Harley Young visits Fenix’s older sister to see how the Spinningfields restaurant is doing
Two weeks before our visit, as I sat at my computer trying to book a table after 5pm on Saturdays, I realized that Tattu is still up there with its younger Mediterranean sister, Fenix, as one of the city’s hotspots. for date dinners and evening drinks.
The evening finally rolled around and we headed to the restaurant, looking forward to what awaits behind the golden rudder-shaped door handles of Tattu’s entrance. We were warmly welcomed by the reception staff who offered to take our coats and stored my suitcase (family visit to Sheffield) safely in the cloakroom before handing me a ticket and guiding us to the bar area.
Fenix may be the new kid on the block, but Tattu is still a fun and playful restaurant for dates and special occasions
Photo: Tattu Manchester
A place decorated with sailor-themed decorations such as skulls, giant anchors and ropes that weave around the walls and ceilings, play with the style of a traditional tattoo. The lighting is kept to a minimum, creating an atmospheric, dark space with only a small table light illuminating dinner and drinks. I can certainly see why people take advantage of the photo opportunities this place offers.
Dave and I started our evening with a cocktail; a non-alcoholic “Skullduggery” for me, served in a fitting skull-shaped glass with a dash of dry ice for good measure (Tattuhan’s from the theater) and for him an “Eastern Dragon” made with 135 East Gin, raspberry and Cointreau.
![2024 02 22 Tattu Skullduggery](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276047/fcc7030a29d021f6f117ecedf9577bae.jpg)
Photo: p
Skullduggery was tart, juicy and certainly looked it. As a raging goth, skull glass also fit my aesthetic to a T. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, I didn’t feel out of place even though there was no booze in my drink, which is always a nice bonus – I hate looking like a kid at the grown-up table when non-alcoholic options aren’t available and I have to drink a glass of Coke with a straw…might as well bring me a Fruit Shoot at that point.
Dave’s Eastern Dragon was presented beautifully with dried flowers to add fragrance and ambiance, and the smoke-filled bell jar it was served with made quite an impressive appearance.
We opted for the three-course Taste of Tattu set menu at £73.50 per person to get a good idea of what this contemporary Chinese restaurant has to offer.
The first wave saw seven spiced seared tuna served with truffle aioli, caviar and citrus ponzu on a turquoise rectangular side plate. A crumb of seven spices added a nice texture to the circumference of each carefully sliced piece of tuna, and the truffle aioli lifted the flavor without overpowering it. We really enjoyed this dish and could have had a few servings.
Alongside it was served aromatic crispy duck pancakes with Szechuan sauce, cucumber, spring onions and crispy shallots in a round bamboo steamer. Well presented, this starter was a slightly fancier take on a takeaway classic and served as a nice interactive divider between the two of us. As the name suggests, the duck was suitably crispy and added a nice crunch to the pancake when it was wrapped with all the trimmings.
![2024 02 22 Tattu Crispy Duck Thumb](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276051/254128e9c6be3743b65d7b6394232feb.jpg)
Photo: p
For the second wave, we got four dishes to share. The first is satay ribeye beef, served with papaya som tum and cashew nuts. The presentation was a bit confusing, a leaf-wrapped ribeye topped with greens that made it look more like you’d found it on the forest floor rather than painstakingly prepared in the kitchen.
Despite the confusing presentation, the steak was tasty and well cooked (medium as we had requested). The thick satay sauce drizzled on top added enough texture to keep the dish interesting and paired with a side of jasmine steamed rice, it was a filling portion between the two of us.
![2024 02 22 Tattu Pihvi](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276052/d9bf322a9f5e9b4ddfa8b9ab40c7ac66.jpg)
Photo: p
![2024 02 22 Tattu Rice](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276053/b32fdf737fe1a186d981ce92d2e9fefc.jpg)
I really wanted to like the next dish; sea bass tom yum with lemongrass, kaffir lime and pak choi. But it was just a little too watery and didn’t have much flavor. The skin of the sea bass was nicely crispy, but otherwise we could have done without it.
The bean sprout noodles served alongside were well seasoned, if not too oily. However, they are more or less exactly the same as what you would get from your local takeaway at a fraction of the price. So, unless you’ve ordered them to complement your entree, I’d probably go for something more exciting if I were you.
![2024 02 22 Tattu sea bass](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276054/72cc1debca3f5f6c3fb8229a6a9f54be.jpg)
![2024 02 22 Tattu noodles](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276055/b264847268680e8a69f4f7121bfc5fc1.jpg)
Photo: p
The third wave—my favorite wave, dessert—arrived, and there was even more theater than cocktails. A smoky spherical stone bowl that, when the lid was removed, revealed a white chocolate “dragon’s egg” sitting in a nest of toffee surrounded by other chocolate chips and filled with coconut curls, passion fruit and mango. A perfect combination for me, a self-confessed chocoholic, and Dave, a lover of fruity desserts.
The sharpness of the passion fruit helped cut through the chocolate, preventing the dessert from becoming too sickly, while the egg filled with ice cream gilding brought a touch of magic to the course.
![2024 02 22 Tattu Dragon Egg](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276056/0bbaefea008fdc8232538f39614fc9d5.jpg)
Photo: p
At the other end was an Asian pear sticky toffee pudding with cinnamon, vanilla and almond – a decadent twist on the classic British dessert, sailing in toffee sauce and topped with a cinnamon stick flag. Very moist and full of flavor, but definitely for sharing as it can get a little too rich if you handle it yourself.
![2024 02 22 Tattu Sticky Toffee Pudding](https://s.com/uploads/imager/299deb39facbb0c50fa0371390d9cd0c/1276057/ab33ffd87ea737596d8f0f732dafd7ba.jpg)
Photo: p
Fenix may be the new kid on the block, but Tattu is still a fun and playful restaurant for dates and special occasions. If you’re looking for a beautiful place to impress, you won’t go wrong here.
As for the food, it’s enjoyable but feels like it’s missing something, all things considered. Especially at the price point of many dishes and menus. Luckily, it’s helped along the way with well-themed cocktails and impressive-looking desserts that are ideal for snapping and sharing with friends.
Would I destroy another £230 on our eating out? Probably not. But could I sip an evening’s handful of curious, complex cocktails and well-orchestrated small plates? In a heartbeat.
Tattooed3 Hardman Square, Manchester M3 3EB, UK
Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young
Score
Score
All rated reviews are unannounced, unbiased and ALWAYS paid for by s.com and completely independent of commercial relationships. They are a first-person account of one visit by one expert restaurant reviewer and do not represent the company as a whole.
If you would like to see the receipt as proof that this magazine paid for the meal, a copy is available upon request. Or ask about the restaurant.
Venues are classified according to the best examples of their type. By this we mean that a restaurant that strives to be fine dining is compared to other fine dining restaurants, an average restaurant to other average restaurants, a pizzeria to other pizzerias, a tea shop to other tea shops, KFC to the contents of your trash can. You will receive a message.
Based on the above, we score as follows: 1-5: Saw your leg off and eat it, 6-9: Sigh and shake your head, 10-11: If you’re a passer, 12-13: Good, 14- 15: Very good, 16- 17: excellent, 18-19: pure class, 20: nothing so good?
15/20
-
Food
Seared Tuna 8, Crispy Duck 7.5, Satay Ribeye 6.5, Sea Bass 5, Bean Noodles 6, Jasmine Rice 5, Sticky Toffee Pudding 8, Chocolate Dragon Egg 7.5
-
Atmosphere
-
Service