Food review: Canto’s interior overhaul & new Spanish dishes

Ancoats’ Portuguese restaurant Canto opened to a drooling reception in September 2018. It’s the second member of the El Gato Negro family and,  six months on, has undergone a cosy overhaul. Distressed window panes, hanging baskets, candles and worn leather booths take the place of a minimal look, and there’s a largely new menu too. Food now includes dishes inspired by  Spanish-focused El Gato on King Street alongside Portuguese standards. Cod pil pil (£9), for example, is served on a bed of a creamy mash made with roasted fish skin (sounds wild, tastes awesome) over an warm chutney of red peppers and onion. There’s a chargrilled chicken peri peri (£8), and tender, grilled  lamb fillet (£13.50), chopped into cubes and skewered over teriyaki mushrooms. Salty-sweet Catalan bread (£3.50) comes with fresh, mushed tomatoes and the best olive oil, while golf-ball-sized mushroom croquetas (£5, pictured) are paired with black garlic mayo.  I eat all the miso-glazed carrots (£6) with butternut squash puree and crisp sunflower seeds too, and the smoky fritada sauce, with chickpeas and caramelised cauliflower (£5.50), while for dessert there’s chocolate tart with malted milk chantilly cream (£5), almond tart and mascarpone mousse (£5) and toasted barley ice cream. The house pastel de nata (custard tart, £2.50 for £3.50) is deliciously infused with what I suspect is a hint of cardamom and wines are refreshingly uncomplicated too. We go for the Olho no Pe Douro (around £40 and winning five star reviews across the board) – but I’ve tried a few wines here and they’re all interesting Portuguese options starting at £21 and going up to about £44. Look out for the plummy red Beiras and apple-sharp Bairrada.

Canto, Cutting Room Square, Blossom Street, Manchester M4 5DH. Tel: 0161 870 5904, www.cantorestaurant.com

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