Well-loved Italian family business opens its anticipated Northern Quarter Cucina
We - and possibly the whole of Manchester - have been salvi-vating ever since the announcement that Salvi’s would be opening a branch in the Northern Quarter back in July. So we were thrilled to be invited for a poke around the new gaff, which is poised to fling open its doors and taking bookings from Monday 25th November.
We’ve had a nosey at the full menu and you can get excited about ingredients like salt cod, pistachio pesto and - of course - lots and lots of mozzarella
Occupying an enviable corner spot in the Basil Chambers building next to Federal on the Arndale end of high street, the space is light and bright thanks to huge windows all the way around. It’s the team’s forth city centre venue (after the mozzarella bar and deli in the Corn Exchange, Cucina and Pizzeria on John Dalton Street.) For the first foray into the Northern Quarter, a brand new Southern Italian menu has been devised by chef patron Maurizio Cecco - who comes from Naples. Expect lighter dishes, plenty of fish and a few creative flourishes fitting of the location.
We recommend the burrata mousse drizzled over gnocchi Sorrentina with its smokey tomato sauce. Other dishes we stuck our fork into included a pasta ragu of strozzapreti with fennel spiked Italian sausage; pasta Nerano - bucatini (that skinny spaghetti-length macaroni) with garlic, Parmesan and meltingly thin slices of courgette; scamorza alla griglia which is like a smoked, Italian version of grilled halloumi cheese; and a rich seafood stew with squid, mussels, prawns, clams and octopus.
The full menu means you can get excited about ingredients like salt cod, pistachio pesto and - of course - lots and lots of mozzarella. We will be in to do a proper, scored and unannounced review soon.
In the meantime, we are pleased to see the space looking bellissimo, the staff feeling excited - if a little tired - and Maurizio and his kitchen team already cooking up a tempesta. Keep your eyes peeled for their full programme of cooking classes too. These will include pizza and pasta making amongst others and would make a perfect Christmas present for the kitchen whizz in your life.
Salvi’s Cucina Italiana, Basil Chambers, 9 Nicholas Croft, Manchester M4 1EY
