Umezushi

Manchester has its fair share of sushi restaurants, but not many have a following like Umezushi. Tucked away under an old railway arch behind Victoria Station on the edges of the city centre, it’s hard to find but well worth the hunt. Despite having just sixteen covers, this bright minimalist space never feels pokey. The vibe is relaxed, with a laid-back jazz soundtrack, and efficient staff who are more than willing to recommend courses and explain dishes in mouth-watering detail, like a food lover’s ultimate Jackanory.

The food is as good as you’ve heard and considering this is land-locked Manchester, the seafood remarkably fresh. The pickled mackerel sashimi deserves a special mention – tangy, tender and topped with a delicate blob of minced ginger and spring onion. The texture and taste are electric, testament to the knife skills of the chef. But it’d be remiss not to praise the glorious scallop sashimi. So smooth and perfect they hardly seem real, they, more than anything, confirm the lofty standards of Umezushi.

Be reckless. Step away from the more conventional sushi dishes and ask about some of the more unusual selections. Chawanmushi, is an egg custard style dish, usually served at formal celebrations in Japan, flavoured with soy sauce and mirin, and packed with edame beans, spring onions and one or two hunks of fish. To dumb it down, it tastes like a jellified miso soup, and works as a gentle, moreish dish to start the meal. Less unusual but just as mouth-watering is the bowl of Taiwanese pork belly rice. This is dark and steamy, rich with treacly flavours, and dotted with meat so soft it liquefies on the tongue like chocolate.

Today’s special are carabineros, enormous shell-on prawns grilled on a bed of salt, heavy and delicious. But the stars of the show are the freshwater eel nigiri. The eel meat is darkly caramelised and sports a spring onion and ginger garnish. It’s easily the best eel on sale in Manchester. Once our waiter explains the astonishing preparation process, it’s easy to see why. Eels are brought in live for freshness, then the next few days are spent preparing them, including roasting the bones for 24 hours to create a stock, in which the eels are then roasted again for another 24 hours. It’s fair to say no other restaurant in the city spends as much time and effort on one dish. Is it worth it? Undoubtedly. It’s one of the most exquisite morsels you’ll ever taste and worth the trip alone.

Special mention should go to the drinks selection. For such a small venue, the menu is vast including an eye-opening range of sake and even a number of natural wines for the curious imbiber.

Clued-in insiders have known for some time that Umezushi is one of Manchester’s best secret destinations. With a menu jam-packed with unusual options, and remarkably fresh food no matter what time or day, it’s one of the city’s best restaurants, full stop.