The latest additions to the Michelin Guide have been announced - and another Manchester restaurant has received a nod. The Sparrows, famed for its European pasta and dumplings, has been added to the January edition of the Michelin Inspectors' Favourite New Restaurants.
The renowned food spot is now one of 17 Greater Manchester restaurants featured in the prestigious food guide. For January, 24 new entries were announced ahead of the annual launch ceremony which will take place at the end of March and will see all the new Michelin Stars, Bib Gourmands and Green Stars unveiled.
The much-loved restaurant originally opened on Mirabel Street in early 2019 before expanding to a slightly larger unit under railway arches in the Red Bank District of the city. While the modern, central European restaurant might be a little off the beaten path it has been heaped with praise from national and regional food critics over the past few years, with Jay Rayner hailing it a "glorious carb-fest" when he last visited.
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Offering a range of European delicacies including Polish pierogi, Russian pelimeni, and Italian gnocchi and ravioli, The Sparrows was launched by Polish-born Kasia Hitchcock, a sake specialist, and her partner, chef Franco Concli from Italy. The restaurant takes its name from one of it's house specialities, Spätzle, which translates as 'sparrow', a type of European dumpling popular in South Germany, Austria and Switzerland, made from pasta dough, and labelled because of their tendency to float in a vat of water like sparrows in the wind.
In it's write-up of the new entries, The Michelin Guide wrote: "These newly added restaurants across Great Britain and Ireland boast great variety and come in all different styles; some casual and relaxed; others more formal – but all united by one thing: great cooking.
"Manchester’s dumpling and pasta lovers should make haste to The Spärrows in the city’s Green Quarter. Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is a restaurant whose name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here.
"The dumplings and assorted pasta dishes are all made in-house and include excellent pierogi. The focus on Eastern Europe carries through to the wine list, which has a leaning towards Polish wines."
The Sparrows joins fellow city centre dining spots including Mana, Adam Reid at The French, Erst and recent inductee Another Hand. in the Guide. The latter received a nod in November's round-up, just eight months after opening, and was praised for it's "array of delicious sharing plates, made with produce from ethical local growers".
Blink and you may well miss the entry for The Sparrows, a door almost hidden come nightfall, but once inside this cosy dining spot, you can expect continental fare paired with fine Japanese sakes, Italian coffee and organic Austrian wines. Choose from simple spätzle or gnocchi with butter and sage, or a plate of Polish Pierogi with sour cream and finish with Daz's wide's brownie, panna cotta or Tiramisu.
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