Restaurant Launch

Sticks'n'Sushi, the Danish purveyor of all things Kushiyaki and Sushi has landed in Manchester, and the team were thankfully invited to their launch event to get an overview of what's on offer.

Located in lovely a corner unit towards the bottom end of Spinningfields, it's super eye catching as you arrive.  There's a great outside area too, which is sure to be a huge sun trap once said sun actually decides to arrive in the city.

From a wonderfully curated drinks list to a superbly generous menu containing cocktails and well sourced wine options, the Sticks'n'Sushi team really did pull out all the stops in launching the new Manchester restaurant with a bang, treating guests to a selection of their greatest hits.

The first plate to be served was Beef Tataki (£14.90), and it was truly sensational.  Expertly sliced and seared beef fillet with a dot of miso aioli, spring onion, artichoke chips for a bite of crunch, dressed with a superlative shiitake & truffle ponzu which I'd happily swim in, and I can't even swim!  A jogging paced start to the experience.  

Tuna Tartare Bites (£12) landed next and showcased more great quality fish.  Tuna, avocado, sesame, miso, yuzu and spring onion formed an absolutely classic combination, all sitting on a crispy flat bread which promptly disappeared in a single bite.  Superb stuff.

Shake Tataki (£12) was a seafood driven version of the above beef iteration, headlined by some hefty tranches of salmon, topped with sake-tamari marinated trout roe, shredded daikon for a pop of freshness to level off the salmon's inherent fat, with miso, ponzu and a pop of greenery from the daikon cress.  Stunning.

The next wave arrived starting with a generous bowl of grilled Edamame (£5), which were simple yet something that I expect most people will order.  They are just the ideal snack whilst waiting on things to pick up speed.  Eating them grilled is a new experience for us though, and it's a bit of a masterstroke to be honest, adding another dimension to their flavour.

Ebi Bites (£9.90), aka Tempura shrimp, had a wonderful super crispy texture due to their coating.  Inside we found a well cooked, juicy prawn which came with some miso aioli, along with the best mates which are chilli, lime & coriander, adding a Mexican nod to things. This is a dish which looks set to be a customer favourite in our view.

Finally, the deep-fried courses included Kinoko Korokkem (£8.90).  Mushroom croquettes, Danish Rød Krystal cheese, miso aioli & truffle dust for that all important scent.  Another nailed on fan favourite, which is sure to please all tastes.

From this point on, the kitchen started to ramp things up with their Maki Maki platter (£58).  This is Sticks'n'Sushi's Kaburimaki selection and was a treat for both the eyes and taste buds in equal measure.  A total of 32 pieces of 4 different rolls including the 'Hell’s Kitchen'; tempura shrimp, avocado & spicy sauce, topped with tuna & barbecue sauce. 

'Ceviche' was exactly what it said on the tin. More south American flair with pickled red onion, avocado & cucumber with hiramasa, lime & coriander.    'Shake Aioli' contained snow peas, creamy avocado, miso aioli & cucumber, topped with seared salmon & trout roe for visual impact and a hug flavour burst.  And lastly the 'Ebi Panko' contained tempura shrimp & spicy sauce, topped with avocado.  You can't fail to be impressed with this feast.

And lastly the 'Ebi Panko' contained tempura shrimp & spicy sauce, topped with avocado.  You can't fail to be impressed with this feast.

Temaki Setto (£38) Wagyu tartare, lobster & yuzu, kataifi, cress, soya sesame, avocado and sake-tamari marinated trout roe with sushi rice and crispy nori.  Temaki means handroll. Create your own small bites.

But the evening's centrepiece was the Sticks'n'Sushi Sashimi selection.  A huge platter of sashimi was presented to the dining room, ahead of guests being invited to grab a bowl and serve themselves up a portion.  It was a great way of getting a taste of everything which you enjoy, as well as mingling with other sashimi loving guests.

Finally, we ended on the Kushiyaki/Sticks part of the Sticks'n'Sushi offering, which are all manner of skewered goodies, cooked over the charcoal grill to impart those signature smoky notes. There is no better way to cook any kind of protein in our opinion..

We started with the superb Gindara No Miso aka Black Cod, which was expertly cooked to a translucent blush, and seasoned so well with that miso really coming through amidst the robata driven complexity.  Splendid work and one of the best bites we've had in the city all month.

And to end, guests were treated to the Wagyu Yaki, which whilst being expensive features one of the world's very finest proteins.  It's a truly special product which you just have to experience if you've not yet done.  It's just so rich and full of flavour, like nothing else. So being able to sample it in compact form, making it more affordable than via a full-sized steak.  Absolutely indulgent.

So, Sticks'nSushi is a great new addition to Spinningfields and brings some real quality to the area.  The sushi has a totally different feel to other sushi in the immediate area, and the sticks are a real USP, showing that there's far more to Robata grilling that your typical Yakitori.  Be sure to add it to your food itinerary in the coming weeks.

** Our experience was gratefully comped **.