Yo! Sushi - Trafford Centre, Manchester

I have a dirty secret, a secret I probably shouldn't share on a food blog, a blog that's here to educate gastronomically and to highlight the best of our region has to offer - I'm in love with Yo! Sushi.



Food on a belt!

I know it's a chain, that the selection of fish stretches to two, three if you count prawns and four if you separate smoked/non-smoked salmon and I'd avoid it if you have an aversion to bright colours. All that said, I love the place; they cater for most people (even non-fish eaters), there's the hypnotic parade of dishes speeding past you on the belt and their menu's genuinely, unpretentiously fun.

My first foray into Yo! was in the sadly now departed Selfridge's Exchange Square food hall; eighteen years old, never having eaten sushi, my senses were assaulted and I relished each visit, popping in for a plate of hamachi sashimi and a bowl of miso - as much as my meagre student budget would stretch to.

Over the years it has been a place to tell my brother (when he had a whole futomaki stuffed into his mouth) that he was eating fish eggs (cue him trying to get said futomaki out of his mouth as quickly as possible), to giggle uncontrollably (you mean snort? - ed) with friends and *blushes* as a date destination.

Yo! Sushi has just released a new menu inspired by street food at their Trafford Centre Selfridges


New menu

store (soon to be rolled out across the country) - I'm not going to discuss the morals of restaurants incorporating street food dishes onto their menus and the whole street food shebang (there will probably be a blog about that in the not too distant future...) - so naturally, new menu, any excuse to pop down.

The Yo! Sushi at Selfridges Trafford Centre has just had a major refit (indeed, I tried to pop down three weeks ago and it was closed. No weekly Yo! fix for me!). The old white store has been replaced with striped wood, shot through with the recognisable Yo! Sushi colours. There's less bright orange (good) and the whole place generally looks cleaner, brighter and more modern. So it's not just the menu that has changed.

Whilst we were trying out the street menu (six dishes, of which we tried four), we naturally had to sample as many of the other dishes we know and love. Because that's how I roll at Yo! (and then roll out the door).

 

Off the new menu - Chicken karage is a fried chicken dish (like popcorn chicken, my companion's observation) - salty with a crunchy outer layer, pretty moreish and probably very bad for you. We didn't like the processed tasting wasabi mayo dip that came on the side, but a dousing of soy makes this dish even better (or use the dip that comes with the goyza, takes it up another notch again).

 

Salmon harumaki; a crisp filo roll, filled with nori and salmon, then fried. I've never had cooked nori before, but it's something I'll definitely try again. The pastry gave a pleasing crisp crack and the fish inside was perfectly cooked, the nori seasoning it all beautifully. Only issue was that the pastry was soaked in oil - luckily it didn't taste stale, but left a little too much grease in the mouth.

Bum note was the duck and hoisin salad - some bland, soggy leaves shot through with massive chunks of onion and then topped unappetisingly with cold, unflavoured (just a hint of five spice was all I was getting) duck that had lumps of white fat and flabby skin stuck to it. We didn't finish it.

Luckily all this was saved by the dish of the day - salmon sashimi with an yuzu salsa. Miles away from the duck; spanking fresh, full of heady, fresh citrus perfume, zingy spice and sweetness from the salsa. I could have eaten this all day.

Then we started on dishes from the original menu; the usual, plain salmon sashimi was what it said on the tin - fresh but a little fatty. A tuna handroll was full to bursting and the staff were more than happy to skip the mayo as per my request, they did however, get a little trigger happy with the spicy sauce - it took three glasses of waster to stop the burning and my lips looked like they'd had some pretty full on filler work done (not that I minded, I'm addicted to that spicy sauce).

Because I'm a glutton/had to research I had the rice rolled salmon maki - there's no rice, the nori is replaced by summer roll wrapping and there's some avocado and cucumber in there - super light and refreshing, another winner that I'll add to my list of 'dishes I have to have every time I visit Yo!'

Yo! Sushi isn't for the sushi gourmand, that's not why I go there (try Umezushi instead if you're after that), but it's a great place for to grab a bite to eat that genuinely is different from the flabby sandwiches and bland soups that are your other lunch time/chain options.

Yo! Sushi operates a range of set prices for it's dishes, the colour of the dish denotes price - they go form £1.90 (green) to £5 (grey).

Food - 7/10
Service - 9/10 (Jamie is amazing, he's the most lovely, helpful man ever)
Atmosphere - 8/10 (rammed, mid-week lunch)
Value for money - 7/10

Total - 31/40

Go again - already been. Twice. Since last week.

