Our Review Of Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay Manchester: The Celeb Chef's Famous Asian Restaurant

When I think of the swearing chef, the idiot sandwich incident and scenes from his TV shows dealing with unique characters at failing American restaurants often spring to mind. On the other end of the spectrum though - a much more serious side - Gordon Ramsay also, naturally, owns many successful restaurants across the UK, most notably his Michelin star spots: Chelsea's Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay, The Savoy's Restaurant 1890 and Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay in Belgravia.

While many of the celebrity chef's locations lean towards British and European fine dining, alongside more casual eateries with a bistro feel, Ramsay has also expanded into burger joints, pizza places and an Asian restaurant - with the latter, Mayfair's Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay, a notable favourite, having also earned a mention in the Michelin Guide. So, when the very same restaurant opened up in Manchester? I was off to Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay in a flash, finding the 1930s Tokyo-inspired venue on King Street.

Arched shelves across Lucky Cat's central bar complement the arched columns and windows of this former bank.

DesignMyNight Review Of Lucky Cat Manchester

Having taken over an art deco space adjoining Hotel Gotham, no less, Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay both pays homage to the stunning setting and makes it its own. Set across three floors, from the former main banking floor to a sweeping mezzanine above and private dining in the vaults below, the restaurant features signature black and red accents to match its branding - adding a Tokyo-inspired look to the building's domed, high ceilings. I could see this location being ever-popular for date nights and impressing important clients, even based just on aesthetics alone, although I was surprised that we were one of only three tables dining on a Thursday night. Nevertheless, interiors wowed and service was impressively attentive from the off, guiding us through the staff's favourite dishes and drinks.

My partner and I kicked things off with cocktails, choosing from an impressively long list. Firstly, the refreshing yet slightly spicy Kakigori (£18) - a muddle of Absolut Elyx vodka, passion fruit, spicy mango, pineapple and citrus, named after the Japanese way it's served over a mound of shaved ice. Predictably for two tequila lovers, the Okinawa margarita (£17) made the cut too. Served short, this mix of Olmeca Altos Plata tequila, Shikuwasa Japanese citrus liqueur, Sūpāsawā and thai basil hit the spot with a balance of tang and booze.

Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay's bar whips up some glorious cocktails to accompany your meal.

Having happily sipped away while perusing the food menu and taking stock of our waitress' recommendations, we quickly ordered a spread of small plates to come as and when ready. From the snacks, the baby squid (£10) - perfectly crisp, tender and seasoned - went down a treat and was ever-so moreish, which got us off to a flying start. Our beef tataki (£22.50) followed a similar trend, featuring melt-in-the-mouth beef and a rich truffle ponzu that kept us wanting more.

Dinner stalled slightly with the arrival of the bonito-fried duck leg bao (£30.50) accompanied by hoisin and cucumber, a signature of Lucky Cat's. For us, it fell a bit short of the hype. Sure, the portion was large and the hoisin nicely spiced, but the mouth-feel was dry and that wow-factor was missing to justify the price point. We probably would've preferred this dish to be half the size (and cost). Similarly, the GFC (£15) - 'Gordon's fried chicken', not 'good f*cking chicken' as we'd joked it might stand for - was nice but nothing special, since the hot Korean miso sauce could've done with more umami and kick. 

From perfectly cooked scallops to fluffy soufflé, there are many well-executed dishes on the menu here.

The arrival of our cooked meat and fish choices brought us back to the joy of the earlier portion of our meal. Buttery hand-dived scallops (£27.50) wowed with a zesty yuzu sauce, topped with charred baby corn and juniper for added crunch and further freshness - easily my highlight of the evening. Meanwhile, the flavoursome crispy pork (£22.50) was offset by papaya, moromi miso, ginger and sesame, earning its spot as my partner's stand-out dish. Lucky Cat's famous egg fried rice (£12.50) was not really egg fried rice at all, and more a soft egg mixed into OX sauce-covered rice, but I have to admit it was delicious - although we felt this should have been served a lot earlier than after the rest of our food had been eaten.

Since I'm a firm believer that every meal is better with dessert, we had to have a look at that part of the Lucky Cat Manchester menu too. The Japanese citrus soufflé (£13.50) came highly recommended and with good reason. It arrived perfectly risen and fluffy - with absolutely no sinkage - boasting a passionfruit centre and accompanied by a yuzu-crème fraiche ice cream. Even though I was stuffed, the fact we'd ordered it to share still pained me greatly; it was that good.

Manchester's Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay: Overall

All in all, if I'd forked out Mayfair prices for some of our dishes, I probably would've felt a bit fobbed off. However, in Manchester, Lucky Cat By Gordon Ramsay offers a similar price point and vibe to Tattu but, in my opinion, delivers a higher quality experience. My advice would be to avoid the 'signature' choices like the bao buns and fried chicken, and delve into the more refined raw, meat and fish choices - where the restaurant really excelled. Dessert and drinks were equally delightful, as was the knowledgeable and friendly service.

Discover more Asian restaurants in Manchester.