Strawberry Negroni
The Counter House
My go-to cocktail is always a Negroni. I love the bitter notes of the Campari and the fact that you certainly get your money’s worth when it comes to booze. I was obsessed with this strawberry negroni I tried at The Counter House this week, made with gin, Campari and rose scented vermouth. It was also jazzed with fresh strawberry and grapefruit zest for a zesty and zingy finish that I couldn’t get enough of. – Ellie Edginton
Beyond Vegan Burger
Cane & Grain
You wouldn’t expect Cane & Grain to do ANYTHING vegetarian, never mind vegan – but they do. Well, they do now anyway. With our resident photographer Rikki Chan away in Copenhagen it was down to me to get some snaps of this vegan beauty and as you can see from above – I smashed it. Of course, I’m not Rikki Chan but in reality – nobody is. What was the burger like? Amazing. It tastes just like meat. But it’s not. Try it. – Damon Stead
Chicken Sandwich
Suppa
Is there anything better than a really good sandwich? No. There really isn’t, and we had an amazing one this week. Suppa has opened up in the Arndale Food Market from the people behind Federal and it is nothing short of MEGA. Their signature sandwich is a sexy chicken number with tarragon mayo, pickled tomatoes and spinach on artisan bread and it is quite literally one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. I can’t wait to go back today! – Kate Tighe
Tarka Dhal
Bundobust
Everyone knows Bundobust is the best place to go for a feast, so I did just that on a particularly chilly Wednesday lunchtime this week. Thinking back, ordering three dishes to myself was probably a little extravagant but 100% worth it even though I did go back to the office and need a lie-down. The Tarka Dahl & Rice was my particular favourite. It was the perfect combination of creamy curry with a little kick, ideal with a tasty craft beer from one of the best-stocked bars in Manchester. Their express lunch deal of 2 dishes for £7.50 is something to be taken advantage of. – India Morris
Ouzo Steamed Mussels
BAB
I once was bought a bottle of Ouzo for my birthday and on the gift tag was ‘this is horrible – good luck’. To this day, the bottle is unopen. But, after trying these mussels at BAB I have been opened into a world of possibilities of cooking with Ouzo instead of trying to shot it. A Greek classic, the strong liquor adds a strong anise flavour to the undertones and sauce of the mussels. Served with black garlic tarama and crunchy sourdough the dish is a perfect addition to the table if you’re ordering from the mezze menu at Bab. It’s a huge portion so good to share – if you want to! – Alex Watson
Pump Up The Jam IPA
The Bay Horse Tavern
This came from a highly enthusiastic endorsement from a mate – it’s a jam doughnut IPA from Tiny Rebel and it’s fucking fantastic. Get yourself down to The Bay Horse Tavern in the NQ from today to get your mucky little mitts on a pint – you certainly won’t regret it. You might regret it in the morning when you wake up in a ditch with the worst hangover in the world, but you’ll quickly come to your senses and head on straight back to the Bay Horse for some more. – Joe Wilson
Venison Sausage
Mash Tun
Newly opened beer palace Mash Tun is home to 1000 different combinations of bangers and mash – which I’m sure no one will disagree is quite a lot. We spent a lot of time figuring out the perfect combination and I was pretty confident with mine. The venison sausage from Butchers Quarter was excellent, and even better when paired with the creamy Colcannon mash and port, redcurrant and sage gravy. It was the edible equivalent of a great big bear hug from a strapping ginger Irish man which is exactly what I want from my comfort food. – Kate Tighe
Pizza Board
Electrik
While I was slogging away at my quiz at Electrik this week (which was definitely an 8/10 by the way), I was also treated to the occasional slice of pizza from the Manchester’s Finest team table. Whether they were trying to bribe me to win is still debatable but if I wasn’t such a stickler for the rules I would certainly have given in – the pizza here is brilliant. The dough isn’t too heavy and the toppings are VERY generous – just what you need alongside some bingo, some hard questions and 7 pints of lager. – Ben Brown