Yo! Sushi Selfridges, The Dome, Trafford Centre, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 8DA - 0161 747 7689 - http://www.yosushi.com/restaurants/manchester-selfridges-Trafford

Umezushi - Manchester

Umezushi, Manchester’s newest sushi restaurant, has been on my radar for a while after hearing pleasing murmurs from a variety of sources. I’m a Japanese food lover and Manchester’s a little thin on the ground for great places to eat this type of food (Yuzu excepted), so as you can expect I went with my heart in my mouth and my tastebuds eager to be pleased.


Umezushi is hidden away in a railway arch at the top of Mirabel Street (by Victoria Station; I foresee them snaring me quite often on my commute home, damn them) – a small, simple, striped back interior ensures your whole concentration is focused on the balanced exactness that is the mainstay of Japanese food and which is recreated perfectly here.

Umezushi - the little hidden gem

And what food! A main gripe of mine about (now) living away from the sea is the lack of fresh fish – don’t get me wrong, restaurateurs in Manchester have access to an amazing market at Smithfields and at some places the fish is spanking fresh, trouble is it’s usually cooked (and I have a perchance for raw…) – still, many places are serving up flabby, rubbery, slimy lumps of fish I would think twice about cooking, let along snarfing down uncooked. Not at Umezushi; all the fish we had was tip top – firm, clean and plenty of iodine. To keep tastes fresh and of super quality, Umezushi has adopted an ever changing daily menu to reflect what’s best at market each day; often full of seasonal, British produce to boot.

To start, we were given a dish of homemade pickles; sweet, slightly sharp, with each piece of veg still retaining a satisfying crunch. Dishes come out when they are ready – so don’t go to Umezushi when in a massive rush, the food is prepped when you order it to ensure it’s super fresh, so there’s a little (but welcome) wait.

Fresh and clean - sweet little homemade pickles

Umezushi keeps things simple – you choose your fish first, then how you would like it prepped; sashimi, handroll, nigiri, maki etc, or you can leave it to the gods (well, chef) and chose the house selection. We ate buttery brill, softly melting sea trout, rich tuna, a lightly pickled horse mackerel and the rarest, most succulent slice of fillet beef. Only small issue is the rice, it’s slightly loose – much better than the claggy puddings you get elsewhere, but just a tad difficult to get in my mouth (I’m not the neatest of eaters in the first place, so a little assistance would have been appreciated).

Thing of beauty in taste and looks - brill handroll

To accompany the sushi (and to fill me up) we ordered miso (hot, salty and not minging = good), light as a feather tempura and, on the back of the success of the pickles, some homemade kimchee – a great wall of heat, relived by a sharp pickle slap, followed by that unmistakable fermenty fizz; if you can stomach spicy fermented brassicas then definitely order it as it’s some of the best I’ve had in Manchester.

Tiny tuna portion - was worth every little bite

Umezushi is a fab little find, I was in two minds about writing this up as it’s such a hidden gem with such limited space that I want to be able to get in when I next visit – however it’s so perfect that you need to know and of course, I need them to carry on trading! The food is exquisitely put together, the produce as fresh as can be, the staff are the perfect level of friendliness and it’s a comfy little bolt hole – the only (very tiny) negative is that portions are small for the price, but as I’ve said before, I’d rather have quality over quantity and you get simple quality by the bucket loads here.

Price for seven sushi plates, one miso soup, one kimchee, one tempura and two beers - £40.24

Food – 8/10

Atmosphere – 7/10 (we were there very early, straight after work)

Service – 9/10

Value for money – 7/10

Total – 31/40

Go again – Yes. I plan to become a regular. Maybe even with my own chair and special nod to the chef who just whips up his best/freshest/newest thing and hands it to me without a word (stop fantasising – ed).

Umezushi, 4 Mirabel Street, Manchester M3 1PJ – 0161 8321 852 – enquiries@umezushi.co.uk – Facebook – Twitter – www.umezushi.co.uk

Yuzu - Manchester

Good Japanese food is a scarce find in Manchester. Yes there's plenty about - Sapporro, New Samsi, Tokyo Season, Yo! to name a few, but quality is hard to find and it's not easy on the wallet either.
Yuzu, on Faulkner Street at the edge of Manchester's compact but vibrant China Town, is set to change all that. The restaurant's a simple affair with an understated sign and a paired down interior; reflecting their ethos of serving simple, everyday Japanese dishes.

We were greeted to an empty restaurant when we visited and as the meal wore on we wondered why this place wasn't buzzing with a queue round the block (we did eat at 6pm on a Tuesday).

