Musu
Manchester, Greater Manchester
Born of great ambition – to be at the cutting edge of the sushi knife, while operating in a culinary universe far distant from Japan – Musu mostly delivers on its high-end brief. A windowless ground-floor site has been transformed into a darkly polished, sleek dining room edged by digital murals and strips of light. The tasting menu shows off the breadth of culinary skill displayed across two open kitchens (one devoted to sushi), although most of what it offers is also available via a more affordable carte. It begins with clean, cool, immaculate sashimi (seaweed-cured hamachi, opaline scallop), broadening through nigiri (mackerel wisped with smoke, sea bream picked up with the tiniest of lime garnishes) and takes on everything from chawanmushi with snails, girolles and garlic blossoms to pleasingly sausagey duck yakitori skewers, and A5 wagyu with black truffle in a vivid beetroot tea. The chefs seldom miss a beat, especially when it comes to elegantly rendered prestige ingredients – as in chu-toro in autumn truffle dashi or venison with umeboshi, pickled blackberries and a glossily French sauce. As for dessert, the highlight is a salted white chocolate cream with silky almond sorbet and a soya milk crisp. Wines start with koshu white and sake, before going global – although choice is accessible across the range. Also check out the daytime 'wine and sushi' deal, available Thu-Sat. The combination of luxe details, real-deal ingredients and abundant skill is heady stuff indeed.
Dining Information:
Private dining room, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Credit card required
64 Bridge Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester M3 3BN
0161 883 7753
