Gary Usher’s Hispi restaurant is in Didsbury, one of Manchester’s most popular suburbs located on the north bank of the River Mersey about 5 miles south of Manchester city centre. The first thing you notice about Didsbury is that there are just so many eateries. So many you would wonder if the ratio to other shops is sustainable. Locals are spoilt for choice.
We were there to meet with Chef Gary Usher as recently reported, after the interview, being just across the road from Hispi was too good an opportunity to pass up, so we didn’t.
You walk into Hispi, it has presence, off white colours, wooden floors, tables and chairs, with bare brick, simple understated sophistication. The tables are set with similar discreet precision.
On the wall is a large mirror with the names of the people who backed Hispi through crowdfunding to the tune of £50,000, names written in appreciation of their support.
It is lunchtime on a Tuesday and front of house is being managed by one guy. There are several tables occupied and he has everything under total control, seemingly effortlessly. As you sit and ponder the menu the restaurant lets you relax and tells you, you are in a good place.
The food…my wife skipped a starter and I ordered sea bream ceviche, orange, radicchio, olive oil. A good looking dish with a lasting array of flavours and a nice tang to it. Tap water with freshly picked mint is a nice touch.
Main course, we both chose steamed plaice fillet, dill butter and harlequin potatoes, and we both hit the jackpot. I always try not to use the term ‘best ever’ or similar in reviews as it seems trite, but we both agreed it was as good a fish dish as we could remember. The fish was plump and moist, the dish was smothered in dill butter and the potatoes enthusiastically used by both of us to mop up every last drop of it.
We had a long journey in the car after lunch to a meeting in Twickenham some 210 miles down the M6 and M40, so we agreed a dessert would set us up well for that. My wife chose strawberries, whipped fromage blanc, pistachio, meringue, she joked it was Didsbury Mess and on post devouring described it as Didsbury delight.
I chose the poached apricot, almond sponge and burnt butter ice cream. To coin a description a la Gary Usher, fuck me it was good. Extra helping of triteness, as good a dessert as I’ve ever had.
The most unbelievable part of lunch at Hispi is the price, £19 for three courses. If you find yourself anywhere near Didsbury, or 210 miles away from it, I would suggest you put my verdict to the test.
Huge compliments to chef
Denis Sheehan, Publisher, H&C News