HOURS away from the Spain-Portugal World Cup showdown ToM wonders which side Simon Shaw will be supporting.
His acclaimed El Gato Negro restaurant on King Street is a bastion of Catalan-influenced Spanish tapas, while Portuguese small plates is the selling point of Canto, his new project due to open in Ancoats this autumn.
Yorkshire-born chef/patron Simon is not giving away his allegiance with his list of his five favourite small plate restaurants in Europe, released to celebrate World Tapas Day (Saturday, June 16). This features two from Barcelona – Bodega 1900 and Bar Mut – and two from Lisbon – Prado and Cantinho do Avillez. Sitting on the fence,La Cantina in Venice completes the roster.
He is keen to promote the merits of petiscos (Portuguese small plates) to be served at Canto in tthe Fairbairn Building on Henry Street:
“When people think of tapas, they immediately think of Spain. They’re right of course, the name comes from the Spanish verb tapar, which means to cover. Small plates, another term widely used to describe tapas, are however a feature of so many other cuisines, including Mexican, Argentinian, Korean, Italian and Portuguese.
“What’s incredible about this style of dining is the breadth of food you can enjoy in any one occasion, from chargrilled octopus with capers, shallots and aioli (main picture), to Navarrico chickpeas with fritarda sauce and caramelised cauliflower florets. You just can’t get that combination of ingredients and flavours from a typical a la carte menu.
“People now travel not just further than ever before but more frequently. Their appetites are becoming more varied and there’s an increasing demand for restaurateurs to cater for them. It’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about launching my new modern Portuguese restaurant in Manchester.
“The city is ready for amazing Portuguese cuisine and with Porto born Carlos Gomes at the head of the kitchen, they’re going to get it; he’s one of the most talented chefs I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
Gomes, current head chef at El Gato Negro (below). His cv involves previous experience at Michelin-starred Barrafina and Koya.
El Gato Negro Tapas, 52 King Street, Manchester M2 4LY. 0161 694 8585.
