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CRISP golden leaves, ripening fruit crops and bright chilly mornings...autumn is here. And, with the colder weather creeping in, Per Tutti have designed a hearty menu full of dishes that envelop you in a big warm hug. Head Chef Phil Whitehead said of the menu that it’s all about ‘soul food’, and the proof is in the pudding (quite literally in the case of desserts, but we’ll get to those later).
Surely a contender for the world’s best brownie...
The menu still retains a modern European feel, but you’ll find nibbles like marinated olives now jostling alongside the likes of warm chorizo in red wine and ham hock fritters with piccalilli puree. Seafood remains an important element: on our visit, we plumped for pan-fried king prawns, which come on buttery toasted bread in a chilli and garlic emulsion. Grilled asparagus was another light yet satisfying starter, accompanied by a deliciously runny free-range poached egg and a scatter of parmesan. Home-cured duck breast came with roasted pear and pine nuts, with a balsamic dressing. Cured for 24 to 72 in the chef’s ‘secret’ curing salt, it was pink and tender - and the dish a clever interplay of sweet and salty.
Mains, we found, come with the same exacting attention to detail. The roast cod fillet, locally sourced, was served on a refreshing bed of sundried tomatoes, olives and gnocchi - the latter pan-fried, creating a satisfyingly crispy coating that belied a fluffy interior. A Confidential favourite; as was the wild mushroom risotto. Rich, creamy and indulgent, this vegetarian classic was everything a risotto should be. It was hard to pick a third main from such a strong selection. Breaded lamb shoulder? Roast fillet of salmon? Roast breast of chicken turned out to hit the spot nicely. Seasoned with sage under the skin, it was served with creamy garlic mash, Madeira jus and roast carrots.
Desserts had a lot to live up to, but boy were they successful. The salted caramel and chocolate brownie was utterly sublime, the ingredients whipped for extra moistness and the Belgian chocolate particularly intense against the vanilla ice cream. Surely a contender for the world’s best brownie... Hazelnut semifreddo (‘semi-frozen’ in Italian) was also superb, shot through with praline for added crunch and drizzled in warm chocolate sauce. For something a little less rich, orange polenta cake with mascarpone made for the perfect solution.
Per Tutti translates as ‘for all’ in English and, with menus like this, you can see why: there really is something that everyone will enjoy. We’ll be back to sample more - and perhaps have another chocolate brownie while we’re at it...
Per Tutti Café Bar and Grill, 3-11 Liverpool Road, Manchester M3 4NW
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