ToM editor Neil Sowerby tries the Taste of Tofan, while Matt White captures the menu launch on video (and they do feed him)
REMEMBER the now notorious BBC fly on the wall documentary, Restaurant Wars, which pitted Aiden Byrne of Manchester House and Simon Rogan at The French against each other in a personal battle for a MIchelin star? All in vain. The star-givers have continued to snub the city.
That was nearly four years ago and both chefs have departed, Byrne across Spinningfields to 20 Stories, due to open at the end of next month, and Rogan (still possessor of two stars at L’Enclume) to consolidate other corners of his empire.
Each has left a protege at the stove – Adam Reid with his name over the door at The French in the Midland, while now Nathan Tofan has been thrust into the spotlight at Manchester House. Here is the unveiling of his menu at the Bridge Street restaurant, backed by the clout of Living Ventures.
Nat was born and raised in Nottingham, getting the taste for cooking in the family restaurant and training in the city. A year in Paris broadened his culinary education before in 2011 he moved to Manchester and LV’s Australasia. Two years later he spent six months at Aiden Byrne’s side in the development kitchen for the launch of Manchester House.
After taking a short sabbatical in 2015 to experience new cultures and flavours
in Europe and beyond, Nat was welcomed back as Senior Sous Chef in 2016 and in September 2017 he was appointed Head Chef.
So first impressions of our Nat taster of food that will appear on the seasonal a la carte menu and on the eight course (£75) and 12 course (£95) tasting menus?
The most impressive dish is a spot-on tranche of turbot, tousled with sea veg and razor clams matched with a horseradish and turnip purée and two tangy blobs of red verjus gel.
The least impressive, trying too hard to make a statement and Australasia in feel, is a ‘snack’ (modish avoidance of ‘amuse bouche’) called a Millionaire’s Sandwich (below), a finger butty of pistachio/matcha sponge housing foie gras mousse and sauternes jelly and sprinkled with sea salt. Despite the latter it is way too sweet, though somehow its wine accompaniment, a Bordeaux white blend, makes a good pairing.
Odder for a different reason is fellow snack, a taco of coal oil-infused raw beef, beautifully presented but inevitably suggesting a homage to old Restaurant Wars rival Simon Rogan, whose acclaimed signature dish was that beef treatment without the taco.
It was created by his L’Enclume head chef Mark Birchall and you can taste a variation of it still at his Michelin-starred Moor Hall, given five stars by ToM’s review and winner this week of four AA Rosettes. Still, old rivalries always over-hyped, it’s a pretty dish with its confit egg yolk.
Pick of the puds features a parfait of Scottish sea buckthorn, no stranger to fine dining establishments. Its beguiling tartness is augmented by lemon ice cream and yoghurt powder. Sweet treats are a crafty, inventing line-up – only a horrid chilli macaron letting the side down.
20 Stories is looming on the horizon and new battle for the top end diner’s affections. Will the Apprentice best his Master. You see, the Old Hype can live on.
Manchester House, 18-22 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BZ 0161 835 2557.