Tartuffe Preview

For those who are as of yet unaware, the kitchen at Store Street Studio on Quay Street have been showcasing regularly rotating pop up concepts for some time now.  The current resident is named Tartuffe; sporting a French inspired menu, containing a ton of bistro classics and crowd pleasing dishes.    We were invited to pop in for a closer look, so off we popped to Quay Street.

On arrival it's a lovely space, feeling like a comfy lounge, with a fully stocked bar to the right as you enter, with Tartuffe's cozy dining space at the far end of the room, making the most of all that natural light.

Food wise, we couldn’t wait to get stuck into that menu.  Things kicked off with what already appears to be a Tartuffe signature; their Caviar Hash Browns (£10).  Splendid and the ideal way to begin.

Our second starter was the Mini Chicken Kyivs (£7.5), which were also another winner, being as delicious as they sound.   Breadcrumbed balls of chicken, which when bitten into revealed a pop of comforting garlic butter.  A mini version of a classic, done really well.

Onto the mains, and we simply had to order the Half Rotisserie Chicken (£14).  It didn't come presented on a dancing pole as per the chicken which graces Tartuffe's logo, but we can gloss over that minor point, since I guess that it wouldn’t be hugely practical.

The 8oz Bavette Steak (£18.50) was served with a delightful Café de Paris butter, garnished with sott'oli preserved mushrooms.  Blushing pink beef with a gorgeous crust showed off Chef's skills, backed up with more great quality produce.  Such dishes are classics for a reason.

And no meal would be complete without some strong sides, and Tartuffe's will delight you.

Roast Potatoes (£5.5) chicken fat and thyme were delightful.  Fluffy within, with a crunchy exterior carrying sharp seasoning, and an aromatic punch from the herbs.  We also loved the chicken tie in with the main course too, especially since chicken fat makes everything taste better.

The star of the show however, was Macaroni cheese (£7), being quite possibly the best side which we've had in Manchester all year.  Perfectly cooked pasta, doused with a cheese sauce consisting of Fontina, broccoli and aromatic Aleppo chilli.   Two portions would make a solid main to be fair, and we fully plan on ripping this off at home.

Green Beans (£5.5) were simple but effective.  Good quality beans, cooked really well, topped with salted ricotta.  These paired well with both of main courses, and a well needed hit of green is always important.  Apologies for the lack of photo on this one.  That mac and cheese got us all flustered.

You typically remember the last thing that you ate during any meal, the most.  On this occasion, it was that macaroni cheese.   We happily headed off feeling happy that 1, we were nicely full and feeling satisfied, and 2, there was a new place in town which delivers exactly what it promises.

We need more venues like Tartuffe in the city.    It's the kind of place where you can go to get a quality meal, for any occasion, serving something or all tastes, priced at a fantastic price point.

Tartuffe will be resident until June 2025, but don’t wait before booking in!

** Our experience was gratefully comped **.