HOT harpers on-trade: sushi & licensing in Manchester

HOT: harpers on-trade September 2002 (issue 25)

A brief investigation into, and review of sushi restaurants in Manchester... Plus a few thoughts on licensing policy and growth of late bars in the city centre...

Miyako (50 Faulkner Street M1, 0161 228 1215) snuggles up, almost unnoticed, shoulder-to-shoulder with the myriad, densely packed and diverse restaurants, bakers and grocers that form Manchester’s China Town. It’s one of a small but growing handful of Japanese & sushi restaurants in the city centre, which includes Teppanyaki around the corner and newcomer Samsi Yakitori on Whitworth Street; plus Pan Asia, Wagamama and Tampopo who serve some Japanese dishes. Out of town is Sakura in West Didsbury and a few others in the metropolitan area.

Miyako has been open for five years and is small modest but relaxed and authentic-feeling. The head chef Eduardo Con-Ui, or Eddie as he introduces himself, has worked at the Hyatt in Dubai and as chef for Japanese Steel. He commented: “Teppanyaki cooking, which is new-ish in the UK and only developed over the last 10-15 years, has become the main focus but is less traditional.” However their sushi selection is impressive proposing a main list of 15-20 dishes, and the full range extends to over 30 including more exotic seafood, some of which is graded as ‘challenging’. “It’s seasonal too and depends on the market, as much of it is from tropical countries; salmon and mackerel we can get locally.” The market Eddie refers to is the celebrated Smithfield in Manchester, where he goes in the morning twice or so a week.

The core sushi menu features freshwater eel, prawns, giant clam, salmon, salmon roe, tuna and scallops, for example. These are priced from £5.50 for squid or crabsticks, £6 for four pieces of tuna or snapper, shrimp £7.50, to queen fish, eel or octopus at £10; and £11 for akagai (ark shell), which looks like an extra from Alien. Other ‘challenging’ species are ika (cuttlefish), kohada (gizzard-shad) and shako (squilla). “People who are familiar with sushi try these, and I have to order them in sometimes.” The dishes are all made on the premises: “it depends on the fish, tuna is prepared in a different way to shellfish for example.”

Being located close to numerous offices, and increasingly new apartments and hotels, also means a burgeoning take-away trade for Miyako. Their main menu is available at lower prices than the sit-down including the stunning looking Japanese platter, which is ordered in advance. The potential for sushi restaurants in general seems sound, as the market in Greater Manchester is by no means saturated.

*****

If you happen to be near Peter Street, Deansgate Locks or the Village (‘gay district’ around Canal Street) after 2am on Friday or Saturday night, the sheer quantity of partied people roaming the streets must surely confirm that there are more bars open late in Manchester. A few years ago this was the prerogative of clubs; is there a trend towards late-licensed bars – whether exclusive, cavernous or plain raucous – taking over as the preferred venue for ‘after hours’ drinking and dancing?

Manchester City Council appears liberal with its newfound freedom in granting licences, as many new premises open their doors to 2am Thursday to Saturday from day one. Local brewer cum bar owner J.W Lees holds a dozen late licences including Rain Bar, Rembrandt, Velvet Underground, South and John Willie Lees. Managing director William Lees-Jones condoned MCC’s policy in glowing terms: “…Council has been tremendous in supporting the development of Manchester as a city embracing licensed premises and residential use. This is making people come back into the city centre after years of no one really living there.”

Mark Cain – proprietor of stylish Velvet bar & restaurant, which opened six years ago on Canal Street – made some interesting points about other possible consequences. “We were advised to run to 11 then go later; we waited a year to bed ourselves in. All recent ones are automatically to 2 as par for the course. It’s a way of making a quick buck…(many places) are busy Friday and Saturday but not the rest of the week. It’s fickle: we’ve seen more bars going to the wall trading solely on late weekend trade…it’s changed the nature of bar going with a loss of diversity.”

