Another Spinningfields restaurant that I have been wanting to try for a while is Fazenda, although I have been waiting for a special occasion as it would be a pricey do. In the evening it is £28 a head and that is before wine so you are looking at a £100 quid meal really.

This is another one of those Bem Brasil style places where you pay a set price and indicate by a red and green sided card on your table if you want more or if you want a rest. On Tuesday me and Mr G had a day off work so we left the little one at nursery and went for the lunch menu which is a more manageable £17.30 per person. You only get half the selection of meats that you would in the evening but I only managed one round of each of the meats at lunchtime so the evening option would probably leave me in a meat coma!

The restaurant looks great for a start, there are partitions made of wine bottles, meats hanging from the wall in one the private dining rooms available and it just looks like your meal is going to be worth every penny. The waiter seated us and explained exactly how it worked very simply, took our drinks order then left us to it.

We went to the salad bar first and I was in heaven! The first thing I saw was sweet red peppers stuffed with cream cheese and stuffed vine leaves, both faves of mine.

The things I can remember are, Sushi, anchovies, salami, paremsan cheese, bowls of pork scratchings, regular and spicy, an array of dressing oils, dipping sauces, salsas, guacamole, all your standard salad items, good quality olives in oil, a large bowl full of parmesan cheese, a cheeseboard, nuts and seeds for toppings, giant cous cous salad, sundried tomatoes, orzo pasta.. but there was so much more.

I didn’t even get to the hot dishes but there were potatoes, rice and beans, creamy mushrooms to mention a few.

I also found a new favourite food! see below! and I have since managed to get some from Waitrose, they are tiny spicy peppers in a sweet juice – pretty hot with a taste a bit similar to a scotch bonnet but obviously nowhere near as hot!

As I started eating my giant plate from the salad bar A large skewer of gammon and a full pineapple appeared at the side of our table. I am not really a fan of gammon, would only really eat it if there was nowt else in BUT this was the best gammon I have ever had! In fact I was hoping the gammon would come round again! I have a chunk of salty gammon with a crispy edge and a slice of freshly grilled pineapple.

Fresh skin on fries were then presented to us which I had to say yes to and the meat just kept on coming!

2 types of steak, Picanha and Alcatra, chicken wrapped in bacon, sausage, pork belly drizzled in honey – another favourite, chicken thighs.. I managed a round of a serving of each then had to stop as I had the meat sweats.

Meal for 2 with 2 pints of larger and a coca cola – £50. Service is added automatically.. grrrrr my pet hate. It is deserved but should be my decision!

We had a walk round after the meal and saw that they have 3 separate private dining rooms which look great! There is a 7, 8 and a 16. Not really sure why they have one for 7 though?! These don’t cost any extra to book but there is a bit of a minimum spend on them which you would always meet if you fill every chair. The sittings are at 5.30 or 8.30, if you want to keep the table all night after the 5.30 sitting though you will be charged.

Definitely want to go back soon so who’s with me??

Apologies for the blurry pictures, tried to take them sneakily as I felt a bit of an idiot taking photos of a salad bar!

Manchester

Please leave your thoughts below if you have been!