s Wine Dinner was this week then, with the added bonus of getting to drink A LOT of the stuff. It was all from New Zealand winery Saint Clair and I must admit to snuffling a little bit too much of their excellent Noble Riesling dessert wine with my cheese. It was well worth the nightmares. – Ben Brown
Vegan Pana Cotta
Don Giovanni
I’m not going to sit here and lie to you, as a rule, I do not like vegan food and I dread the day I have to review a vegan menu for fear of all the chemical tasting, plastic dairy and meat replacements which make my skin crawl. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the Vegano menu at Don Giovanni which focused on the power and beauty of naturally vegan ingredients in classic Italian dishes. I was particularly impressed with the vegan Pana Cotta with berry compote which was stunning and I really couldn’t tell the difference between that and the real thing. – Kate Tighe
Chicken Balti
Kabana
Other than the cool bars and restaurants in the NQ, the other thing it is certainly famous for is the curry houses. These places are definitely a lesson in why not to judge a book buy its cover, because the food is amazing and some of the best around. What’s more is it is incredibly cheap – I had a delicious chicken Balti for £4.50 this week from Kabana on Thomas Street which was just the cheap and cheerful lunchtime pick-me-up I needed. Would highly recommend. – James Barker
Pea infused Roku Gin Cocktail
Harvey Nichols
This is kind of top secret at the moment as this is the first time we’re mentioning it on our website, but we are teaming up with Harvey Nichols to bring our lovely followers another one of our ‘One Ingredient Taster’ events in March which will showcase a five-course menu designed around one humble ingredient. I don’t want to give too much away, but I went to shoot the dishes this week and the welcome cocktail is pretty special. This elixir consisted of nettle syrup, peppermint tea, lemon juice with pea-infused Roku gin and pea sherbet – it was tart, sweet and aromatic all at once. You guys are in for a treat, we’ll be releasing more photos of what to expect at the event next week! – Kate Tighe
Gnocco Fritto
Electrik
Team Finest popped down at the beginning of the week to Electrik down in Chorlton to take part in their brand new bingo-quiz mashup ‘Quingo’. We took full advantage of their new menu of pizzas too, and I was blown away by the Gnocco Fritto from the menu of sides. These are basically salty, petal-shaped doughnut dough topped with pesto mayo, tomato sauce and parmesan. This little dish was like patatas bravas, meets pizza and we couldn’t get enough. – Kate Tighe
Short Rib Tacos
El Camino
I went on down to Urmston over the weekend to check out the new Mexican pop-up El Camino, who have taken over Get Chucked for the month. You can’t go wrong with Mexican grub, and El Camino are certainly at the top of their game when it comes to knocking up a taco that’ll make your toes curl up like a Turk’s slipper. Their Short Rib Taco was outstanding, with meat that melts in your mouth and that all-important signature spice kick at the end. – Ben Brown
