Review: Fazenda Manchester

Fazenda makes dining out fun again, with its fuss free approach to food says Daniel Flay.

You've probably enjoyed the chargrilled charms of Manchester's Brazilian restaurant scene before, but chances are you won't have encountered anywhere quite as unique as Fazenda - this modern Brazilian eatery aims to revolutionise the way that we dine out with its hands on approach to hospitality. 

At first glance Fazenda is just as sexy as its sleek city centre counterparts. With its clean-cut glass exterior, candlelit dining hall, and reclaimed, industrial finish Fazenda has all the trappings of a classic Spinningfields eatery. 

However, once you look past the venue's seductive mood lighting and glamorous interior, you'll discover a restaurant that is more inviting than exclusive. Think of Fazenda as the Alessandra Ambrosio of the restaurant world, not only is the venue easy on the eye, but it has lashings of charm and personality to match. 

Having arrived a little early for our reservation, my guest and I decided to grab a quick drink at the bar before our meal; which much like the main restaurant, was packed. Fazenda it would appear, is not only the destination of choice for the carnivorously inclined but also a Saturday night favourite amongst Spinningfields' trendy cocktail crowd. 

Once we were seated at our table in the main restaurant, we were presented with a plate of Brazilian Coconut Prawns and traditional breaded chicken dumplings - which were so appetizing, we couldn't help but ask for more. 

Our waiter Ludos, then explained the restaurant's unusual “stop/go” flash card system - which really is as simple as it sounds. Each table has a two sided disc that they place green side up when they want the waiters to bring them meat, and red side up when they're either eating or taking a break.

Before we flipped our discs to green, we paid a visit to the restaurant's impressive 'Gourmet Salad Bar'. Diners are encouraged to help themselves to fresh salads, pasta and rice dishes, artisan bread and authentic Brazilian side dishes to accompany the succulent meats that are carved at their tables. Needless to say, we were overwhelmed by the selection and had to try one of everything!

After returning to our table, it was finally the moment that we'd both been waiting for. Almost as soon as we switched our discs from red to green, we were greeted by an army of skewer wielding waiters.

In total Fazenda serve over 15 different prime cuts of meat, including beef, chicken, pork and lamb. Each skewer is slowly grilled over an open flame and then paraded around the restaurant floor. 

My personal favourite was the Filet Mignon. Filet mignon is known as one of the tenderest of cuts and it certainly didn't disappoint - this juicy cut was full of flavour and melted in the mouth.

Other menu highlights included the Franco (chicken wrapped in bacon) - which was grilled to perfection. The chicken was basted in a special lemon and garlic marinade and slowly cooked over grill to lock in all of its bold flavours. 

One of the more adventurous dishes on the menu was Coracão De Frango, or as they're more commonly known in the UK, chicken hearts. They tasted exactly how you would expect them to. They were chewy, rubbery, and a bit on the metallic side - although I'm happy to say that I gave them go, this was probably the first and last time. 

The fries were delicate, salt-studded, and crispy with a creamy consistency and fluffy potato texture in the middle - in other words heavenly!

Once we'd filled our plates, we simply flipped our discs back to red, and patiently waited until a passing meat skewer caught our eye. The beauty of this concept is that you never have to wait too long to be served and there's also something new to try. 

This unusual approach to eating out was an incredibly fun way to dine, and it allowed us to eat as much, or as little, as we could manage.

After both finally admitting defeat, we took a quick breather before dessert and mulled over the menu. The only way to finish off a meat feast of this magnitude was with a sweet treat - this came in the form of the chocolate mousse. Served in a small glass, this indulgent dish was rich, gooey and totally irresistible - sadly though flipping our discs to green didn't conjure up another. 

Fazenda balances its plush aesthetic perfectly with its authentic Brazilian cuisine and South American hospitality to create an easy-going yet charismatic setting for lunch and dinner. Diners looking to enjoy quality food and drink at reasonable prices, should dine at Fazenda Manchester the next time they're looking to eat out.