New Tastes...

Sapporo, Manchester

Yesterday for Emily's birthday, a group of us went to Sapporo in Manchester, a teppanyaki restaurant on Liverpool Street off Deangate. I had been recommended it by one of Jasmine's friends from university, so suggested it to Emily as it sounded like a good venue for a celebratory meal.

We arrived at 8.30pm, and waited at the bar with some drinks for a while whilst our table was prepared. Because there was a large group of us (13 in all) we had two sides of one of the large tables - they are arranged in a horseshoe shape around a cooking area in the centre, where the chefs prepare your meals in front of you.

I didn't really fancy the teppanyaki as I wasn't that hungry, although it did sound delicious; instead I went for a sharing platter of sushi, which was amazing. It had spider, crunch and dragon rolls on which I have had at the Country Club before, but then there were also a few other rolls that I hadn't tried before, so it was a good mix. I even attempted to use chopsticks for the first few, although I am so slow at using them I gave up after a while. 

Hannah and Tasha next to me both chose giant prawns as their meal, and they were huge! I thought they were langoustines when they were first brought out. The teppanyaki dishes included sauteed potatoes and vegetables which were also cooked in front of us - the potatoes they tried to throw in our mouths!

Aside from the yummy food, it was a real experience to eat there, as it is like watching a show when the food is made. Our chef did tricks with eggs, throwing them in the air and catching them in his hat, pocket, and even cracking one straight onto the hot plate by throwing it up and making it land on his knife! I would recommend it if in a large group or for a special occasion. Prices aren't extortionate (I suppose you pay more for the theatricals) - my meal was £23 and that included a tip, a glass of wine and then a bottle of wine shared between 3 people. I'd love to take my parents and Jasmine there - I'll have to suggest it for the next meal out we have.