City centre residents are rightfully demanding more input into licensing activities, so noise and trouble issues are properly considered, and the council claims to be listening. Lees-Jones added: “People must remember why they moved back into the centre in the first place and that the city needs bars to keep their rates down and services in place.” In addition the concentration of late bars in areas like those mentioned above has arguably alleviated the problem of crowds spilling out at the same time, and by spreading them around the city. There’s also little doubt this has effected clubbing life in the city, and we’re witnessing the development of perhaps a new genre of establishment such as One Central Street, which aspires to bar/restaurant/club status.

More HOT here.

Château Falfas: "biodynamic in Bordeaux"

"This fetching, subtly grand yet unpretentious and workmanlike property is owned by John and Véronique Cochran and is located near Bayon in the Côtes de Bourg appellation to the northeast of Bordeaux on the Right Bank. This area isn’t known for great quality and hence its wines don’t command high prices, but that doesn’t do justice to certain individual estates which are reaching to applaud-worthy heights. Château Falfas is one of them and also unique in Bordeaux, as it's been run on biodynamic principles since 1988, thus joining such illustrious names as Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, Huet in Vouvray and Chapoutier in the Rhône..."

Read it HERE.

“I’d like a nice Chardonnay please...”

Restaurant magazine 31 October 2001 issue

“I’d like a nice Chardonnay please.”

“We have Red Ridge in a frosted blue bottle or Windswept Gorge with a slick minimalist label.”

“Which is the best?”

“Well, they taste the same, but the Windswept Gorge looks sharper.”

Hopefully this isn’t a conversation you’ll hear in a restaurant, but there’s no denying trendy packaging is one way to make your bottle stand out from the rest. This is particularly true, of course, of producers trying to grab the drinker’s bewildered eye, when confronted with shelves full of enticing names, bottles, grapes and regions. But does the look of a wine play an increasing role in selecting in a restaurant – for the proprietor or the punter – where usually we go on a name, a recognisable style, a vintage or the sommelier’s recommendation?

The invasion of clever branded wordplay and gimmicky bottles has already taken hold in the retail sector, with varying success and quality of the liquid inside. What ever happened to Bend in the River, a ‘new wave’ German in a tall, curvy bottle? The wine wasn’t bad, just dull and overpriced. There’s the Pendulum duo, Australian Chardonnay and Italian Zinfandel dressed to kill in sexy silver outfit, which admittedly both taste good. Or Miranda White Pointer, a passable dry white adorned with shark hologram appearing when sufficiently chilled; pretty and practical. Deep Purple Shiraz, all 70s glitz and confected flavours. Fat Bastard Chardonnay, Old Git red; actually decent French wines but how well would they sell otherwise?

This kind of visual or sense of humour seduction may become more important in the on-trade e.g. All Bar One where the wines are racked on shelves behind the bar. The heavyweight, flat-top bottle has been with us for a while and high profile brands packaged thus, such as California’s Robert Mondavi or Chile’s Cono Sur, suit the restaurant table well, where the name probably counts. The attraction of such brands is obvious: familiar, perhaps uncomplicated, consistent and they sell easily without explanation.

The buff or snob appeal of traditional names of fine wines, quality aside, will always be a big pull for some customers, whatever they look like. Listing top Burgundies or Barolos can be commendable and impressive but doesn’t necessarily match the establishment or offer value. For example, Manchester’s rated Pacific restaurant offers innovative Thai and Chinese dishes and a fantastic wine list brimming with famous Bordeaux reds; but do they go the food?

Australian wine continues to storm ahead...

For Restaurant magazine launch issue October 2001

Australian wine continues to storm ahead in supermarkets and wine shops, although enthusiastic predictions of it overtaking France to secure pole position are perhaps premature. At the moment Oz doesn’t seem to be seriously threatening the stronghold of French wines in restaurants, reckoned to account for nearly half of all bottles opened, but that could easily change (and already has when considering the wine list in an average bar). If so, will we see yet more formulaic branded Chardonnay and Shiraz rather than higher quality, individual wines, or other unusual (but arguably less saleable) offerings such as dry Aussie Riesling, which can be ideal with Asian dishes, for example?

