Fine Japanese restaurants are few and far between in Manchester, that was until Yuzu arrived on the scene. Last week, still in the thick of meatfree Jan and desperate for a good meal out we made our second trip to this tiny and authentic joint in the heart of Chinatown.

It really is tiny, there’s absolutely nowhere to put a coat, you have to perch on tiny stools and the air is thick with the smell of frying tempura, but it’s all worth it for the fabulous Japanese fare on offer here.

With our usual sizeable appetites we went for 3 starters between 2.

The wakame and shredded daikon salad had a light ponzu dressing and was to die for, it was fresh with a fantastically satisfying crunch. The katsu prawns were quite simply the best I’ve had, massive, juicy and served with a thick, tasty barbecue sauce. Finally, the yakitori chicken heart skewers I can’t vouch for as meatfree Jan did not allow but my partner said they were great too.

The mains also did not disappoint, the sashimi (always of extremely high quality) served on rice and daikon with a light soy sauce was superb, surprisingly filling but in a comfortable way.

My teriyaki salmon set was also a real winner, this is like a masterclass in clean eating. The salmon was exactly how I’d want it, very delicately cooked but still with a juicy, crispy skin. All the accompaniments made you feel like a little king at a feast, with a bowl of sushi rice, some sesame beans and a miso soup. All very simple but all complemented each other wonderfully.

A real midweek treat and not an overly unhealthy one at that. Thanks Yuzu, we’ll be back.