THE most popular Cat in town’s not resting on its laurels. El Gato Negro, awarded Best Newcomer in the Manchester Food and Drink Awards, is expanding its restaurant into the upstairs bar, The Black Cat, with the creation of a further 40 covers.
Under the fantastic (in the right weather) retractable roof, on the top floor of this King Street heritage building, diners will now be able to taste the full range of chef-patron Simon Shaw’s contemporary take on Spanish food.
Shaw tells us: “Since opening we have been blown away by the response. That’s why we’ve made the decision to extend our food offer into The Black Cat, so our guests can enjoy the dining experience across all floors.
“Autumn nights are drawing in and we’re looking forward to sharing the seasonal additions to our menu. As time has gone on I’ve wanted to experiment and to introduce new and exciting dishes. I’m looking forward to hearing people’s reactions to them.”
The new auutmn dishes range from chargrilled ribeye with Iberico ham fries to palourde clams with sherry and chargrilled sweet potato with mango, chilli and yogurt dressing.
The menu refresh also sees the introduction of an express lunch menu, available Tuesday-Friday, 12:30pm to 2:30pm and offering a choice of three tapas dishes for £15, while the ground floor bar and charcuterie will offer an increased bar menu with daily fresh soups and a selection of classic tapas.
Open in the city under a year, El Gato Negro was shortlisted in an unprecedented five categories at the 2016 Manchester Food and Drink Awards. It was also isted in the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 in the UK alongside Manchester House and The French, and is the only Manchester restaurant to receive a Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2017 – the special recognition was awarded to the restaurant for offering exceptionally good food, at moderate prices.
ToM has always loved the top floor bar (main picture) as a bolthole in the big city with its exceptional cocktail offering. Fingers crossed some of that character can remain alongside the new dining emphasis.
El Gato Negro Tapas, 52 King Street, Manchester M2 4LY. 0161 694 8585. To book ring 0161 694 or via the online booking system.