Great Chefs, Great Causes at Ibérica, Manchester

I had the pleasure to be invited along to the 'World's Best Chefs' press launch at Ibérica a couple of weeks ago.

Up until the 6th of September, Ibérica will be collaborating with 14 of the world's best Spanish, Portuguese and Latin-American chefs to serve their signature dishes with the profits of each dish going to the chefs' chosen charities.

The food was excellent and the company was fantastic too.

Oysters with cucumber and lychee

Daniel Redondo, Mani (Brazil)

Razor clam, yellow pepper and black quinoa

Virgilio Martinez, Central (Peru)

Avacado toast with bone marrow salsa and cucumber

Enrique Olvera, Pujol (Mexico)

Foie Cuba libre with lemon frost

Quinque Dacosta, Quinque Dacosta Restaurant (Spain)

Beef tartare with vinaigrette and anchovies

Dieter Koschina, Vila Joya (Portugal)

Mango, beer and black pudding

Juan Mari Arzak, Arzak (Spain)

Squid parmentier with red smoked paprika and squid stock

Juan Roca, El Celler de Can Roca (Spain)

"The World's Best Restaurant"

Fresh chorizo tartare

Bittor Arguinzoniz, Asador Etxebarri(Spain)

Rustic bread with fresh pancetta and spring herbs

Andoni Luis Aduriz, Mugaritz (Spain)

Watermelon infused in sangria

Albert Adria, Tickets (Spain)

"The World's Best Pastry Chef"

We also had the opportunity to try Ibérica's Summer Tasting Menu.

Salmorejo with green apple, basil granita and sun blushed tomato

Having just returned from Córdoba, where I fell in love with Salmorejo, I was so happy to see it on the menu.

Two texture tomato salad with orange zest and vanilla oil

Fresh mackerel with orange and saffron escabeche

Fresh hake with hollandaise sauce and lettuce water

Grilled Iberico pork 'pluma' in moruno marinade and aubergine

"Tocinillo de cielo"

Egg yolk custard flan with cinnamon and lemon zest milk foam and salted caramel ice cream

Chocolate mousse with herbs cress and red fruit salad, yoghurt, vanilla oil and cider gel

It was an absolutely fantastic evening meeting some lovely people (including Food Geek & Been There Eaten That) and tasting some truly exceptional food.

If you fancy some tapas, make sure you don't miss the chance to try some of the best dishes in the world.

Our first blog about Ibérica can be found here.

  Follow @grimupnorthfood

Ibérica, Manchester

I head back to Spain a fair few times each year to see family or rediscover the concept of sunshine.

Each visit back to the motherland sees the two of us spend far too many lunches at one of the local tapas bars of southern Spain.  

You would think that I'd have had my fill of tapas by the time we return to England, but this isn't the case. Spanish cuisine (the best in the World) draws me in like a bull to a matador's cape.

A couple of weeks ago Hannah and I headed into Manchester for her final checkup after laser eye surgery.  Inevitable, as is always the case when we head into the city, I suggested we grab a bite to eat instead of heading home in rush hour traffic.  

Ibérica, the trendy new tapas restaurant in Spinningfields, was the obvious choice.

Ibérica has been the talk of the blogging community this spring and has received rave reviews from all parts.  

It is clear, as you walk in, that this is no ordinary tapas bar.  The flamboyant decor certainly feels Iberian but upper class Madrileno rather than rustic pueblo.

After we were seated, I ordered sangria (obviously!).  The jar based drink ended up being a triumph and one of the most perfectly mixed sangrias I have had.

Hannah had a Diva Cocktail which included a beautiful mix of cava, strawberries, and raspberries. Very refreshing for this sunny day.

Gazpacho with red berries, beetroot and anchovies

Refined and refreshing.  I don't normally choose cold soup unless it is a boiling hot day but the flavour was superb, light and creamy.

Ensaladilla Rusa
It is the law to order a tuna and potato salad when eating tapas.  My favorite! The Ibérica version is much more smooth than a traditional Spanish one but still delicious nonetheless. The Piparra peppers gave it a unique kick. 

Twice cooked lamb, marinated cherry tomatoes and red peppers from El Bierzo
Succulent lamb that fell apart perfectly.  It is unusual to see lamb on a tapas menu but we loved it.

 

Ibérica's Serrano ham croquettes

The service at Ibérica was exceptional and José needs a special mention for his attentiveness all evening.  He recommended the croquetas which again I don't normally choose.

His recommendation was spot on - WOW!  If you go, take José's advice and try them.

The Ibérica burger with secreto pork loin & Piparra peppers
A tapas burger?  Had to try it!  Not a bad effort and it lasted seconds before we scoffed them both.