The food's not amazingly complex or outstandingly different, but is cooked extraordinarily well. A starter of prawn gyoza included large chunks of whole, well seasoned, soft prawns - none of this greasy, unidentifiable, salty mush you get in most places. The boy's chicken katsu was the best we've had in this country; the chicken soft and juicy, almost poached with a crunchy, crispy coating and no hint of old oil or staleness you often find with breaded products.

Mains kept up the high standard. The boy’s tuna sashimi set; a little pricey at £12.95, was served with miso soup, rice and daikon and surprised us with its freshness and the quality of the fish – something not that common in Manchester. The high standard of the dish made the price much easier to swallow as we’ve had worse/less than this at a restaurant just around the corner for much more money.

My tempura kishimen (king prawn and vegetable with traditional kishimen noodles from the Nagoya region) was light and fresh; with a crunchy, gossamer thin batter. The noodles and accompanying broth were as fresh as spring water and delicately seasoned; the subtle taste could have been lost with heavy accompaniments, but the balance in the dish was spot on and even for simple food the execution and presentation were exquisite and a snip at £8.95.

Many restaurants in the area should sit up and take notice of Yuzu. They source locally, the service is quiet yet first rate and the food is truly amazing considering most dishes are under a tenner and the most expensive thing on the menu is £15.95. The idea of keeping it simples ensures that what they do, they do well and nothing is lost in gimmicks, fusion or simple bluster.

Yuzu is a hidden gem, it’s a brilliant little restaurant that’s getting everything right – let’s just hope that enough people ignore the brash neon signs of its neighbours and realises that simplicity is the key to success.

Ps – Yuzu is also open for lunch with most dishes priced very attractively at 5.95!

Cost for two starters, two mains and a beer - £32.20

Food – 8/10
Atmosphere – 6/10
Service – 9/10
Value for money – 7/10

Total – 30/40

Would you visit again? Yes definitely!

Yuzu, 39 Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4EE – 0161 236 4159
ynagami@alumni.manchester.ac.uk

http://www.yuzumanchester.co.uk/home

Izakaya Samsi - Manchester

Not matter what many people tell you cheap is most often not cheerful. I am highly suspicious of things I think are too good to be true. So imagine my surprise in enjoying a very cheap meal in the basement of one of Manchester's premier Japanese restaurants.

Izakaya Samsi is the newest addition in the rapidly growing Samsi chain of restaurants in Manchester. Located in the basement underneath Samsi Manchester, Izakaya sets out to recreate a type of Japanese drinking establishment that serves heartier food than bar snacks. And hearty it is! Myself and the welsh fashionista spent hardly anything and ate like kings in the process.

With thanks to Samsi

To start we both ordered the miso soup, plus the vegetable gyoza whilst we read through the rest of the menu and tried to decide what to have from the many delectable dishes on offer - and after what seemed like an age fashionista chose chicken katsu AND the yakiudon, whereas I was a little more restrained and went for the bento box; although it was hard not order a curry as well -  there was a special offer of all curries half price (working out at about £2 per massive dish!). It almost seemed rude not to order one.

Our tummies were rumbling after we'd had the miso, as even though we were the only other group in the izakaya, service was very slow.  This is due to the server doubling as the cook, therefore having to prepare everything and see to all the customers' needs at the same time.

However, the wait was worth it. When the food arrived it was very generous in size and had a good flavour for the cost we were paying. For twice the price I have eaten dishes of the same quality (or worse!) and a smaller size in other parts of Manchester.

My bento was especially good value at £4.50 for two large pieces of expertly cooked salmon, a large mound of  well cooked rice (not cold, not soggy, just right), pickles, seaweed and sauce. The bento has the added advantage of offering many different combinations including; gyoza, salmon, chicken, beef, teriyaki, katsu, noodles, rice and so on - and if you order takeaway it comes in a proper bento box.

The good value bento

Fashionista's katsu was a large portion of very crispy chicken in panko, nothing special, but thankfully with no taste of stale oil and no pieces of gristle. His yakiudon was massive and delicious; we had to apologise to the server/cook for how much we wasted (I did question two mains did I not Mr WF?).

 

Katsu and the massive yakiudon

The overall quality of the food wasn't Michelin star, the service was slow but very attentive and friendly, the izakaya was noisy (due to an extractor fan) and was cramped in next to the shop. But for the cost, the taste and overall experience I couldn't have asked for more. For the price we paid and the time we had it was indeed everything I could wish for from a Japanese pub in a basement and am already booking in with the boy for our next visit (well, I couldn't not take him with his favourite dish being katsu, could I?).

Workers in the area should also be aware that Izakaya Samsi is open for lunch and has a takeaway option. Thankfully I don't live or work anywhere near, otherwise I'd be twice the size I am right now!

