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Musu

Greater Manchester, Manchester - Japanese - Restaurant - £££

Sleek, darkly polished Japanese venue fully of cheffy ambition

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Very Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

* From 18 October 2024, the restaurant is relaunching as Kaji by Musu, which will specialise in Japanese fire-based cooking. Overseen by chef Steven Smith (formerly of the Freemasons at Wiswell), it's the first phase of an expansion project that will eventually include two new basement eateries. Watch this space.* Born of great ambition – to be at the cutting edge of the sushi knife, while operating in a culinary universe far distant from Japan – Musu mostly delivers on its high-end brief. A windowless ground-floor site has been transformed into a darkly polished, sleek dining room edged by digital murals and strips of light. The tasting menu shows off the breadth of culinary skill displayed across two open kitchens (one devoted to sushi), although most of what it offers is also available via a more affordable carte. It begins with clean, cool, immaculate sashimi (seaweed-cured hamachi, opaline scallop), broadening through nigiri (mackerel wisped with smoke, sea...

* From 18 October 2024, the restaurant is relaunching as Kaji by Musu, which will specialise in Japanese fire-based cooking. Overseen by chef Steven Smith (formerly of the Freemasons at Wiswell), it's the first phase of an expansion project that will eventually include two new basement eateries. Watch this space.*

Born of great ambition – to be at the cutting edge of the sushi knife, while operating in a culinary universe far distant from Japan – Musu mostly delivers on its high-end brief. A windowless ground-floor site has been transformed into a darkly polished, sleek dining room edged by digital murals and strips of light. The tasting menu shows off the breadth of culinary skill displayed across two open kitchens (one devoted to sushi), although most of what it offers is also available via a more affordable carte.

It begins with clean, cool, immaculate sashimi (seaweed-cured hamachi, opaline scallop), broadening through nigiri (mackerel wisped with smoke, sea bream picked up with the tiniest of lime garnishes) and takes on everything from chawanmushi with snails, girolles and garlic blossoms to pleasingly sausagey duck yakitori skewers, and A5 wagyu with black truffle in a vivid beetroot tea.

The chefs seldom miss a beat, especially when it comes to elegantly rendered prestige ingredients – as in chu-toro in autumn truffle dashi or venison with umeboshi, pickled blackberries and a glossily French sauce. As for dessert, the highlight is a salted white chocolate cream with silky almond sorbet and a soya milk crisp.

Wines start with koshu white and sake, before going global – although choice is accessible across the range. Also check out the daytime 'wine and sushi' deal, available Thu-Sat. The combination of luxe details, real-deal ingredients and abundant skill is heady stuff indeed.

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VENUE DETAILS

64 Bridge Street
Manchester
Greater Manchester
M3 3BNGB

0161 883 7753

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Credit card required

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