Oyster, Chicken Fat, Peaso
Mana
I ticked something off my bucket list last night by paying a visit to Mana in Ancoats and I’ve got to say, I really, really enjoyed it. It was quite hard to pick just one thing that stood out from the 19 dishes I ate – but if you were to really twist my arm, I would have to say the oyster from the never-ending flight of sumptuous snacks. This was a lovely Cornish oyster, served raw, wrapped in a cabbage leaf with crispy chicken fat delicately sprinkled in the with a subtle note of English horseradish. It reminded me of sushi, but it maintained a certain ‘Britishness’ which totally blew me away. Keep your eyes peeled for my full review in the next few weeks. – Kate Tighe
Christian Tschida Himmel Auf Erden (2015)
Where the Light Gets In
We had an incredible time at Where The Light Gets in at the weekend. The food was sublime, as you can imagine, but the wines were the real showstopper for me. I am just getting into my white wines, and this stunning light German wine by winemaker Christian Tschida which translates to ‘Heaven on Earth’ was a great example of why. Silky, peachy and slightly nutty – it was a stunning wine with a beautiful finish. – James Barker
Manchester Tart
restaurantMCR
After a long 8 courses down at restaurantMCR last week I reached the common conclusion that I had no space for dessert. As soon as these gorgeous Manchester Tarts arrived though I had a severe case of dessert belly and managed to squeeze them in. I’ve never been so happy with my body as these things were brilliant – a perfectly soft and fluffy bit of sponge topped with a coconut crème patisserie and raspberries. Indulgent, naughty but so, so good. – Ellie Edginton
Skate Wing
Fin Fish Bar at Mackie Mayor
There is a certain elegance in fresh fish cooked simply and if anywhere was a testament to this it would be Fin Fish Bar at Mackie Mayor. Like the good Catholic girl I am along with my attempt to be full pescatarian that is failing MISERABLY, there was only one choice for dinner last Friday night. I chose a grilled skate wing which was perfectly cooked and served with seasonal greens, lemon and plenty of black pepper. It was divine. – Kate Tighe
DIY Poke Bowl
Oke Poke
A light lunch that won’t cost you a fortune is something that is getting harder to find these days, but my go-to is always Oke Poke. Who knew the Hawaiian’s were so clever in the kitchen? If you like sushi you are going to love poke and you really cannot go wrong with any of the classic bowls, but if you are a fusspot like me, you can build your own. This time I went for raw tuna on black rice, chillies, gauc, edamame beans, tobiko (fish roe) and a final sprinkling of chia seeds. As for the sauce- its got to be classic with soy ginger and garlic. – Steven Pankhurst
Manchester’s Finest x Beatnikz Brewery – NQ Pale Ale
Beatnikz Brewery Bar
A few weeks ago I went down to Beatnikz Brewery down in the Green Quarter and ended up shovelling some hops sludge out of tanks, getting my head all steamed while I mashed some hot ale and generally had a jolly good time with the team down there. What was I doing? Well, I was there helping them make a new NQ Pale Ale – a collaboration between us both that aims to create the perfect ale for the Northern Quarter. It’s big, it’s chewy, it’s got LOADS of hops in there – it’s bloody brilliant and you should try it. It’s available at the bar this week (until it runs out). – Ben Brown
