A brand new Japanese restaurant has revealed it will be opening its doors on Deansgate Square later this month.
Called Kitten, it will offer diners a one-of-a-kind chef’s table sushi experience – giving sushi enthusiasts a front row seat to all the action.
Bringing modern Japanese fine-dining to the heart of the city, the menu will focus on high-end sushi, sashimi, and robata-grilled dishes, all served in an exceedingly glamorous setting boasting a 5-metre-high Bonsai treet, bamboo walls and elegant Venetian plastering.
The sushi bar will take centre stage at the restaurant, whilst elsewhere a semi open kitchen will give diners the chance to catch dishes being grilled over a massive Robatayak grill.
Visitors will be able to watch Kitten’s chefs prepare dishes from its raw menu, such as black and blue tuna with pickle kohlrabi and squid in tuille, and tuck into an exquisite selection of quality grilled meats.
Due to open in mid-June, this is set to be one of the most visually striking restaurants in the city – with an impressive sounding menu and team to boot.
The robata menu will feature some of the finest beef cuts, including T-bone steaks, chicken yakitori, duck, pork and lamb dishes.
Fish lovers can, meanwhile, enjoy a whole charcoal-grilled sea bass with ginger, sake steamed clams and seaweed, or tuck into blackened salmon with dashi poached Choi sum, kohlrabi, caviar and split shiso dressing.
As for veggies and vegans, dishes like crisp tofu, wild mushrooms, robata sweetcorn, heritage tomatoes and charcoal-seared aubergine offer some brilliant plant-based alternatives.
Kitten will also house a cocktail bar featuring classic yet inventive combinations enhanced with Japanese influences, crafted by Beverage Manager Tim Herbert – previously of Wood and Co.
All in all, the new venture boasts an enviable line up of hospitality talent – bringing together Head Chef Josh Gabrielides from Ivy Asia and Head Sushi Chef Daniel Zhou from Peter Street Kitchen to lead the kitchen.
As for the wider kitchen team, as a collective they also boast experience from Sticks and Sushi and other top ranked Pan-Asian restaurants around the country.
On the weekends, there will also be live entertainment with a mix of live acts, DJs and entertainment guaranteed to bring the party atmosphere.
Kitten will open daily from midday until 23.30 on weeknights and 00.30 at weekends, serving food and drink throughout, with al fresco dining on the square when the notoriously unpredictable Manchester weather permits.
Feature image – Commons Wikimedia
News
New data reveals a third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday
Emily Sergeant
Surprising new data has revealed that a third of Brits admits to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday.
After a long and tiring week, most of us would love the chance to clock off work a little earlier than usual on a Friday, but for a lot of workers, this isn’t always a possibility – and for some, they even have to work longer at the end of the week to make sure everything has been finished off and tied up before the weekend arrives.
But since there has been a noticeable rise in remote working and working from home, a new survey has revealed that working attitudes have changed.
Virgin Media has released new broadband data that reveals a drop in traffic on Friday afternoons during the summer months – with as much as an 8% dip between 3-5pm compared to the winter, as remote workers clock off early.
A third of Brits admit to secretly sneaking off work early on a Friday / Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
The Friday traffic drop-off comes from Virgin Media’s broadband network analysis, which it says is a ‘reliable indicator’ of the connectivity habits of the British public.
Alongside the network data, Virgin Media also asked Brits about their work policies and working habits ij a bid to fully understand the trend.
Nearly a third (30%) of Brits say they have a formal early Friday finish in place during the summer, but despite almost half of UK adults (48%) saying they’re not authorised to finish early on a Friday, 32% have admitted to regularly logging off with or without official permission.
Surprising new data has revealed Brits’ working habits / Credit: Chuttersnap (via Unsplash)
Many Brits have also confessed to working ‘on the move’ on a Friday afternoon too.
15% admitted to having worked from the train station as the weekend creeps nearer, as well as 14% from the park, 10% from the pub, and many as 30% of 18-24-year-olds worked from the car while travelling for the weekend.
“Our network traffic analysis is revealing changing workplace habits in real time as the nation takes advantage of long summer Fridays,” commented Jeanie York, who is the Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.
“We’re continuing to boost our fixed and mobile networks so whether Brits are working from their local park, or finishing their work at home, we’re ready to keep them connected.”
Featured Image – Israel Andrade (via Unsplash)
News
Tiny Manchester pub brilliantly condemns ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech
Daisy Jackson
A micropub in Manchester city centre has spoken out about an ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech.
The Victoria Tap, a tiny little boozer at Manchester Victoria train station, strongly condemned any racist, homophobic or sexist conversations taking place in its venue.
The pub said ‘there is absolutely no room for it’ within its walls.
In a statement – which has been met with praise from customers and followers – they added that anyone bringing hate speech to the pub ‘can let the door kick you on the way out’.
The Victoria Tap wrote: “We’ve noticed an alarming rise in racist, homophobic and sexist slurs/comments/conversations lately and we just want to say that there is absolutely no room for it here.
“This is a safe space for everyone.
“If you, or someone in your group, want to disturb this philosophy, you can let the door kick you on the way out.”
The Victoria Tap has brilliantly condemned ‘alarming rise’ in hate speech
Praising their statement, one person wrote: “Great to read this. There is NO place for this. All public spaces should be welcoming.”
Another said: “Pubs should be welcoming environments for people of all walks of life. There’s no room for misogyny, racism or discrimination of any kind. Those who espouse those thoughts need a good hard look in the mirror.”
Someone else commented: “That’s how I see the Vic Tap. Great place for a safe quiet pint. Keep up the great work guys as it’s a fantastic venue.”
The Victoria Tap opened at Manchester Victoria back in 2023, completely transforming a space that was previously a bin store.
As well as its cosy interior, it has a small beer garden which overlooks the tram tracks in and out of the train station.
It’s operated by the same team behind the Piccadilly Tap and the even newer Oxford Tap.
We know exactly where we’ll be heading for our next pint now. Good work, Victoria Tap.
Georgina Pellant -
31st May 2022 
