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Fenix Manchester
Summer Menu Preview

Long before The Goods Yard region of Manchester city centre started to flourish in recent months, the now local institution that is Fenix had already started to spread its wings in the area.  Ever since take off they've been serving up some of the very best Greek cuisine not in only in the city, but in the entire north of England.  Upscale Greek just isn't something which is very easy to find without driving or even flying for a few hours in all honesty, and Fenix's Mykonos-inspired package never fails to impress. 

We were invited down to take a sneak preview of their new Summer food and drink menu, starting in Fenix’s stunning Nest Bar to get a sneak preview of the new Summer cocktails.  If you’re yet to visit, then it’s quite simply one of the city’s most opulent drinking spaces, and is the perfect setting for Fenix’s splendid drink offering. 

After cocktails and intros, guests took a seat at the upstairs Chef's table, which is in our view the very best place to sit in any dining room, overseeing the Chef's as they work in the very heart of the venue.  The energy and involvement were fabulous.

Guests were treated to a tasting menu style event, with courses being smaller than those on the actual menu, to give the group chance to sample as many of the new dishes as possible.

Executive Chef Ippokratis Anagnostelis who had flown in especially for the event, along with Head Chef Zisis Giannouras started us off with a trio of dips and pita. 

The ubiquitous tzatziki and feta dip were both super refined and absolutely delicious, but the real star here is the unbelievable taramasalata which is a far cry from the neon pink supermarket efforts which gives the dish a bad rep.  It's simply stunning, so you owe it to yourself to try this.

Moving onto the next chapter of the preview, we were presented with a delectable Grouper Carpaccio; a fish which is seldom seen on menus in Britain but is a favourite in Greece for good reason.  Fenix's Grouper is a carpaccio served with pickled fennel to bring freshness, and a punchy yuzu dressing which brings the whole dish alive with a pop.  Superb. 

Next over the pass was the Spicy Red Snapper, which showcased Chef's ethos of drawing upon other cuisines to complement his own style.  The snapper was sliced sashimi style, paired with diced mango and a spicy aji panca pepper dressing which brought some of South America to the plate.  Outstanding.

As always we like to be honest in our write ups so full disclosure; a Tarama & Lentil Salad is a dish I’d normally pass over on a menu, not because I don’t like lentils but just because it’s feels a little simple.

But let me tell you, this dish is far from simple. It’s perfectly balanced, meaty yet light and the kind of side that pairs with everything. Even before I’d finished eating I wanted to know if this will be on as just a side dish or full salad sized; much to my delight it will be both.

Grilled Calamari was a table favourite.  Scored with surgical precision then grilled to a perfect tenderness, with a slight char to bring smoky  notes into the equation.  Garnish was confident and minimalistic to truly showcase that seafood. 

Quite simply put, this was one of the best dishes we've eaten in the city this year, and suited that pending Summer season perfectly. It was refreshing to see the Calamari being allowed to shine, with no batter in sight!

And the quality of wines on offer at Fenix is exceptional.  Greek wines are some of our favourites in the RoM office, whether it be a precisely acid-balanced Santorini Asyrtiko, it's neighbouring Vin Santo dessert wine, or a stunning natural Liatiko from Karavitakis in Crete, they all have bags of history, the general quality is exceptional and they are some of the best value wines on the market to boot. 

Fenix showcases Greek wine wonderfully as you'd expect, and we were treated to a matched glass with each course, all of which were expertly matched by Fenix's in house Sommelier.

Wagyu Dolmadaki was more progressive Greek cooking.  A traditional Dolmade roll, served warm and accentuated with succulent Wagyu beef which added not only huge flavour, but kept the whole thing supremely juicy.

Linguini Prawn was a crowd pleaser, and you have to suspect will be one of the new menu's most popular sellers.  

Perfectly cooked pasta, coated in a superb tomato/seafood sauce, topped with a whole tiger prawn, whose tail had had been conveniently shelled to keep things simple/unmessy for the customer.

And to end the savoury tasting we were treated to a chunky slice of Beef Fillet, which cut like butter and was cooked beautifully. The flame grilled beef was served with cumin potato, with a black olive gastrique and beef ‘gravy’ to nail that Mediterranean Manchester tie in.

Until the day of this tasting, I'd had no idea how much of the cooking at Fenix happened over open fire, which is in my view the best way to cook most things.

The final course of the tasting was Fenix's superb Chocolate Dome.  Almond praline and chocolate mousse, topped with some intricate chocolate work and gold shimmer.   

A quite stunning way to end a wonderful evening.

Fenix's new Summer menu launches on Thursday 29th June so you too can experience the flavours of Greece right here in Manchester! No matter the weather,  eat like you’re on holiday and make sure to order the Taramasalata and Grilled Calamari; actually order all the fish!

Book your table here;

** Our experience was gratefully comped **

Fenix Manchester
Sunday Agora Preview

Fenix down at The Goods Yard has become one of the city's premier venues since their relatively recent launch, after quickly establishing themselves as the city's go-to venue for a fantastic experience in all things Greek. 

Long before you read this, it's a nigh on certainty that you've already seen how Fenix looks via social media.  In the flesh though it's quite simply one of the most stunning dining spaces/bars in the entire city.  The upstairs is brighter and lighter, whereas the downstairs bar area is a little moodier, perfectly in keeping with the offerings on said levels.  It's a delight. 

So whether you want a great bar serving some of Manchester's most delicious and visually striking cocktails, or a Greek meal which is hard to beat, Fenix have you covered.

But to add another string to their bow, Fenix have now launched their Sunday Agora menu; a Mykonos inspired twist on the classic British institution that is a Sunday Roast!

Customers can choose from a main course of;

Lamb Leg En-Clave; slow roasted in clay served with a rich red wine gravy to share between two.

Robata Grilled Sea Bass served with lime-turmeric dressing.

Cauliflower Steak (vg) with herbs, chilli, roasted vegetable cream and pickled fennel.

All options are served with fresh pita, a stunning tzatziki, Mykonian salad, spicy roasted cabbage, and Briam vegetables to complete the feast.

We called in to sample things first hand and on this occasion opted for the Lamb Leg En Clave, one of Fenix's most iconic and captivating creations; succulent slow roasted meat, cooked in the style of a classic Kleftiko, brought to your table encased in clay which is then cracked open with a golden hammer and carved table-side. 

The cooking process results in super succulent meat, which is then bathed in gravy before your eyes.  A feast for the eyes as well as taste buds

We of course supplemented the main event with a couple of starter dishes such as their elevated rendition of a classic Moussaka, which is one of the best things we've eaten in the city all year.  Smoky aubergine, a rich meat sauce, finished with a sublime cheese/bechamel espuma to add that high end detail which we've come to expect from Fenix.

Our other starter was a wonderfully fresh and vibrant crab salad which was super fresh, vibrant and zingy, with outstanding quality crab meat.

Our experience was finished off with a sharer creme brulee which knocked my socks off!  A divine chocolate crème, topped with just the right amount of bruleed sugar, to deliver that signature an ever so satisfying crack.

Book your own Sunday Agora experience here;

** Our experience was gratefully comped **