Dinner / £££ / 9/10

My first trip to this Mancunian tapas bar was a few years ago now but when I was offered a day out in Manchester by the Northerner it was the first thing out my mouth ‘Yes please, can we go to the black cat?’. My memories of it are undoubtedly biased, I love the city, love cava, love spanish/portugese food. I hoped a revisit wouldn’t disappoint.

With the Christmas market in full swing the city was heaving, the restaurant offering a warm destination. It is over three floors and despite booking a month in advance we were at the top of the building. Being a late afternoon booking, tables around us were mainly business lunches but we were childless and giddy (well I was anyway). I was so pleased it was reassuringly busy, there is a sinking feeling when you walk into a beloved restaurant to find it quiet and changed.

We had a selection of tapas – ordered here by their deliciousness.

• Bikini – why every tapas bar doesn’t have these on the menu is beyond me. Tiny ham and cheese toasties fried in delicious butter, hell yeah
• Jamon Iberico croquettes – as they are meant to be, all bechamel and ham nuggets
• Catalan bread with fresh tomato – they had ‘compressed’ the bread but not in the odd way that a panini press does. It remained crispy and bypassed soggy. The tomato though lacked the full flavour that is only delivered by sunshine
• Mixed Charcuterie board – the quality of the lomo and ham, manchego, selection of pickles and jelly sang here. The option to ‘pick and mix’ different cheeses and hams was a nice touch and the sweet cracker made it feel so authentic
• Meatballs – a yardstick for all tapas restaurants these were tender and tasted of rich tomato
• Lamb skewers with harissa yoghurt – the most expensive thing we ordered, the Northerners favourite but a bit ‘meh’ for me. The meat was too lean and cooked on too low a heat to deliver the taste I love
• Grilled broccoli (ordered when I realised that tortilla espanol isn’t a vegetable dish – more’s the pity)

Despite there being a best and worst dish above the reality is all the food was delicious (hence the score) and what the restaurant manages to do well is cocoon you in very comfortable service. It reminds me of London pubs (the good ones) all leather seating, tiles and warm lighting, making you immediately feel relaxed (so relaxed you order a bottle of wine when you realise they don’t do the Northerners favourite by the glass). I just sat back, exhaled deeply and enjoyed my cava.

I had a Crema Catalana for pudding which was a beautifully set custard with a burnt suger topping. I was delighted with all my life choices by this point and immediately went to buy my mum a thank you gift for making it all possible (babysitting).

If you’re in Manchester I cannot recommend El Gato Negro enough. It’s a gem of a place.