Bring some sunshine to a wintry Manchester with a trip to Catalan cuisine experts Lunya, where some new tapas will put a smile on your face. Veganuary box ticked – if we could make the tenderstem broccoli (£6.25) one of our five-a-day, we’d be happy bunnies. Cooked just past al dente then drizzled with harissa, hazelnuts and maple syrup, it’s a looker. Vegan cauliflower buñuelo fritters (£6.95) also have a nice buzz, this time of cumin, and come with a vibrant red Canary Island Mojo Picón sauce. Meanwhile, although the zahtar and pomegranate molasses parsnips (£6.45) look like chips and gravy, we can assure you they’re sweet as. Nope, parsnips and chestnuts really aren’t just for Christmas. Fish fans, the seabass sliders with rocket and homemade tartare sauce (£7.95) are lovely and light, both in the texture of the beer batter and the fluffy mini brioche bun. Choices of meat tapas include a Catalan classic: slow-cooked Estofado ox cheeks, meltingly falling apart in a rich gravy and served with a cheery carrot and rosemary purée and green pea shoots (£7.85). Last but not least is the lamb fillet (£7.95), grilled “a la plancha” and sliced thinly while still pink, with a bed of nutty Navarran lentils – from the Basque country, and braised in a flavour-filled red wine broth with plenty of fresh herbs, garlic, onion and carrots – that takes winter warmer to the next level. Just, si.
Lunya, Barton Arcade, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BB, Tel: 0161 413 3317, times vary, www.lunya.co.uk
- Words:
- Sarah-Clare Conlon
- Published on:
- Tue 22 Jan 2019