It’ll be harder work still in getting the message across to the server and drinker about the screw cap closures recently introduced on many fine Clare Valley (north of Adelaide) Rieslings such as Knappstein, Wakefield and Mount Horrocks. The producers are convinced it beats cork or plastic hands down for this style of unoaked aromatic white, in terms of protection and development of the wine or no chance of musty taint. And they aren’t the only ones: several New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs – a more familiar proposition in restaurants – such as Jackson Estate, Kim Crawford and Wither Hills (courageously all premium quality and price), have been sealed with screw caps from the 2001 vintage. So get used to it, it’s the future!

But France has already hit back with value for money, well made wines from the South, which are perhaps more style friendly for younger drinkers than traditional, complicated and overpriced Burgundy and Bordeaux (however good). These include fruity, rounded but characterful Vins de Pays or ‘country wines’ made from trendy grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Viognier, which can produce seductively perfumed yet full-bodied whites. I’d also like to see more reds on lists from established areas of the Languedoc-Roussillon such as Fitou, Corbières and Saint-Chinian, where talented winemakers are proving themselves beyond doubt and often at great prices!

Other countries are focusing their efforts on the on-trade too. Chile, established as a reliable provider of easy-going and tasty varietal wines but witnessing a fairly static market share, is now impressing with higher quality. Leading wineries such as Errázuriz and Cono Sur, and smaller producers like Thierry Villard, Viña Gracia and Viña Casa Silva, are getting results with top Pinot Noirs and Merlots, for example. In addition, Chile has Carmenère up its sleeve, a ‘reject’ red Bordeaux variety, which is delivering many interesting wines in the country’s warmer regions and showing its hand as something unique in a cluttered wine world.

Pink paradise

Written for www.therestaurantgame.com

Historically sales of rosé wines in restaurants have been hampered by narrow-minded, outdated perceptions - sweet, wimpy, inferior red - bolstered by the high profile of certain brands and styles. Surely things have moved on, particularly as New World producers are delivering rosés bursting with vivid colour and juicy fruit?

Pink paradise

Let’s not forget the long tradition of making dry rosés in Mediterranean countries - mostly red wine producers so no shortage of suitable grapes - to drink something in the summer with enough body to go with food, yet which retains the refreshing edge of a chilled white.

Looking around, there’s never been such a wide selection available with plenty of different styles and prices, overall pretty even quality and some wines displaying reassuringly familiar grape varieties on the label.

Regions and grapes

• The Loire Valley offers sometimes rather insipid, medium dry/sweet rosés like Rosé d’Anjou but also better ones such as Cabernet d’Anjou or dry Rosé de la Loire; main grapes are Grolleau and Cabernet Franc. Less common are Sancerre rosé made from Pinot Noir and sparkling, delicately pink Crémant. It’s permitted for rosé Champagne to be a blend of red and white base wines.

• Southern France is known for its full-bodied, dry and sometimes alcoholic rosés such as Tavel from the southern Rhône Valley or Collioure from Roussillon. Provence produces good wines too, the best arguably from the Coteaux d’Aix or Bandol close to Marseille - grapes used include Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre.

• Northeast Spain has several classic dry rosados; in particular look out for the regions of Navarra, Rioja and Penedès, where Garnacha (same as Grenache) holds sway.

• Portugal gave us Mateus rosé, but you do also come across higher quality alternatives from areas such as Bairrada.

• California is responsible for foisting ‘White’ Zinfandel or Blush onto the world, which can be rather sweet and nasty. However, we’re now seeing serious contenders entering the rosé frame made from Syrah and other southern French varieties.

