Tast Cuina Catala: Now open on King Street
A pre-opening launch party for Tast on Thursday 12 July was an authentic celebration of Catalan food and wine.
The new restaurant, backed by Pep Guardiola, Txiki Bergiristain and Ferran Soriano in personal capacities, sees multi-Michelin star chef, Paco Pérez, play his first executive chef role in the UK.
Pérez is the renowned international patron-chef of two 2 Michelin* restaurants – Miramar, in Llançà near Girona and Enoteca at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona. He is also behind the 1 Michelin* Restaurant Cinco at the Hotel Das Stue in Berlin.
The head chef at Tast is Miquel Villacrosa who was formerly head chef at Restaurant Cinco after seven years spent working with Paco Pérez, including a year at Miramar.
Despite Paco Pérez’s record, Tast is not pursuing awards but will simply create a warm and friendly atmosphere for anyone wishing to experience the best of Catalan food and drink. As well as serving traditional Catalan starters and mains, the Tast menu offer ‘tastets’ – small portions and nibbles to savour and share.
Despite Paco Pérez’s record, Tast is not pursuing awards but will simply create a warm and friendly atmosphere for anyone wishing to experience the best of Catalan food and drink
Party guests were served Paco’s favourite selection from the menu alongside Catalan wines. Authentic Catalan tastets served at the party included Ou d’Ànec, Xipirons I Salsa Tàrtara (duck egg, baby calamari, potato, tartare sauce) and Arròs de Bosc (mushrooms, old cow sirloin, padron peppers), followed by dessert of Xuixo De Crema I Xocolata (puff pastry, custard, dark chocolate) and a Catalan cheeseboard.
The party was attended by very special guests including Manchester City assistant coaches Mikel Arteta and Brian Kidd and former Manchester City player Mike Summerbee. Dignitaries attending included the former Chief Executive of Manchester City Council Sir Howard Bernstein; the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester Dame Nancy Rothwell; and BBC TV presenter Naga Munchetty.
Tast Cuina Catalana, roughly translates into English as ‘Tastes from the Catalan Kitchen.’ Tast has 120-covers over three floors, with Pinya, a casual dining and bar area on the ground floor; Folre, a first-floor dining room with open kitchen; and Enxaneta on the second floor, with private dining rooms offering a tasting menu.
Paco Pérez says: "We are delighted to bring the Catalan cuisine to Manchester and to be part of the amazing team behind Tast. We are going back to our Catalan roots, with traditional cooking with an open kitchen, where you can see and smell the cooking and you can feel at home. Tast is an ‘easy’ restaurant where everyone is welcome.”
Confidential certainly felt welcome on their early visits and the wagyu beef bao buns, the octopus and the beef cheeks were just three tastets that went down an absolute storm with us.
