Manchester restaurant and food hall Hello Oriental has introduced a new dessert dish to its menu this month, and it’s been steadily dividing opinions since.
Comprised of a large bowl of salt and pepper chips, topped with piped-on vanilla ice cream, crispy onions and multicoloured party sprinkles, it takes inspiration from a cult McDonald’s trend that sees customers dip fries into their McFlurries or milkshakes.
Yes, that is (apparently) a real thing that people enjoy, so much so that McDonald’s even spoofed its customers with an April Fool’s advert in 2019 promising the introduction of a new series of banana, chocolate and strawberry ‘milkshake dips’.
Now, the bizarre fast food craze has taken an even stranger turn as Hello Oriental co-owners Ricky Yip and Azim Kourah introduce their own Eastern-inspired twist at their Oxford Road side.
Priced at £6.95 a tub, owners said that staff were initially divided over the concept but came soon round when they had tried it for themselves.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Now, it appears that the salty-sweet fast food treat is taking Manchester by storm with people flocking down to Hello Oriental to get their hands on a tub.
It’s not the first time that the food hall has divided opinions with its desserts. Earlier this summer, operators started mixing up ice cream made from durian, widely known as the world’s stinkiest fruit.
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Famous for having a truly terrible smell that’s been unfavourably compared to cat p*ss, it’s so pungent that it’s actually been made illegal to eat it on the subway in Singapore.
Served in cute little bear and taiyaki fish-shaped cones, alongside typical soft serve flavours like ube (purple yam), pandan leaf, charcoal, mango and vanilla, on weekends you will also find a limited amount of durian ice cream here.
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Managing to be sweet, creamy and savoury all at once, some say it tastes like “diced garlic and caramel poured into whipped cream”.
Others have referred to “subtle hints of chives mixed with powdered sugar”.
Multi-storey ‘super-venue’ Hello Oriental was built beneath Symphony Park at the new Circle Square development just off Oxford Road in February this year.
Inspired by dining destinations like Bang Bang Oriental in London and 1800 in Miami, at its heart sits a vast market hall with a fast-paced open kitchen, UK-first supermarket and Hello Bakery.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
Fontaines D.C. announce ANOTHER enormous Manchester gig in Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
Fontaines D.C. have just announced yet another Manchester gig – and this time, they’re heading to Heaton Park.
A run of arena gigs went on sale this morning, including a show at the AO Arena, but tickets sold out within minutes.
And now fans who missed out will have another chance to see the Irish rockers, with a run of outdoor summer gigs next year.
Fontaines D.C. will perform at Heaton Park, along with massive venues in Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and London.
Their Manchester show will take over the stage at Heaton Park the weekend before next year’s Parklife festival.
The band will play Heaton Park on Saturday 3 July 2027, as part of a huge run of outdoor headline shows across the UK.
They’ll kick off the UK leg at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff on Tuesday 29 June, before heading to Newcastle’s St James’ Park on Thursday 1 July.
After Manchester, they’ll head to Glasgow Green on Tuesday 6 July, before bringing the run to a close at London Stadium on Friday 9 July.
And if that wasn’t enough, the band will also play two huge shows at Slane Castle in Ireland on 26 and 27 June.
It’s another major milestone for Fontaines D.C., who have rapidly gone from cult favourites to one of the biggest rock bands around.
The new outdoor dates come just hours after the band sold out their entire UK arena tour, including their Manchester show at the AO Arena on Saturday 21 November.
The Heaton Park show will also see Fontaines D.C. joined by two seriously big support acts, with Little Simz and Viagra Boys set to appear at every UK outdoor date.
It’s set to be a particularly busy period for the band, who are currently gearing up to release their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber.
The record is due to arrive on 16 October 2026 via XL Recordings, following the release of lead single Marianne.
The album follows 2024’s critically acclaimed Romance, which reached number two in the UK Albums Chart and helped propel the band even further into the mainstream.
Fontaines D.C. have also just headlined Reading & Leeds Festival, another sign of just how far they’ve come since forming in Dublin.
And now they’re preparing to take on some of the UK’s biggest outdoor stages yet.
Fontaines D.C. 2027 UK dates in full
Tuesday 29 June – Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
Thursday 1 July – St James’ Park, Newcastle
Saturday 3 July – Heaton Park, Manchester
Tuesday 6 July – Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Friday 9 July – London Stadium, London
Tickets for the new outdoor dates go on presale at 10am on Tuesday 8 September, with general sale opening at 10am on Thursday 10 September HERE.
Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life
Daisy Jackson
A magical new Christmas experience is coming to Manchester this winter, bringing The Polar Express to life.
The fully immersive walkthrough experience will invite you on an enchanting journey to the North Pole, as you whizz past beautiful landscapes – all without actually leaving Manchester.
The all-new BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS Experience brings the beloved story to life, following the Hero Boy and Hero Girl.
Taking place at the O2 Victoria Warehouse, the experience begins in Hero Boy’s bedroom, before you step foot into the iconic The Polar Express carriage as a passenger.
Then you’ll be glued to the windows as you whizz through the Caribou Forest, past icy lakes, and dazzling Northern Lights displays.
Entertaining passengers every step of the way are beloved characters like the Conductor, Hero Boy, Hero Girl, and the mysterious Hobo.
You can get your golden ticket punched, warm up with a complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie, and be swept along by the festive tale.
Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar ExpressYou can visit the nice-o-meterAnd meet Santa himself
At the ‘North Pole’, the magic continues, with a Pyjama Party, a Letter Writing Station where you can send a note to Santa, visit the Naughty or Nice Machine, and craft a special Christmas decoration to take home.
You’ll even get the chance to meet Santa Claus himself…
While THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride has welcomed over 1.7 million riders in 2024, BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Experience is a brand-new experience – no moving train, no stations.
Instead, the wonder of the story is brought off the tracks and into a hands-on environment.
The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to lifeFollow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole
Photo opportunities are available throughout the experience, and little ones (or grown-ups, we’re not judging) are encouraged to wear pyjamas to fully embrace the story.
BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS comes from Warner Bros., Discovery Global Experiences, Rail Events Inc., and Plus Live Events.
BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS takes place between14 November and 31 December at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, with tickets now available and expected to sell out quickly HERE.
A Relaxed Performance Day for guests with neurodiverse conditions will also be held.
Georgina Pellant -
20th September 2022 