Octopus a La Gallega with potatoes & pimentón de la Vera
My Abuela's special and the traditional dish of Galicia, where my family are from. Nothing can match fresh pulpo from a pulpería in La Coruna but this was a valiant effort. I got this dish all to myself...

Fried chorizo lollipops with pear alioli sauce
The best thing I ate at Ibérica by a country mile.  So rich and well complimented by the adventurous pear alioli.

Tapas is supposed to be small, cheap bites to eat whilst you have an afternoon beer in the sun.  Ibérica doesn't try to bring a traditional style of tapería to the North West like Levanter does in Ramsbottom. Instead it offers upmarket twist on tapas, refined dishes that take you on a Spanish adventure right here in the heart of Manchester. Whilst it's not cheap, it's worth a go.

Almost Famous - Great Northern, Manchester

Everyone loves Almost Famous.

In fact, for the last few years it has been the number one recommended place to eat by friends and colleagues.

When I had a birthday meal last year at Solita, most of my friends had suggested Almost Famous as their favourite place.  

When we went to Red's True BBQ for a midweek meal, three different people declared that if I thought that was good, I would be blown away by Almost Famous.

Finally, this week, I had a colleague say that 'you can't call yourself a burger lover unless you have tried Almost Famous'.

My expectations were well and truly set, but let me now set your expectations for the blog post you are reading:

You're not going to like everything I have to say. 

Hannah and I were due to catch a train from Manchester Piccadilly last Friday night, ready to begin our weekend adventure to London.  

We had a couple of hours spare to have some food so what better opportunity to finally give in and try Almost Famous in The Great Northern.

The new restaurant, opened in 2013, is right next to the Manchester 235 casino and the All Star Lanes restaurant/bowling alley.  There are so many great places to eat and drink at this end of Manchester, making it my favourite part of the city.

There was no one there to greet us upon entering Almost Famous but I approached the bar and we were told to take our pick of tables.  This was not a difficult decision as my wife directed us to an amazing table that had been filled with sweets!

The menu is my kind of heaven, filled with spectacular burger combinations and funky cocktails - I could have eaten everything on offer.

Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Sour & Root 66
Both concoctions were spot on but the Fruit Sour drink won out as we both ordered this for our second round.

Baddaboom
Hannah went for a double cheeseburger with garlic butter brioche, bacon, chorizo, bbq fried onions, marinara, famous sauce, french's, Parmesan and chillies.  

It was scrumptious with the addition of chorizo which gave it a Spanish twist.

Triple Nom
My selection was also a double cheeseburger but with pulled pork, coleslaw and famous & redneck BBQ.  

The first bite is forever memorable with the perfectly seasoned patty and juicy pulled pork.  The burger itself tastes very much like a McDonald's cheeseburger only better... much better.

Bacon Bacon
At Almost Famous, you order your sides separately so we decided to share a portion of the Bacon Bacon fries.  

Regular skin on fries and sweet potato fries are mixed together and covered in baconnaise and bacon rain (crispy bacon bits).  

I love what they do to potatoes here - simply genius.

Chocciwoccihoohaa
We had room for something sweet after our delicious mains and Hannah was naturally drawn to the chocolate dish on the menu.

This 'I Scream Sundae' was served with chocolate brownie pieces and whippy ice cream topped with whipped cream, nuts and chocolate fudge sauce.

Just enough to leave us satisfied.

The food is great.  It compares well with other restaurants I love such as nearby Red's True BBQ and The Farmer's Arms in Bolton but I wouldn't say it was in a league of its own.

However, our experience was not 100% perfect.

In fact, I would go as far as saying that I wouldn't go back to the Great Northern branch of Almost Famous.

Let me explain...

Hannah made an interesting comment during our meal last Friday.  She said that it felt like our generation had grown up and was starting to open restaurants that try and evoke memories of our time at university.

This is exactly how I feel about Almost Famous in The Great Northern.  

It is like sitting and having a meal in the university nightclub whilst indie disco plays loudly in the background and the lights are too low to really see what you are eating.

University was a brilliant time but I am now 28 (nearly 29) and as much as I loved the dingy union dance floor back in the day, I have moved past it now.  What I want is a bright environment where the music isn't so loud that I have to shout just to talk to my wife.

Add to that the staff who were difficult to get hold of and a little rude.  They milled around in groups discussing their plans for the weekend when it would be better if they engaged the customers to explain, amongst other things, where the cutlery is.  I didn't really understand why everyone around us had an allocated waiter/waitress to serve them but we had to get up and find someone. 

Back at uni, someone in the know would tell you about this "super cool" bar and everyone would immediately nod and agree about how great it is.  I kind of get the impression that this happened with Almost Famous and no one really wants to admit that we don't think it is quite as cool as everyone says it is.

Perhaps I'm just being a grouch in my old age but I found the whole experience very annoying.