Tuesday 28 May 2019

Enxaneta at Tast, Manchester.

On our previous visit to Tast, manager Fernando Marques told us of their plans to open the upstairs room and create a high end dining experience, much closer to chef Paco Pérez's two Michelin star restaurant in Barcelona, Enoteca Paco Pérez.
Enxaneta at Tast has been open for a few months now. Just a quick look at the menus online, I notice for instance that the squab dish in Barcelona is described in the same way as the one we had in Manchester. So although it may not be exactly the same dish, I think quite a few dishes would be similar variations of those found in Barcelona and elsewhere. This can only be a good thing, we're getting tried and tested world class Michelin star dishes from a two star restaurant but here in Manchester at last. (This is one of the reasons why I believe Enxaneta at Tast will get a star in the next guide, more of that later).
 We finally sampled the 10 course menu (£95 per person) as follows.
A few nibbles to start: AMANIDA CESAR  (Caesar salad). PADRON PEPPER.
BUNYOL DE CAÇA (Squab Bunyol in tempura) we swapped the squab for the prawns in tempura.
PESOLS PURS (Pure Peas).  All these snacks were lovely and set us up beautifully for the main courses.... OU BENEDICT, MARI. (Sea egg Benedict).

XAMPINYONS EN LA SEVA DIVERSITAT (Button Mushroom Diversity). This dish is what it's all about for me. The intense woodland mushroom flavours were just so pleasing to eat, this is honestly one of my favourite dishes anywhere. It was just so good.

CANELÓ D’ESCAMARLANS (Langoustin Canelon). Another beautiful plate of food. We love the rich flavourful sauces Paco Perez is fond of.
ARRÒS DE POLLASTRE I LLOBREGANT (Chicken and Lobster Rice). They've completely perfected these rice dishes. Again, it's the sheer intensity of the flavours which so impressed, and a wonderful chewy mouth feel of the sticky rice. These four dishes were our favourites of the evening.
Head chef Miquel Villacrosa in action in the kitchen (above).
COLOMI, BLAT I MOLE DE 1000 DIES (Squab, corn and 1000 days Moie).
Desserts: LLIMONA, YUZU I MANGO (Lemon, Yuzu and Mango).
XOCOLATA I GALETES (Chocolate and Biscuits).

To conclude, we were extremely impressed with Enxaneta at Tast. The food is spectacular and the service from Fernando Marques and head sommelier Filippo Zito is stellar (we know both of them from The French).
As I told the team at the time,  I believe this restaurant will win a Michelin star in the next guide. Why am I so sure? The brilliance of the food leaves me in no doubt at all. That and the pedigree of Paco Pérez (who has several stars at restaurants in Spain and elsewhere) along with head chef Miquel Villacrosa (formerly at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Cinco in Berlin).
Enxaneta at Tast is a world class restaurant. It is without doubt the finest high end food we've had in Manchester.





The photos in this review were shot quickly as I ate. 
To see my proper photographic portfolio of commissioned work and to commission me please see my website here.

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