King Street could get a taste of Catalonia, if plans are approved for new restaurant and bar, Tast.
The venture, backed by people behind Brazillian rodízio chain Fazenda, is hoping to open at 20-22 King Street, a unit which has seen two restaurants come and go in the past three years.
Fine dining concept Quill was the first to transform the site, which was formerly a fashion store.
In late 2015 restaurant group On The Wall pumped more than £1m into the Duo unit, transforming it into a dark and slick venue which they described as an ' opulent oasis in the city centre'. It closed in June 2016, less than a year after opening.
Hot on the heels of Quill was Mediterranean restaurant Suri. The new site was launched by Fazenda co-owner Terence Langley, property consultant-turned-restaurateur Andrea George, and property investor and developer James Coubrough, who brightened the place with white marble, white walls, and informal dining. This time, the restaurant lasted just five months.
But the string of closures hasn't deterred new operators - also with links to Fazenda - who are confident they can make a success of the unit with Tast - Catalan for 'tasting'.
Fazenda's sales and marketing director Tomas Maunier, with business partner Robert Guiora Melman, are behind the new Catalan restaurant and bar.
The pair's confidence is probably buoyed by their neighbour and relative King Street veteran El Gato Negro, who - after trading for almost two years - has proven that Spanish food and tapas is a hit on King Street.
The nearby Lunya in Barton Arcade is further proof that Manchester has an appetite for Catalan and Spanish cuisine.
There is a bigger restaurant scene further up King Street, but it's dominated by chains. Zizzi, All Bar One, and Pizza Express are all doing well, while bao bar Taberu closed less than five months after opening.
Were Suri, Quill and Taberu simply not good enough? Or were their closures down to the big brand dining habits of those in the area? El Gato Negro's success indicates that indies can do well here, they just have to be incredibly good at what they do.
Tast owners declined to comment on their new venture, while busy opening their fourth Fazenda unit in Edinburgh. Business is going well then for Fazenda, can Tast follow suit and succeed where others have failed?
