In the age of Nikkei cuisine, a menu that features both Japanese and Mexican food is a rarity on the restaurant scene. But Peter Street Kitchen is delving out exactly that, with everything from omakase to izakaya and 'gyoza tacos' up for grabs; all across a stunning setting in Free Trade Hall, no less. Worth a try when the opportunity came up? I certainly thought so.
A beautiful look to match the food at this swanky choice of Peter Street Manchester restaurants.
Upon entry, Peter Street Kitchen really was a wonder to behold. Making up the space? Subtle patterns across concrete-coloured walls, striking white pillars, and wooden log crescents hugging each curved seating section for a contrasting, natural touch. While the dining area was smaller than you'd expect from photos, this didn't detract from the wow-factor, although the proximity of tables was a little too intimate for my liking.
After settling in, we got right to it: picking the first drinks. I'd had my eye on cocktails from the restaurant's Rikyū Bar, so the Palomino (£12) and Café Exprés (£12) were swiftly ordered. Both these riffs on classics (one a paloma and the other an espresso martini) were happily guzzled down, alongside sublime guac and paprika-spiced chips (£8) for munching. The former concoction boasted a yuzu sherbet twist served long with soda, while the latter was a clever muddle of coffee tequila, vodka, Disaronno, macadamia liqueur and espresso - the rich, slightly nutty flavour only accentuated by the accompanying smoked almond tuile. Bravo.
The Peter Street Kitchen, Manchester menu captures the best of these two countries.
Although you can go for omakase at Peter Street Kitchen, we stuck to choosing our own and the small plates started to trickle through. Kicking things off was the buttery soft yellowtail sashimi (£15) with sharp yuzu koshu and a hit of parmesan, alongside beef tataki (£18) in a black truffle ponzu. Both were superb examples of Japanese cuisine, although we found the seared meat particularly impressive due to the sharpness, sweet hint and spring onions perfectly balancing an earthy hit. The last of our choices from this side of the menu? Kohlrabi salad, crispy leeks and white goma dressing (£10). We're used to this white sesame sauce being tossed over spinach, but it was just as good smothered on crunchy turnip cabbage.
Continuing the trend into our Mexican picks, crispy Baja fish tacos (£7) were stuffed with flaky fish and accompanied by a refreshing cabbage slaw, while the tender calamari (£14) and its extremely moreish spiced coating completed our fish for the night. Given the choice between the two though, I'd go for the squid every single time.
Moving onto all the cooked meats, mezcal-glazed smoked paprika ribs (£16) were devoured next. Thanks to the pork falling off the bone and a beautifully sticky glaze, these instantly had us hooked. But the smoked lamb cutlets (from £28) made the ideal finisher, especially since they came served sizzling atop a hot lava stone for extra flair. Each was the most juicy morsel, with a delicate habanero-citrus touch, although the accompanying cilantro lime rice (£4.50) side was too peppery for my taste.
Whether it's the main event or sweet treats, dishes here hit the mark.
Sometime in between stuffing our faces, more drinks arrived. For me, the violeta margarita (£13), a delightful twist bringing Grand Marnier, yuzu, ginger, honey and that floral hint together with the cocktail's usual ingredients, while a classic Modelo Especial (£5.50) to complement the Mexican dishes was chosen by my other half.
I was determined that the savoury feast we'd just had (food baby alert) wasn't going to detract from my need to get one of the gorgeous-looking puds. As our sights became set on the kuro goma cheesecake (£8) with hassaku orange sorbet and passion fruit crème brûlée (£8) topped off by coconut sorbet and umeshu jelly, we prepared ourselves to get even more full. It was absolutely worth it. The cheesecake had that unique, yet delicious, blend of sweet and savoury flavours that the best Japanese restaurants pull off effortlessly. My partner's creamy number was equally successful, which left me listening to proclamations of "best dessert ever" for the rest of the night.
The DesignMyNight Digest
In my opinion, Peter Street Kitchen tops the list of places for a high-end Japanese restaurant in Manchester, nailing everything from cocktails to sashimi, desserts and even salads. The contemporary Mexican here is just as impressive, with the meat-driven part of the offering being a particular triumph. Plus, we probably could've ordered a bit less and still been very satisfied, so the price point is excellent when you consider the quality of meal you get to scoff.
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💰 The damage: £180 between two, plus service charge. 📍 The location: Free Trade Hall, M2 5GP. 👌 Perfect for: Special occasion feasting spanning multiple countries. ⭐ Need to know: You can also just pop into Rikyū Bar and sample those creative cocktails. |
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