This autumn, one of London’s most high-end Asian restaurants will open its doors in Manchester.
Since opening in Mayfair seven years ago, Sexy Fish has made a name for itself as a glitzy celeb outpost that does glamourous dining to the max.
Here, theatre is very much the draw – so if you like a bit of flair with your dinner, we expect that come the autumn, Sexy Fish will be calling your name.
In its Mayfair restaurant, sushi is served on burnished silver sculptures and garnished with free-flowing waterfalls of dry ice, whilst whole lobsters are deep-fried in tempura batter with a smoked Marie Rose dipping sauce at £50 a pop.
It’s the sort of place where caviar sits at the top of the menu as a snack, with a choice of three styles no less – Siberian (£60), Oscietra (£115), and Beluga (£215) – where you can indulge in mandarin ponzu-drenched yellowtail sashimi (£19.60) and a crispy duck salad dressed with deep-pink, identikit cubes of watermelon (£24.10), all whilst staring at millions of pounds worth of bespoke artwork.
Simply put, it’s pretty sexy. Sexy if you like to eat fish, and also sexy if you don’t.
The ceilings, the art, the lamb (a caramelised lamb rack with red kosho, anchovy, and herb features on the Manchester menu, and is well worth an order), and the truffled wagyu sushi, are just a handful of things that would pull us back here for a special occasion.
And that’s before we even get really stuck into talking about the fish.
The impressive showstopping sushi and sashimi platter at Sexy Fish. / Image: The Manc Eats
Lobster tempura at Sexy Fish. / Image: The Manc Eats
Must-tries include a dish of caramelised black cod, which sits atop a smear of spicy miso and flakes apart at the merest hint of a fork, and the ultimate sexy fish showstopper – a mega sushi and sashimi platter with seemingly infinite rows of sashimi, maki, and nigiri.
Elsewhere, a fluffy cloud of waving bonito flakes sits on top of a troop of asparagus lined up straight as soldiers, whilst foie gras and truffle add a touch of the lascivious to the humble gyoza.
One of the most hotly anticipated openings of the year, when it lands in Manchester this autumn, the restaurant will take over the former Armani shop in Spinningfields – right above Manchester’s original sexy sushi spot, Australasia.
The team at Sexy Fish have purchased the second floor of the building, simply to knock it through and create and impressive double-heigh ceiling, and say that the Spinningfields’ site will be more akin to their Miami venture – full of bright colours, as well as spectacular artworks from international artist, Damien Hirst.
These will include three giant sculptures incorporating creatures from under the sea that have specially created for the space, iconic ‘Fish Lamps’ from world-famous designer and architect Frank Gehry, a beautiful Verde Esmerelda stone floor, and a series of bespoke glass columns created by master Venetian glassmakers on the island of Murano.
The dessert board at Sexy Fish features a whole cheesecake. / Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Sexy Fish Manchester will also feature a one-of-a-kind destination bar of glowing pink onyx and glass, set against a backdrop of a cascading waterfall, with its own laboratory on site where the bar team can create their various tinctures, shrubs, sprays, and distillates.
From the autumn, Sexy Fish will be open for lunch and dinner, offering delectable a la carte options, Omakase tasting menus, and late-night dining options.
Devised by internationally renowned and acclaimed Chef Director, Bjoern Weissgerber, the menus will also include unique recipes exclusive to Manchester with four bespoke dishes and four cocktails inspired by the city.
The restaurant will house a large Champagne collection with a selection of the world’s top vintages from leading estates, and an excellent sake wine selection.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Guests will also be able to enjoy creations from the innovative Trinity Menu, a collection of award-winning cocktails from London and Miami, alongside four bespoke serves curated specifically for Sexy Fish Manchester.
These include the likes of Strawberry & Grapefruit, featuring Hibiki Harmony Japanese whisky, strawberry, grapefruit, black pepper, lemon and soda, and Tonic & Mango, created with Manchester’s own Thomas Dakin Gin, aromatic tonic water, mango, coconut, and pandan.
Sexy Fish Manchester will also feature a stunning private dining room, The Tropical Reef Room, with a picturesque aquarium filled with a magical cacophony of exotic fish. Its private dining room in Mayfair is currently home to one of the biggest coral reefs in Europe.
Sexy Fish will open its doors in Spinningfields on 12 October 2023.
Featured Image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Inside the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Hotel Chocolat has today opened the doors to its first Velvetiser Cafe in Manchester, serving up shakes, hot chocolates, sundaes, and loads more.
