We want to take this opportunity to wish you – as well as those closest to you – a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Christmas wreath

Thanks for all your support and patience over the past year; we can’t wait to welcome you to our new Manchester home very soon. It’s been a thrilling year… so as it draws to a close we can share a little more on what you can expect to enjoy when we open our doors in February 2016!

When you step inside from King Street you’ll see our charcuterie bar – the perfect spot for matching a brilliant drinks selection with some small dishes. On the first floor is the main restaurant dining area, centred around the open plan kitchen where you’ll be able to watch chefs at work. The seasonally-focused menu features old favourites and new dishes, including a new chargrilled section based around our Josper grill. Meanwhile the top floor cocktail bar will enable visitors to enjoy an exclusive selection of Spanish-influenced cocktails and a comprehensive array of drinks. You’ll be able to soak up the atmosphere, and even take advantage of the retractable roof we’ve installed to make the most of sunny days and starry nights. We don’t think Manchester will have seen anything quite like it before!

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The building is coming together nicely: we’ve been making good progress despite some challenging weather conditions over the last couple of months which kept our talented contractors on their toes! We always knew we wanted to launch at the right time and make sure everything was just right, so we’re glad we made a conscious decision not to rush for the sake of it.

Simon says

“We were always aware moving to Manchester and bringing our ideas to life was going to be a lot of work this year! It’s certainly meant plenty of graft and long hours, but that’s been made easier working with a great team of professionals who share the same passion and drive. A big thanks to all our suppliers, contractors, partners, friends and advocates for all your support and hard work this year. It’s been incredibly exciting and it’s thanks to you we’re about to open somewhere very special. So on behalf of everyone on the management team, we’ll raise a glass and hope you all have a restful, relaxed and brilliant Christmas break!”

 

Chargrilled Onglet Steak with Patatas a lo Pobre

Chargrilled Onglet Steak with Patatas A Lo Pobre

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the onglet 

  • 4 onglet beef steaks (approx. 200g each)
  • 200ml olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic   
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 50g salted butter

For the Patatas A Lo Pobre

  • 16 new potatoes
  • 2 medium red onions                
  • 8 piquillo peppers
  • 1 small bunch of mint
  • 15ml balsamic vinegar
  • 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
  • olive oil
  • 25g salted butter
  • salt & pepper for seasoning

For the red wine sauce

  • ½ bottle red wine
  • 500ml good quality beef stock
  • 50g salted butter

Method

Marinate the onglet steaks in a mix of olive oil, chopped garlic and half of the fresh thyme. Ideally allow them to marinate for 24 hours, or at least overnight.

Cover potatoes with water in a pan. Add the mint, 25g butter and salt. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes (until al dente), switch off heat and leave potatoes to cool in the cooking water for a further 20 minutes to enrich the flavour. Drain thoroughly and slice the potatoes into round pieces approx. 1cm thick.

Thinly slice the red onion and add to a heavy based pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter with the remainder of the picked thyme and cook slowly over a low heat to caramelise the onion. While it’s cooking, drain the piquillo peppers and slice into thin strips. After the onion is lightly caramelised add the piquillo pepper to the pan, cooking slowly for a further ten minutes.

Heat a griddle or frying pan as hot as you can without it smoking. Add the marinaded onglet to the pan, without oil, once at a time. Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, adding 50g of butter to the pan until it melts. Quickly baste the steaks then remove them, cover and allow them rest for at least 5 minutes.

Fully deglaze the pan by adding the red wine, then pour this into a saucepan and add the beef stock. Cook down for 3-4 minutes on a medium high heat until it reduces and thickens.

Add a splash of olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat. Add the sliced potato and caramelise it. Once the potatoes are evenly coloured add the red onion and pepper mix and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the balsamic and finish with the chopped flat leaf parsley.

Finish off the red wine sauce with the rest of the butter to give it a nice glaze. Slice the onglet steak into pieces, cutting across the steak on a diagonal to follow the grain of the meat. Place on the plate, then top with the potato and pepper mix. Drizzle the red wine sauce over to finish the dish. Enjoy!