Mamucium Mediterranean Menu Preview

Mamucium has long been serving up fantastic food in lovely surroundings, quietly tucked away in a corner of the city which in our view, is too often over overlooked by people in search of a solid dining experience.

Situated in the stunning Hotel Indigo at Victoria Station, Mamucium actually sits in a prime position on the doorstep of the city's amenities, so is easily accessible from the AO Arena, The Printworks and even the main shopping district.  So no matter where you are in town, it's never an excessive trip.

We were invited down to sample Mamucium's new Mediterranean menu, which was an opportunity that we just couldn't let pass by.  We ordered a couple of delicious Med inspired cocktails and gazed over the menu to work out a plan of attack.

The menu is split into tapas/mezze style small plates, to slightly larger started portioned plates, and of course a bold selection of mains from pastas, pizzas, fish, grilled meats, and all manner of dishes that are often reserved for your Summer holidays.  But we say that any time of year is perfect for a Mediterranean escape.  And at Mamucium, you don’t even need to leave Manchester to do exactly that! 

To give you guys the best possible cross section of things we opted for 2 small plates and also 2 starters.   We started via Spain with a couple of small plates/tapas.  Empanadas (£7.90) are a classic for good reason, and Mamucium's were fantastic. Flaky hand-crimped pastry stuffed with a savoury filling, served with a bright chili-coriander sauce.

Next up was Albondigas (£6.95), traditional Spanish-style Pork meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, served with a couple of slices of griddled garlic bread for dipping.  These were plump, juicy and carried a lovely texture.  Absolutely perfect for any season.  You can actually get any 4 small plates for just £20, so there's superb value to be had here if you pick wisely.

Next up was our duo of starters starting with the Italian icon which is Fritto Misto (£9.95). A timeless mix of battered juicy prawns, sweet scallops, flaky white fish, all fried until crispy and served with an aioli dipping sauce.

And lastly came the undisputed table favourite of all 4 pre-main dishes.  Chorizo in Wine Sauce (£8.50) which was exemplary.  Great quality smoky chorizo gently simmered in a velvety wine reduction until tender.  The sauce itself was immaculate.  Rich, sweet, silky and absolutely delicious.  I could drop even food-article adjectives but won't bore you.  The only thing that it lacked was some bread to handle the mopping up, as per the meatballs.  We'd had asked for some, but 4 starters was gluttonous as it was.

After a short break our main courses arrived.  Mamucium's Lasagna della Nonna (£23) was constructed with love; a 12-layered indulgence, packed with slow-simmered beef ragu, creamy bechamel, and perfectly baked pasta sheets.  Layer upon layer of joy, and a slice of griddled bread completed the comforting plate.

Smash ‘n’ Bass (£20) was our other main course of the evening, sporting a perfectly pan-fried fillet of sea bass served atop velvety mash, finished with a vibrant salsa and some deep-fried noodles for garnish and crunch.  It doesn’t get any more Mediterranean than this.

Heavenly Walnut Tiramisù (£8) lived up to its menu description to a tee.   Espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with creamy walnut infused mascarpone, topped with that legendary dusting of cocoa powder.  There's a lot of Tiramisus flying about in the city at the moment, but this is one of the most memorable that we've had in some time.

Poached Pears with Vanilla and Crumble (£7.50) was our final course, and reeled in the richness from the Tiramisu, to end on a slightly lighter note.   Wine-poached pears served alongside vanilla ice cream and crumble.

And with that our dinner was completed and we were contently filled.  Fortunately, we didn’t have far to travel as we'd also been invited to stay over at the Hotel Indigo itself, in one of their sumptuous rooms.  The hotel is cylindrical in shape, so every room, regardless of which floor you're on, has a lovely view of some part of direction towards the city.  All too often hotels plonk you in a room with a view of the rear alleyway or somebody's rooftop. Not here, and you can be sure of some great hospitality as well as the views.

After a great night's sleep, we headed back down to Mamucium to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before check out.   There's a comprehensive buffet with a vast choice of cereals, yoghurts, pastries, and hot options too from sausages, eggs, bacon etc.   And if that's not enough choice, then Mamucium also offers a breakfast la carte option.

We both started with a pot of fruit topped yogurt and a coffee, to expedite the waking up process.  Our self-assembly fry up was splendid in quality of produce, and the choice on offer was superb.  Simply plate what you'd like and take advantage of that made to order egg section.

Pancakes off the a la carte were our second option, for the less greedy member of our party.  Light, fluffy, freshly made, and bathed in a lovely syrup and a generous portion of mixed berries.

And with that, our Mamucium experience drew to a close.  We checked out and headed back to the office, in what was a bit of a predictable come down after a lovely evening.

Book your own Mamucium experience today, you'll be pleased that you did.  There's no better way to shake off the ongoing Autumnal season change in Manchester.  And why not treat yourself to a little hotel stay, and really make yourself feel like you're on holiday!

** Our experience was gratefully comped **