Bruco — Restaurant in Manchester

Here for a friend’s birthday, the decor is beautiful and the food (we tried 9 items) is delicious and wonderfully presented. It’s in a great location in Manchester, and very easily reached. The service is fantastic, the staff are attentive without being overbearing and are happy to answer any questions you have regarding the food. There was only one moment when the service wasn’t flawless, and that was when we ordered a surprise dessert for our friend while she was away from the table and before it arrived we were all given dessert cutlery (so the surprise element was over at that point). We genuinely did not mind this at all and like I say, this was the only wobble, the staff are fantastic. The menu is varied for different preferences, with good vegetarian options also. The watermelon and prosciutto salad featured thicker prosciutto than we were used to but it was delicious, the arancini and orecchiette were further highlights. The only element I would’ve changed about our experience is going to sound ridiculous, but we were sat at a bar table in the centre of the restaurant (very comfortable furniture) and it was a crystal clear blue sky sunny day - which meant the sun was directly in the eyes of the people at the far end of the table for the duration of the meal, as the front of the building is entirely glass. There are no blinds (they would have to be 40ft up so I am not surprised) so that was a little difficult to navigate but obviously I do not expect anyone to be able to control the sun (and it made the restaurant look even more beautiful).

I would absolutely recommend this as a place to dine, and we will definitely...

Sunday late afternoon took a walk not far from home and stumbled on possibly one of our new favourite restaurants. Thinks Fresh, Think Tapas, Think Italian! Definitely not what we were expecting however everything from the drinks to the style of cooking was something we haven’t seen in Manchester before. We were seated at the bar and guided & were given time to go through the menu & take in the atmosphere. For a Sunday it was quiet yet vibrant and all of the staff were very friendly. The open kitchen was really inviting we felt like we had just nipped to a friend’s. Here is what we ordered: Prosciutto & Peach Truffle Mushroom & Parmesan Arancini Slow Cooked Short Rib Lasagne Octopus Rosemary Lemon & Butter Beans Tiramisu

I can not rave about some of these dishes enough & we haven’t even left and we would eat them all over again. Our must tries are definitely the Arancini, Lasagne & if you like seafood the Octopus which car server recommended. The Arancini was crispy fresh and packed full of that truffle flavour we love. The Octopus had the charred flavours and cooked to perfection complemented with those citrus flavours. As for the Lasagne forget every other Lasagne you have had before because this takes top spot! The meat melts in your mouth and the tomatoes taste incredible and so sweet. “I love my mums more than anything but this is amazing”. And last but certainly not least is the Tiramisu & we have tried a few as you will see in the previous posts of mine but this without a doubt trumps them all. Sweet but balanced we loved every bite.

We will definitely come back and thank you for such an amazing meal and...

The truffle parmesan arancini was excellent, with a well-balanced flavor profile. The pesto flatbread was also enjoyable—crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with pesto that wasn’t overly salty. Overall, a solid selection of starters.

For the main dishes, we tried the octopus, pork cheek, and short rib ragu lasagna.

The octopus dish included two portions—one was perfectly cooked, while the other was over-seasoned and overcooked, making it overly chewy. However, the butterbean salad underneath was a standout, adding a refreshing contrast to the dish. My recommendation would be to season and cook the octopus more evenly.

The Spezzatino di Pomodoro (pork cheek) was too salty and felt one-dimensional. The pork itself was slightly gamey and overly porky in flavor. Switching to a red wine-based sauce might improve the dish, and the pork could also be more tender.

The short rib ragu lasagna had a good flavor profile with spot-on seasoning. While not particularly surprising, it was a solid and enjoyable...