• The ever-increasing popularity of Australia will undoubtedly help to change those image problems, as it’s capable of very drinkable and vibrantly fruity rosés, the most visible brand being Hardy’s Stamp Grenache/Shiraz.

• South America hasn’t been slow to get in on the rosé revival - Chile and Argentina are selling good examples made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Syrah/Shiraz.

• Italy’s rosés aren’t found much (except Lambrusco) but hail from north (subtle and delicate) to south (full and earthy) and the islands too; grapes used as per reds of each particular region.

• South African producer Fairview launched a comic tribute red and rosé last year called ‘Goats do Roam’ (a pun on Côtes du Rhône).

The finest rosés are made from free-run juice drained or ‘bled’ off - hence the French expression Saignée or Spanish Sangrado - shortly after crushing (or from pressing the must gently), having macerated with the skins of red grapes for a few hours or even a day; the length of time depends on the variety and how much colour the winemaker wants. The juice is then fermented, preferably fairly cool to preserve fresh aromas and fruit, and made like a white wine. All of the wines tasted here are produced like this. Only the heartiest, more expensive styles will improve a little in bottle, so make sure you buy the youngest possible.

(All prices are ex VAT and approx. retail as a guide)

Ratings - points out of ten

D - Desirability on the wine list

V - Value for money

Q - Quality

R - Rating of vintage

S - State of readiness

1) Château Méaume Bordeaux Rosé 2000, France £4.67 Majestic

Unclean on the nose to start, but it does go with a bit of air, leaving creamy red fruits and good acidity. Very full bodied thanks to a whopping 14% alcohol, which is clumsy on the finish and demands food.

D8 V7 Q6 R9 S8

2) ‘Cavalchina’ Bardolino Chiaretto 2000, Italy £4.25 Majestic

Lightly fragrant, floral and currant aromas coupled with tangy cherry fruit and spritzy CO² on the palate; elegant, understated flavour and mouth-watering acidity too.

D6 V8 Q7 R8 S10

3) Santa Julia Syrah Rosé 2001, Mendoza, Argentina £4.25 Thierry’s

Improved after being open for a few hours to reveal youthful tangy fruit, but it ends up rather bland and like boiled sweets.

D7 V6 69 R8 S9

4) Fetzer Syrah Rosé 2000, California £5.10 Brown Forman/Fetzer

Amazingly deep colour; full and fruity with a touch of spice too, this is quite rich and off-dry - the one for red drinkers but without the tannin. Very Californian.

D9 V7 Q8 R8 S9

5) Chivite ‘Gran Feudo’ Rosado 2000, Navarra, Spain £3.82 Oddbins

Nice gentle, aromatic redcurrant and strawberry fruit, which builds in intensity; elegant, crisp and well-made, quite long and stylish finish. Good with shellfish.

D8 V9 Q8 R8 S9

6) Château Julia ‘Amethystos’ Rosé 2000, Macedonia, Greece £5.52 Oddbins

Very aromatic roses, raspberry and cherry; good concentration and weight with attractive creamy yet tangy fruit showing long, balanced acidity. Try with meatier fish or chicken.

D9 V7 Q9 R8 S8

7) Saint Roch-les-Vignes Côtes de Provence Rosé 1999, France £3.82 Majestic

Almond, dried petals and wild strawberry on the nose; quite full in the mouth with reasonable acidity and length, although fruit is fading and getting a bit old (but it’s better with food).

D8 V9 Q7 R7 S10

8) Abbaye Sylva Plana Faugères Rosé 2000, France, £4.25 Majestic

Not forthcoming on the nose at first but develops earthy, wild berry tones; very full and punchy (13.5% alcohol), not so subtle or fruity but again good foodie.

D7 V7 Q7 R9 S9

9) Valdivieso Malbec Rosé 2001, Chile, £3.82 Majestic

This unusual rosé is well made, light and crisp with bags of zesty red fruits; good acidity and medium weight to finish.

D8 V9 Q8 R9 S9