Price for two including: three starters and three mains (we bought drinks separately) - £17.70.

Value for money: 9/10
Service: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10
Food: 7/10

Total: 28/40

Izakaya Samsi, Basement, 36-38 Whitworth Street, Manchester M1 3NR - 0161 279 0023
info@samsi.co.uk
http://www.samsi.co.uk/izakaya-samsi.htm

Tokyo Season - Manchester

Having become something of a Japanophile lately (mainly from copious amounts of comics and Mikado biscuits I have consumed) I was intrigued when the boy mentioned he had been recommended a Japanese restaurant on the edge of Manchester's china town.

The restaurant is non-discript from outside with a slightly garish sign, not the most welcoming. We entered and walked down into the basement, which is surprisingly light for a low level room. The restaurant is small and the tables somewhat basic and cramped, however we had the good sense to book ahead and were shown across the main dining area to the traditional japanese tables at the back. These had been updated for westerners so you don't have to kneel, but the effect is the same as your feet dangle down in to a carpeted well and look like you're sitting at a low table. These tables come with posher chopsticks (woo!) and traditional paper screens. (Wear good socks if dining this way as you have to take your shoes off).

At first the restaurant seemed dead, but by 7.30pm we were glad we had booked ahead as the place was chock full of Japanese - a good sign we thought.

For starters I ordered a miso soup, the boy and an ex-colleague had the sashimi rolls and our new friend went for the edamame.

The miso was miso; warm, salty and full of tofu and seaweed. The edamame were edamame, nothing special, but were clean tasting. To our consternation the sashimi rolls came out as salmon and smoked salmon, although the menu had said tuna. The boy was obviously disappointed at this, but this was made up by the inclusion of cucumber and pickled ginger in the centre, which added a great contrast in texture and fresh, zingy flavours (picture below).

As we had the taste for raw fish we ordered the Chef's Special Shashimi and Sushi 16 piece Platter to come out with the starters. This dish was presented traditionally as a selection of nigri, maki and gunkan, but disappointingly there was no sashimi as promised in the dish's title.

It was refreshing to be served a sushi platter that didn't pander to western tastes, with only one salmon nigri on the whole plate. There was a wonderful mix of seabass, spankingly fresh squid, flying fish roe, crab and others. The only disappointment came from the arctic clam which had definitely come from the arctic freezer and a soggy tuna mayo gunkan.

Mains followed swiftly and these consisted of the Tokyo Season Special Teppanyaki for the new friend, Unadon for ex-colleague, Beef Fillet Yakiudon for the boy and Sashimi Rice for myself.

The special teppanyaki was a mixed bag of various skewered things including very baby squid (they were tiny, it almost seemed a crime to eat them), prawns, beef and what we presumed was eel. Unfortunately the squid and the prawns were terribly overcooked, almost what I presume chewing tyre rubber is like. The beef was soft but unremarkable but the eel was very, very good. The poor cooking of the seafood was, however, saved by the delectable sauce everything had been cooked in.

Unadon was eel cooked in sauce over rice. The eel was brilliantly cooked in a lip-smacking sauce, the only downside being the skin on the eel. This maybe how it's eaten, but I personally like my eels skinned at the skin had gone a little sticky and gloopy.

Sashimi rice was as it said on the tin, sashimi on a bed of rice. Again the selection was varied and I was surprised at the inclusion of Sea Urchin, not at all western and somewhat a luxury for the price of £12.95. This was only marred by the obviously defrosted arctic clam that had reared it's ugly head in the chef's platter.

The boy's food came out much later than everyone else's (much to his dismay), if we had not been sharing everything I think we would have mentioned this to our server. The wait was almost worth it - the noodles in the dish were soft and unctuous, deeply filled with the flavour of the sauce and masses of them. The beef though wasn't that great, thin strips were presented in a way that looked like the beef you get from a second rate chinese takeaway - but for £9.50 and being tasty we weren't complaining.

Throughout the evening the service was charming without being over-bearing. We did occasionally have to wait for a server to notice us, but in a very busy restaurant this was understandable and we were always greeted with a bow, a smile and the utmost friendly charm I have ever come across.

Tokyo Season was a good night out with friends, it wasn't spectacular or mind-blowing, but for a  tasty mid-week meal it was fun and we were throughly looked after.

Cost for four including four starters, five mains and six beers cost £99.97.

Value for money: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 6/10

Total: 27/40

Tokyo Season, 52 Portland Street, Manchester M1 4QU - 0161 236 7898
www.tokyoseason.com