Ithaca launched itself in bling-style onto the Manchester scene just over a year ago, and is a glam evening venue for both cocktails and some rather fine food. Set on John Dalton Street, among similar It-girl venues such as Restaurant Bar & Grill and Panacea, it is a completely unique place for Manchester.
Although the opening took a long time coming, there have been some great food reviews since, and luckily for them it really does the have the wow factor when you walk in. The colour scheme is black throughout, but with lots of sparkles for a sexy glam look rather than a dingy goth club. The only downside was the toilets doors and walls are so sleek and black I could hardly find the cubicle.
The restaurant serves modern Japanese fusion cuisine, and the menu was launched by chef Nasser Laziri who worked at Zuma and Nozomi in London. Nasser has recently left and the acting head chef is now Giammarino Decandia, and the head sushi chef is Arnulfo Ochinang, also known as Gabbi, who previously worked for Ubon by Nobu.
Itâs fair to say that the prices at Ithaca are rather steep for someone (like myself) on an average wage, and you could easily spend £200 on a three course meal for two. However, us paupers do get a shot at some fine dining with their early evening menu, which is a steal at £17.50 per person for a three course set menu. I was a little concerned the portions would be quite small (a genuine concern when youâve been starving yourself all day for tea), but I should not have feared.
A small cup of miso soup was an appetiser, and was beautifully fresh and wholesome, and garnished with spring onion. Next up was the sushi course, which arrived on a long dish involving salmon and sea bass sashimi, tuna and vegetarian nigiri and Californian and vegetarian maki. The raw sea bass sashimi really stood out in the taste factor, and the sushi pieces were nicely made and didnât fall to pieces as soon as I grabbed at them with my chopsticks. Japanese white radish was a crisp garnish, along with wasabi and soy sauce but I would have liked more pickled ginger to cleanse the palate.
Choices on the main menu included teriyaki salmon with asparagus, Chilean sea bass with pak choi, duck with orange sauce, pork loin with cabbage, roast apple and ponzo sauce, vegetable tempura or takikomi mushroom.
The waiter explained their food is designed to be shared so plonked everything down in the middle and gave us both a small plate. The Chilean sea bass is larger than the standard fish, with bigger flakes, which are therefore easier to grab with chopsticks. Being marinated in miso and chilli gave it a rich creamy flavour as well as a nice kick of spice.
The duck breast didnât sound like a very Japanese dish but came on a long platter, and was sliced thinly with a pink middle. An addition of nashi pears gave the delicate orange sauce a nice Asian twist. Both main course dishes come with either rice or salad.
We just went for a glass of wine each (an Australian Rose and a French Sauvignon, both £4.50) , although there wasnât a huge wine list to choose from if you just want a glass. Ithacaâs cocktails have a great reputation and Iâll have to get my gladrags on one night and go and have a taste.
Overall the dishes were delicate and really exciting, and the lack of carbs (if you choose salad over the rice) means theyâre ideal for those who want to strut their stuff at the bars upstairs. The staff were super-helpful explaining everything to us and seemed really knowledgeable about all the food, which is essential in a restaurant of this calibre.
Ithaca has lots of offers on at the moment, including the early evening menu and a countdown promotion, which is Sundays 50% off, Monday 45% off, Tuesday 40% off, Wednesday 35% off, Thursday 30% off.
Ithaca, 36 John Dalton Street, Manchester, M2 6LE
T: 0870 740 4000
W: www.ithacamanchester.coma>