Part cafe, part retail space, inside you’ll find everything from molten chocolate fountains to a full range of chocolate boxes, bars and hot chocolate powders.
The popular chocolatier has stores up and down the UK selling its ethically-sourced sweet treats, hitting a new level of fame with its Velvetiser, an invention that creates velvety smooth hot drinks at the touch of a button.
They’ve been so popular, Hotel Chocolat is now opening Velvetiser Cafes across the UK – and Manchester is next.
There are exclusive-to-Manchester-sundaes in store, each one inspired by their most popular chocolates, like a Billionaire’s Shortbread and an Eton Mess.
You can also grab yourself a hot choc shake, with loads of flavours, milks and toppings to choose from.
Hotel Chocolat’s new Velvetiser Cafe in ManchesterThe chocolate boxes at Hotel ChocolatInside the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe in ManchesterMix-and-match hot chocolate selection boxesInside the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe in ManchesterExclusive-to-Manchester ice cream sundaesCroissant with a molten chocolate potInside the Velvetiser Cafe in ManchesterInside the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe in Manchester
The Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe also has pastries, which you can order with a side of melted chocolate for dipping and drizzling.
As part of the experience inside, there’s a wall of hot chocolate sachets, which you can mix and match to build your own selection box.
And all along the way there’ll be samples, and loads to learn about the chocolate industry.
The Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser Cafe has officially opened its doors today on Cross Street in Manchester city centre, just next to the new Joe & The Juice.
The old fire station in Salford that’s now home to a bakery, brewery and bar
Daisy Jackson
A former fire station in Salford has been turned into a bustling base for some of the North West’s finest baking and brewing talents.
The Old Fire Station, right beside the University of Salford, is now operating as a bakery, brewery, bar, cafe and restaurant.
That means pastries, bread, pizzas and even beers are made within a few feet of where you’ll be eating and drinking them.
The space is beautiful, still boasting those gigantic red fire station doors and the traditional ceramic tiles that would have been here when the space was still home to fire engines instead of bread mixers.
Around half of the pastries coming out of the bakery, headed up by Erick Molero Delgado (his CV includes top bakeries across the USA and Europe), are completely vegan – not that you can tell from looking at their glossy, laminated layers and extravagant fillings.
We’re talking perfectly cubed laminated brioche with sweet maple flavours, mini pizzettes with olives and tomatoes dotted inside a pastry wall, and striped pain suisse stuffed with nuts and chocolate.
Then there are the not-very-vegan-at-all pastries, like a spandaeur, which is like a croissant and pastel de nata hybrid, and thick slices of Basque cheesecake.
There are new signature ‘Salford bagels’ too developed by assistant head baker Scott Shannon, which are a fusion of North American, German and Jewish styles, fermented for up to 48 hours with a crisp outer shell and a chewy centre.
A spandaeur pastry and a pain suisseHeirloom tomato bruschetta on sourdoughThe bakery line-upThe ‘Salford Bagel’ with smoked salmon
We had ours stuffed with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers and raved about it all the way home.
Erick says: “Our new menu is a true labour of love by the whole team – from early ideas and experiments right through to the final bake.
“If someone has an idea, we run with it. That creative freedom is priceless. It keeps the work exciting, and it means our customers have the opportunity to get something fresh every time they visit.”
As for the beers, they’re all made on site too – on the opposite side of The Old Fire Station is Lark Hill Brewery, headed up by Jack Dixon, who’s able to experiment and explore new flavours in this top-spec microbrewery.
Jack Dixon in the Lark Hill BreweryLaminated briocheThe Old Fire Station bakers at work
There are experimental beers, sometimes made in collaboration with researchers at the University, as well as true-to-style classics like a New England Pale Ale and the Lark Helles, a fresh take on a classic German lager.
Jack said: “Having the autonomy to design and brew what I want, without limits, is rare and exciting,.
“It means every beer we pour here has a story and a personality. We’re proud to bring something new to Salford’s craft scene.”
This summer, they’re launching New York-style pizzas, made on slow-fermented, hand-stretched pizza dough.
And very little goes to waste here – the trimmed-off croissant pastry is now being turned into their own croissant loaf, which they’re whipping into French toast for the brunch menu.
Everything at The Old Fire Station is crafted with talent and love, and you can really taste it.
Georgina Pellant -
8th September 2023 
