Sexy Fish Taste Menu Preview

Sexy Fish is one of Manchester's premier venues for those seeking out glamorous surroundings alongside some quality hospitality.  Set in Spinningfields, Sexy Fish has become one of the city's favourite venues serving an array of premium cocktails, one of the entire country's most comprehensive Champagne lists, and some artistically curated Eastern cuisine. 

Sexy Fish's 'Taste' menu is a snapshot of their most iconic flavours, and we were invited down to sample said menu; an invitation which we just couldn’t let pass by.

Before dinner, we started with a couple of cocktails at the bar; a 'Pineapple' from the new Unity menu, along with a stunning 'Buko Pandan Daiquiri' which is available as part of a current collaboration with Ron Santiago de Cuba.  Absolutely stunning. They also paired well with the Spicy Edamame, and personally I feel more venues should serve vegetables as bar snacks!

The 3 course 'Taste' menu focuses on sharing dishes which are served when they’re ready;

Tiger Prawn Tempura to share was executed to a charm.  Crispy yet light batter, coating a perfectly cooked semi-translucent prawn with a lovely dashi broth on the side.  Without question, this was one of the outstanding plates of the evening

Salmon Tartare was another sharer, served as a stack of super fresh salmon cubes, seasoned with a hint of Korean spice and served with some crackers to scoop up all that goodness.  A vibrant and fresh plate.

Chicken Gyoza, I'm assured by my dining accomplice was delicious.  Robustly filled dumplings, caramelised on the bottom for some flavour depth and texture, served up with ume and shiso to create a delicious mouthful.

Chicken Yakitori Skewers don’t usually feature on the Taste menu, but due to a plum/ume allergy, I was grateful for them being served as a replacement for the above gyoza.  They came perfectly grilled and amazingly juicy, with those smoky notes really coming through.  Superb.

Main courses allow the diner to choose between three dishes, so we went with the two different protein options to share, as is surely the only way to do things?

Baby Chicken, Hummus & Yuzu was our first main, and came in a generous portion.  4 pieces, all kissed by that grill, were juicy and succulent.  The perhaps untraditional addition of hummus, which was as smooth as you could imagine, worked a treat.

Our next main was Grilled Seabass, Daikon & Shiso, which showcased more well-cooked protein, which has been skewered whilst grilling to help retain its shape.  The fish simply flaked away from its skin with minimal effort and was so light and fresh.

Kimchi Fried Rice accompanied both mains and was as delicious as it sounds, this coming from someone who will normally avoid Kimchi!  Fluffy, light, and tempered with flecks of kimchi to bring bags of flavour depth, without an overpowering back note of fermentation.  The ideal partner to our main courses.

As a final flourish, Cinnamon Doughnuts with Chocolate Sauce & Exotic Curd brought the Taste menu to an end.  They came served on a pretty marine-themed stand, in synch with the general surroundings. Fluffy, soft and warm, served with two dips, this was the ideal way to end.

Our bottle of 2021 Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint (£55) was the perfect wine style to complement the food's flavour profiles, carrying super-aromatic notes of apple, pear, stone fruit, honey, and citrus.  A strong nod to Sexy Fish's general wine offering, which is up there with the very best in the city.

Sexy Fish's 'Taste' menu is available from Sunday to Thursday, and costs just £35 per person, which is fantastic value for money!  It's one to add to your list of places to try in the city.