There’s a ramen bar in Chorlton serving up authentic bowls for under a tenner and if you haven’t been already you seriously need to put it on your listof places to try in Manchester.
Called Shogun Ramen, it has been in situ since last autumn and has quickly garnered a reputation amongst suburban noodle fiends as the go-to spot for slurping down umami-rich broth, nori and gooey eggs until their hearts’ content.
Formerly known as chicken shop Peck n Yard, last year (after announcing an emotional farewell via social media) the team rebranded as Shogun, and the new ramen shop has been a hit for its authentic bowls ever since.
Genuinely some of the best ramen in Manchester (Image: The Manc Eats)
Considering that it’s bang in the middle of the suburbs, it’s something of a gem. Beyond the city centre, good ramen shops can often be tricky to find – especially at this sort of price.
It hasn’t always been so cheap but to help locals cope with the cost of living crisis, Shogun’s owner has decided to drop the prices of all of the classic ramen on the menu. Legend.
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As a result, you can always be guaranteed change from a tenner, no matter which dish you order.
With a choice of six different bowls, the most expensive dishes are the Shogun and Ike no Tonkotsu ramen at £8.99 and £9.99, respectively.
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We tried the signature Shogun tonkotsu ramen — made with barbecue pork belly, sweet savoury minced pork, kikurage mushrooms, half a nitamago egg and truffle oil — and the original tonkotsu, comprised of barbecue pork belly, kikurage mushrooms, spring onions and nitamago egg.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Other options, priced from £7.99, include the house Chikin ramen (6-hour chicken broth, chicken teriyaki, kikurage mushrooms, spring onions and half of nitamago egg), as well as a vegan ramen, made with vegan-based pork, miso and mushroom broth, pak choi, kikurage mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and beansprouts.
There is also a child-friendly portion called the Kodomo ‘kids’ Ramen, available from £7 to anyone who wants it – child or not. Available with a choice of pork broth, chicken broth or vegan broth, this is a super simple bowl with just Nori seaweed and ramen noodles.
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Extras can also be added to bowls, with prices starting from £1.20 for a nitamago egg and rising to a maximum of £4 for those wanting a double noodle portion.
Other extra choices include pak choi (£2), sweetcorn (£1.20) BBQ pork (£2.50), and vegan chicken (£2).
As you can see, they aren’t just doing some of the best ramen in Manchester; the team is also dabbling in hand-rolled sushi, with some gorgeous specimens on the menu, as well as keeping to their roots with some fried karaage chicken.
Crisped up to perfection, this was a stunning spot and it was absolutely packed out when we visited on a sunny Wednesday night.
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Definitely check them out when you’re in Chorlton for a cut-price yet still unbelievably delicious bowl of wallet-friendly ramen. You can thank us later.
‘Classy, clever, confident’ – New Manchester restaurant receives glowing Guardian review
Daisy Jackson
Winsome, one of the newest restaurants on Manchester’s dining scene, has gone and received a seriously glowing review in The Guardian this weekend.
Legendary restaurant criticGrace Dent said that the British bistro ‘may well be my new favourite restaurant’, lauding chef patron Shaun Moffat’s ‘elegant but plentiful modern cooking’.
She said that there’s even a teeny touch of Toby Carvery in their Sunday offering, with meaty and saucy dishes and ‘cartoon-esque XL yorkshire puddings’.
Winsome opened back in March under the steer of three hospitality heavyweights – ex-Edinburgh Castle chef Shaun Moffat, former Schofields head bartender Tom Fastiggi, and Belzan founder Owain Williams.
It’s a beautiful, stripped-back space at the foot of the Whitworth Locke aparthotel and Moffat’s first venture as a chef patron.
Based on this Guardian review, he’s doing a pretty good job so far…
Grace Dent said of Winsome’s nostalgic yet modern menu (featuring dippy eggs and puddings that sound like school dinner puds): “This is Cool Britannia wearing a napkin bib with a side portion of rhubarb jelly and custard for pudding.”
Novelty crockery at Winsome. Credit: The Manc GroupChef patron Shaun Moffat at Winsome. Credit: The Manc GroupDippy egg and asparagus. Credit: The Manc GroupInside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group
She also wrote that it’s ‘far from a novelty restaurant’ in spite of its animal-shaped crockery.
And Dent added that while there’s an element of fine dining, it’s unpretentious enough that you’re happy to smear it all over the tablecloths and, indeed, yourself.
‘Deeply nostalgic’, ‘forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff’, is how she described her Winsome experience.
“This is confident, clever cooking that stays just the right side of earnest, or at least as earnest as a chef can be when he also serves up a dessert that is essentially a 1980s school sponge pudding with a scoop of milk ice-cream flecked with multicoloured sprinkles, or hundreds and thousands as they will for ever be known in my heart,” she wrote.
Grace Dent’s Guardian review concluded with: “Winsome may well be my new favourite restaurant, and it’s the new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality. It’s classy but come-all – bring your gran, bring your baby, no one need feel conspicuous.
“There’s something about the place that makes me want to use it as a canteen, not least out of sheer curiosity as to what Moffat will put on the menu next. Great cooking, and forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff.
“Bring your appetite and don’t wear pale colours. Aaah, Manchester, you have so much to answer for. Winsome will seriously impact your waistline.”
Winsome said in a post on Instagram: “It doesn’t get much better than that! We’re over the moon, full of pride and could not be more grateful to the team who’ve worked so hard to help us deliver this dream.”
Hidden Manchester bar Mala to offer unique ‘movie night’ experiences inside private cabins
Thomas Melia
You can have your own private film experience inside little wooden cabins at a popular Northern Quarter bar this summer.
Manchester city centre secret garden spot Mala is hosting an event where you and your friends can enjoy a private movie night with food, themed drinks, and bucket loads of free popcorn.
Listed as the ‘Cabin Movie Night’, get ready to sit back, relax and watch a cult classic, all from the comfort of your own personal wooden hut.
The film you’ll be watching is very on-brand too, as it’s none other than none than ‘Labyrinth’.
This secret garden spot is hiding right in plain sight over on Dale Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and as well as hosting events such as these, they’re also home to some top tier eateries too.
Currently El Jefe, Doodles, Wok Bros, Christakis, D&X Caribbean, and Gulf are all serving up some cross-continental delights for you to enjoy in this marvellous space.
Some mouth-watering scran from El Jefe.Wok Bros have some delicious noodle boxes. Credit: The Manc Group
The Cabin Movie Night’ is the perfect way to round up your friends and watch a classic with a cocktail in hand.
There’s a handful of group packages available too at an additional charge, ranging from £30 to £50, which includes themed cocktails for each guest in the booking, and the cost of the ticket.
Georgina Pellant -
11th September 2023 
