VIVA Evuna. At last a new bar in the Northern Quarter thats not a New York style cavern or a sticky ribs/burger joint. And there isnt a cocktail in sight or even a bearded beer boy eager to discuss the meaning of hoppiness.
The whole place feels more like a walk-in Spanish tapas joint, compared with the Deansgate original, which has always kept the stately aura of a vinoteca. The bar is bigger, too, here and its used to money changing hands. It was formerly the counter when this was a bank on the busy corner of Thomas Street and Tib Street (theres a safe room in the cellar, which eventually theyd like to use for tastings).
Owner Jane Dowler (pictured above with her happy team) could be forgiven for having been distracted by her new yoga lounge business back above Deansgate, but a lot of nous has gone into making the new bar look very attractive. The position helps. Light floods in on a decidedly rustic space, high walls, exposed brick, ranks of wine bottles. The tapas offered at a slightly frantic opening were simple but excellent particularly the paprika chicken and tortilla.
And the wine? After a quick freshener of daught Alhambra, the red and white we sampled were both gorgeous. Nates is 90 per cent albarino and 10 per cent vibrant godello and is classified as mere Vino de la Terra because it hails from the Costa del Cantabria on Spains north coast. Its a juicy white with some minerality, finishing surprisingly (£34.50 a bottle in, £13.50 to take out).
The red, Santalba Rioja Reserva 2008 (£35.50, £16), offers oodles of dark, silky fruit and the expected vanilla benchmark modern Rioja with a nod to tradition. A bit like the welcome new Evuna.
