New Samsi

Despite the name, New Samsi is well into its second decade in Manchester, & is now at the heart of a mini empire; its branches extend to a conveyor-belt noodle bar in business development Spinningfields, a restaurant in the heart of the student district &, downstairs at Whitworth Street, a Japanese supermarket & izakaya. The sturdy corner building is home to a pleasantly timeworn dining room, & Samsi’s long menu means that it’s a great place to take those uninitiated with Nippon cuisine. Sushi & sashimi line up alongside tempura, kushiyaki, teriyaki & donburi (with glazed eel or simple chicken & egg among the toppings). In the izakaya below, fried snacks & bento boxes are washed down with Sapporo beer.