Review: Rosso, Manchester

I’m not ashamed to admit that I am a Man United fan. I will never forget the tearful call I received from my Dad calling from the Nou Camp on 26^th May 1999 having watched 2 goals fly into the back of the net in the 90^th minute of play to crown the United players, not only Champions League final winners, but Treble winners. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it… so imagine my excitement when I was invited to Rosso*, owned by legendary United player Rio Ferdinand himself and sporting an incredibly fitting name. Part of me wishes I didn’t know about the visit until much nearer to the time, I was bouncing around with excitement and had put the restaurant on quite a pedestal! So did they live up to the hype?

We were greeted by a live singer, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes, especially with it being a Tuesday evening! The building is immense with fabulously intricate architecture akin to its neighbours in this lush corner of King Street. The bar occupies the far wall surrounded by photographs of previous famous guests of the restaurant, something I would have found tacky had my favourite ex-United player not taken centre stage… the delightful David Beckham may have actually sat in the seat I occupied for the evening!

We decided to start our night with a few cocktails from their 5 menu which, at £5 before 8pm, is a bargain. I went for a fruity but with a dry twist number before a strawberry and basil martini which had a lovely savoury note from the fresh basil. Just delightful.

Before our meals we were treated to a generous platter of bread and dips. I’m not an olive fan but they are wonderfully plump and Charlie happily polished them off leaving me to the salty butter and sweet but tart balsamic vinegar. The wait staff are just perfect, attentive without being overly so. Our waiter advised Charlie to go for a fish dish for her main as it was a particular favourite of his. This is a winner for me, I love a recommended dish and, having worked in the industry, think this shows a good investment in staff when it comes to exceptional customer service.

Our starters arrived quickly and my ‘guancette sfiziose’ was divine. The pigs cheeks, so tender they broke apart with little effort, were soft and creamy against a wonderfully salty and crisp pancetta. I’m not normally a fan of prunes but these were so sweet and sticky, I may be a convert.
Charlie’s ‘mozzarella di bufala’ was a thing of beauty. A huge ball of buffalo mozzarella sat atop roasted vegetables and rosemary focaccia. It was so light and fresh with a lovely citrus zing from a dusting of lemon zest. The aubergine skin was slightly tough and she struggled to cut through it with her starter knife; that said the plate was empty pretty quickly.

The mains continued to impress. My ‘agnello con gnocchi al pesto genovese’ received numerous retweets and replies on Twitter. The lamb was cooked perfectly with a slightly pink centre. Normally I find gnocchi a bit rich for me but these had a lovely crisp shell from being pan fried after cooking. The basil pesto gave the rich dish a freshness that finished it off perfectly.
I was incredibly envious of Charlie’s ‘coda di rospo alla provenzale’. Not because my dish wasn’t good but because the monkfish tail was just cooked, meaning it was beautifully soft whilst still being meaty. The sauce was, as many of our other dishes, really fresh and the lyonnaise potatoes she ordered as a side dish were just sublime. Gloriously rich with a good dose of salt and butter to cut through the fresh taste of the monkfish.

We were tempted to skip dessert, we had eaten so much already. Naturally we thought a perusal of the menu was needed and, boy, they tempted us to the point of no return. Having a ridiculous sweet tooth I went for the chocolate torte which, was a lot lighter than it looks or sounds. The filling melted in the mouth whilst the base had a definite crunch. Charlie’s dessert was a thing of wonder; orangeflower sponge with stewed rhubarb, patisserie cream and rhubarb glass. The sponge was dense in consistency but the light floral flavours works so well with the sharp rhubarb. The glass gave the whole thing a crunchy aspect to tickle the tastebuds into submission.

Having had a few conversations with the staff at Rosso via Twitter beforehand I couldn’t leave without trying the dolce vita cocktail, they had recommended it after all and who am I to refuse? It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting. A heady mix of vodka, strawberry and champagne decorated with gold leaf, this is fine dining, and drinking, at its best.

From the attentive service to the beautifully presented food, you really do get the star treatment here without feeling out of place. I’d eat here every time if I had the salary to support such an extravagance. Unfortunately, for the time being, I may have to settle for special occasions. I wonder how many of those I can find…

We dined as guests of the restaurant. This has in no way affected my review which is an honest account of my dining experience.