Not usually one to venture too far out of the city centre for a meal, I was sceptical going all the way to Altrincham just for lunch. However, after tasting the food at Unagi, I think I might be a convert.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
Situated opposite Altrincham’s food market — only a ten minute walk from the train station — Unagi is a sleek and modern Japanese restaurant serving up a tasty variety of small plates, sushi, and noodles. Its attractive terrace area makes it a great place to visit in warmer weather, but heading into winter they also have a surprisingly large interior restaurant which provides a lovely setting for a meal.
The high ceilings and bright lighting make it a very photogenic destination for those of you who may be more ‘Instagram-ably’ inclined, but a quick glance around the room will reveal that the clientele are made up of a range of people, from couples on a date, to friends looking for a catch up and families out for a meal.
We started off with Unagi’s spicy edamame which certainly lived up to their name. The chilli sauce created just the right balance between chilli and garlic which was offset by a delicate sweetness and complimented the mild flavour of the edamame beans.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
Next, we tried the teriyaki beef tacos which were honestly unlike anything we had eaten before. The taco shells had been fried to give them a crispy texture which held its shape well and served as a great vessel for the teriyaki beef chunks. The beef itself was well cooked and its rich saucy coating transformed it into a truly delightful mouthful and the tacos into a great small plate.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
The vegetable spring rolls were perfectly nice with a satisfyingly crispy shell and a gooey interior. Whilst not being anything particularly special, they were decent spring rolls, but with some great other dishes on the menu we may not order them again.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
Unagi’s chilli udon with tofu arrived next and this was an absolute banger. There aren’t many restaurants in the UK which cook tofu genuinely well, but Unagi has certainly made this list. The tofu was deep fried which gives its a gorgeous golden brown exterior and a bubbly interior which soaks up the flavour of the dish. The udon themselves were soft and bathed in a gorgeous chilli sauce which had an almost nutty depth to it and came in a plentiful portion for the price making this one of our must-haves on the menu.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
We also sampled the prawn crunch sushi which was served as a generous 10 pieces for £16.50. The sushi rice held its shape nicely and the crunchy breading around the prawn chunks which ran through the pieces provided a lovely contrast of texture which we certainly enjoyed.
Credit: Nicola Appleby @ The Mancunion
For dessert, we were able to try the soft serve ice cream which Unagi make in house and their mochi which comes in chocolate, mango, coconut, and strawberry cheesecake flavour. However, the real star of the dessert was the purple sweet potato churros.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
We can honestly say that we have never had purple sweet potato in churros before and, whilst it may not be the most authentic way to serve churros, it did create a very tasty dessert. We would only suggest that the deep fried coating on the churros was slightly on the thick side, making them a tad oily, but the flavour of the purple sweet potato really came through and made this a dessert worth trying.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
Finally, we were able to sample one of their teas, chamomile and apple, which was nice and warming, with a mild apple flavour and marked the perfect way to round off the meal.
The only thing which came close to topping the food at Unagi was the staff who were attentive and kind throughout. Up for a chat with the more sociable patrons in the establishment and recognising which diners simply wanted to eat in peace, all of the waiters and waitresses were excellent and absolutely added to what had already been a great experience.
Credit: Ruby Filleul @ The Mancunion
On a student budget Unagi may not be one for the day to day, but their ample portions of brilliant food do make them worth loosening the purse strings for every so often.
With plans to expand to a location in Salford Quays and a pop up open now in Campfield Market in Deansgate, The Mancunion can see why Unagi is doing so well. So, if Altrincham is too far out of your way, we would definitely recommend you try another location as this Manchester food offering is not one to miss.
You can book on their website and find their menu here.
AloJapan.com