If Bundobust can’t make you eat your sprouts then we’re not sure who can. The Manchester restaurant has just launched a new Christmas menu featuring sprout bhajis – and it’s exquisite.
We loved Bundobust at any time of the year, but when we heard that they were making mince pie parathas and gingerbread ale for the occasion we knew that we had to get ourselves down asap.
Putting a seasonal twist on their brilliant Indian street food dishes, the infamous sprout bhajis make a triumphant return atop a spiced cranberry chutney – giving new life to the celebrated (if somewhat misunderstood) seasonal vegetable.
The Sprout Bhaji Butty is a thing of beauty. / Image: The Manc Eats
The Sprout Bhaji Butty and the classic Vada Pav. / Image: The Manc Eats
Fans of the Christmas sarnie can also opt for the sprout bhaji butty, a crispy sprout bhaji patty with salad, spiced cranberry and green chutneys. Even better, £1 from every sprout bhaji butty sold will go towards the #CookForUkraine charity initiative, reports The Hoot.
Elsewhere, you’ll find festive dahl with rice: a warming and smoky Christmas take on Dal Makhani boosted with black cardamom, clove and cinnamon that feels like a hug in a bowl.
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The beloved biryani balls are also back for 2022, pairing India’s celebratory dish, Biryani, with the party buffet snackability of arancini. A match made in heaven, right? Spiced with mint, saffron, ginger, nutmeg and rose, served in a rich tomato sauce crowned with crispy onions, we’re sure these are going to be flying off the shelves.
As for the mince pie parathas, what to say? A new addition this year, these are a perfect sweet-savoury flavour bomb stuffed with sultana, raisin, cinnamon, clove, star anise and coconut. We ordered them with the signature house paneer and made ourselves little festive wraps – a trick we highly recommend you try for yourselves.
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And of course, you’ll need something to wash all the delicious food down with, and it wouldn’t be Bundobust without beer. So from 21 November, you’ll be able to grab a pint of Bundobust Brewery’s AADU – a limited edition 5.8% Gingerbread Wheat Beer.
Equally, if beer isn’t your thing you can opt for a mulled wine, Bundo Snowball, Cosmopolitan or Amaretto Sour. We swear down the mulled wine is one of the best we’ve ever had.
All the dishes are available now until Christmas. To book a table take a look at their website.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Hawksmoor issues statement after ‘kicking out’ Tommy Robinson from one of its restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Hawksmoor has issued a statement after a viral video captured far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants.
In the video, staff at the acclaimed British steak house told Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – that he would have to go because members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you’.
The supervisor then politely told the party not to worry about the drinks and that they had been paid for, also handing over a business card for Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett in case they wanted to discuss the matter further.
Robinson was dining in one of the group’s London restaurants with former prominent EDL member Guramit Singh Kalirai who challenged the staff and asked: “Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The supervisor responded: “No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff ‘felt uncomfortable and complained’.
The statement, signed by CEO Will Beckett, added that the Hawksmoor team has faced ‘a huge amount’ of ‘quite concerning’ fallout from the Tommy Robinson incident.
He added that ‘this was not about politics or beliefs’.
Hawksmoor’s statement reads: “Our focus is always to give the best restaurant experience to the most people possible.
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.
“This was not about politics or beliefs. Hawksmoor is not a political organisation; we’re a group of restaurants. We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.
“We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
Indie food and drink festival to return to popular Greater Manchester town for second year
Emily Sergeant
A food and drink festival shining a spotlight on independent businesses is returning to Greater Manchester this summer.
Following the success of last year’s tasty debut, Urmston’s very-own independent food and drink festival, YUM! – Your Urmston Matters, is back for its second serving later this month, and will once again be transforming the Trafford town’s M41 site on Railway Road into a buzzing hub of ‘flavour, fun, and local pride’.
Organised by Love Urmston and hosted by Urmston resident and food and drink presenter, Matty White, this community celebration will bring together top local street food vendors, artisan producers, and drink retailers, alongside live cooking demos, family activities, and loads of entertainment.
Now in its second year, YUM! continues to shine a spotlight on Urmston’s indie food scene and the passion of the people behind it, but as well as local residents, it also invites the rest of Trafford and the wider Greater Manchester community to come together.
So whether you just live down the road, or you are discovering the town for the first time, everyone is welcome to pop down.
“Bringing YUM! back for a second year is incredibly exciting,” commented Fred Davids, who is the Chair of the Love Urmston committee.
“It’s a brilliant way to celebrate what makes Urmston special – its community, and fantastic food and drink scene, welcoming people from near and far to experience the town at its best.
“And as a committee, we’re proud to support our incredible local independent businesses who put their heart and soul into everything they do.”
YUM! is returning to Urmston for another delicious festival this month / Credit: Emma Boyle (via Supplied)
Just some of the independent businesses you’ll find at the festival throughout the day include English Rose Bakery, Inforno Pizzeria, Dan’s Cookies, Banga Curries, JJ’s Caribbean Kitchen, The Greek Village, Pomona Island Brewery, Kelder Wines, and so many more.
The festival is also proudly sponsored by Gecko Homes – a north west property developer that specialises in creating affordable and shared ownership homes across many of Manchester’s most popular suburbs.
You can read more about what Gecko Homes is doing across the region here.
Georgina Pellant -
24th November 2022 
