Hispi — Restaurant in Manchester

I came here one Sunday lunch time and on first impressions the building looked great, clean and welcoming.

The menu lists box ticking bistro favourites such as chicken liver parfait and seared scallops. The soup of the day was asparagus.

That led me to choose a more exciting starterl, beetroot falafels with tzatziki, rocket and feta. These were light and the most gorgeous pink colour, but the magic was the hidden feta inside keeping them moist and tangy.

The other starter we chose was frito misto – brie, mozzarella and courgette fritters with dipping sauces. This was as golden and crisp as you’d want deep fried cheese to be, but the accompanying dips were misjudged. Mayonnaise is just mayonnaise and the red onion jam was too sweet.

Mains were a bit more exciting and suitably designed to offer all you’d expect at lunchtime on a Sunday. We ordered roast sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding and fresh horseradish. The beef was perfectly cooked but lacking in taste. We’d have been happy to pay a quid extra for a better hung beast. The saucer sized Yorkshire pudding was impressive but a little dry so was helped along by decent gravy.

I ordered pheasant breast and leg with coq au vin sauce which was a generous portion. The legs were tender and the right side of gamey but the breast was tough enough to put up some resistance. The sauce was a good amalgamation of gamey juices, smoky bacon, mushrooms and caramelised shallots.

Both main courses were piping hot and accompanied by a sharing dish of vegetables including a chunky and smooth carrot puree, shredded Savoy, green beans and deliciously cheesy cauliflower cheese.

The wine list is a real pleasure to read and great value for money per bottle. I decided upon a Lancashire blush cider (it’s pale so the blush comes from them charging £4.90 per bottle) which washed the pheasant down perfectly and our waitress recommended a glass of easy going Malbec with the beef.

There wasn’t much lime in my raspberry and lime crème brulee but it came with a raspberry sorbet so sparkly, fresh and sherbetty it could moonlight as a children’s entertainer. Apple and pear crumble with custard was not pretty and I couldn’t get any less run of the mill description out of my husband than “nice” - a word that stabs the heart of any chef with culinary ambition.

The chef is clearly skilled; he understands flavour...

When you arrive at Hispi you will immediately experience that familiar relaxed, almost laid-back atmosphere, that seems to be a signature of Gary Usher’s restaurants, where the staff have that amazing ability to provide really friendly service but still remain slick and professional at the same time.

The menu changes regularly, but there are a couple of items that remain constant, such as the freshly baked rye bread with Lincolnshire poacher butter, and the beer battered salt pickles with parsley and tarragon mayo. I suggest you order a plate of each straight away so that you’ve something to nibble on whilst reading the menu.

On my last visit, I opted for Burrata with charred carrot, smoked garlic, honey, and puffed rice for my starter. This was an excellent choice as the complex flavours created by charring the carrot combined together with the smoky garlic to offset the cool creaminess of the Burrata, and the puffed rice provided a delightful crunch to each bite.

Mrs Gastro Grazer was in the mood for fish, so she started with cured sea trout, apple, kohlrabi, crème fraiche and fennel pollen, which of course I just had to try, and found that the tart apple and crème fraiche cut through the natural oiliness of the trout to leave my palate refreshed and eager for another mouthful. Her main course was pan fried sea bream, white chicory and lardo, with a fish head sauce that had an amazing depth of flavour and complemented the sea bream perfectly.

My main course of braised featherblade with truffle and Parmesan chips is one that makes a regular appearance on the menu due to it being a favourite for many people, myself included. The long slow braising makes the meat so tender that it almost falls apart just by looking at it, and the fat and juices melt together to create a wonderfully sticky sauce that leaves you smacking your lips with joy.

I couldn’t manage to choose just one dessert, so I went for two of them. The first was the banana loaf with caramel ice cream, as it reminds me of sticky toffee pudding which is one of my all-time favourites, and I was not disappointed, the loaf was moist and fluffy, whilst the sauce was rich and buttery with that sweet saltiness of all good caramels. I just about had enough room to squeeze in the hazelnut praline, with almond meringue and sherry cream but only because the meringue was as light...

I’ve been living in Manchester for two years now, and I think it’s safe to say that the meal I had at Hispi was one of the most memorable I’ve had in that time — if not the most memorable. One of the reasons we chose this spot was their separate gluten-free menu, and we decided to celebrate my mum’s birthday here. Without a doubt, we left incredibly happy and are already dreaming about our next visit.

From the photos, all dishes except for the Chicken Schnitzel (photo 2) and Strawberries and Cream (photo 3) were gluten-free. We went with the 3-course menu from the main menu, but I’m definitely planning to come back and try their bistro menu as well.

For starters, we ordered the Lamb’s Breast, Chestnut Mushroom Pâté, and Roast Beetroot Salad. Each one was packed with flavour, and we genuinely had to stop ourselves from finishing them too quickly.

For mains, we chose the Wild Halibut and the Chicken Schnitzel with Garlic & Parsley Butter. The halibut was perfectly cooked — one of the best fish dishes I’ve had in ages. The risotto underneath was equally divine. I’m glad I picked it, though I did try the schnitzel as well, and it was also absolutely delicious.

We also shared a side of Truffle and Parmesan Chips, and I don’t think I’ve ever had chips so thoughtfully prepared. Next time, I’ll probably order two portions if I’m not dining solo — they’re that good!

Now onto one of the best parts of the meal — dessert (aka the last kiss). We had the Vanilla Crème Brûlée, Honeycomb Ice Cream, and Strawberries and Cream. The crème brûlée was easily one of the best I’ve had in my life. Even though the portion was generous, we shared it — and I still found myself wishing for more.

As it was my mum’s birthday, I noted it when booking. During dessert, we were surprised with a sweet little gesture — they brought over some Malted Tea & Whiskey Fudge, which meant a lot to us. Thank you for such thoughtful hospitality.

We paired our meal with a lovely bottle of Shiraz, which added a perfect touch to an already special evening.

The total came to £227, and honestly it was one of the best £227 I’ve ever spent. A special thanks to our server Hannah, who was incredibly warm, friendly, and attentive throughout.

Thank you again to the whole team for making the night so special. Can’t...