Tattu, Manchester

This month, Ros & I decided to take our regular foodie meetup to a brand new addition to the Manchester fine dining scene. Located in the Spinningfields area of Manchester, which is experiencing a bit of a revival at the moment, Tattu is a stunning Chinese restaurant that we’d heard such good things about.

A little on the expensive side, this one is best reserved for special occasions, or if you’ve just been paid and are a little bit in love with splurging on a great night out (guilty). The decor is incredible, with a huge cherry blossom tree in the middle of the restaurant and anchors hanging from the ceiling. Oh and it smells of the most gorgeous, subtle incense.

 

The Starters

Aren’t starters just the hardest course to choose? I’ve usually picked my dessert in the first three seconds of looking at the menu, but starters are such a struggle. In the end though, I went for the duck spring rolls with yuzu plum sauce and Ros took a recommendation of chicken truffle shumai from our very friendly waiter.

Although the portions don’t look like much, they were truly the perfect amount for a starter. Ros’ shumai was full of flavour, from the distinct but delicious flavour of the truffles and we were both really impressed with it. Definitely a great recommendation from the waiter! The duck spring rolls were crispy, packed full of perfectly cooked duck with a tangy plum sauce to dip into.

 

The Mains

You won’t find any Chinese ‘classics’ like sweet & sour chicken or chow mein on this menu, but there are a few British favourites that have been given a Tattu twist, such as the szechuan with giant prawns. Both opting for seafood, I went for the Chilean sea bass, with steamed vegetables side dish, and Ros had the lobster and prawn ginger noodles.

I’ve got to say, I was a little disappointed with the sea bass. I love a bit of a crispy skin when I have sea bass, but the fish was wrapped up in a parcel, meaning it was juicy but slightly too soggy for me. However, the chilli bean and black bean topping was full of flavour and I loved the choy sum on the side, so it wasn’t a complete loss.

The lobster and prawn ginger noodles were the real winner here, with chunks of tasty lobster and huge prawns tucked away in the flavoursome noodles. The portion was huge (in a good way!) and Ros couldn’t stop herself from polishing it all off, with a little help from me!

 

The Desserts

When we initially looked at the dessert menu, we decided to give it a miss. They aren’t labelled too clearly on the menu, but that’s actually because they kind of need to be explained as they’re a little bit crazy. The waiter described each dish in vivid detail and the passion was clear in his voice, meaning we just had to give them a go.

My choice, the cherry blossom, was a complete showstopper. When it was brought to the table, I was told to ‘try everything on the plate. If I like it, keep eating, if I don’t, stop’. Basically, everything is edible, even the flowers! It was such an experience, as cheesy as that sounds, with so many different elements to try. Highlights were the melt-in-your-mouth candyfloss, chocolate brownie crisps and the decadent chocolate mousse.

Being a massive kid, Ros went for the fortune cookies and cream, much to our waiter’s disappointment we think! Even this was beautifully presented though, with two cookies, a scattering of edible flowers and three different flavours of ice cream. Her only criticism was the lack of helpful life advice from one of her fortune cookies… you’re meant to guide us, oh wise fortune cookies.

The Verdict

Overall, it was a beautifully presented and tasty meal. Like I said, a little on the expensive side but the service, atmosphere and menu choices really reflect this, so it’s the perfect place to celebrate with your friends and family.

For the full details, check out the full menu here.

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