Tampopo is something of a Manchester institution at this point – it’s been serving up vibrant and flavourful food from across South East Asia since 1997.
Over the last almost-three decades, the brand has brought everything from noodles and curries to street food and loaded fries to the city.
Tampopo has sprawled to new locations from its original spot on Albert Square, with other restaurants in Greater Manchester at the Corn Exchange and the Trafford Centre (as well as a couple of spots in London).
While the menu is ever-evolving, some things at Tampopo have never changed – fun, bright interiors, authentic ingredients, and dishes that pack a proper punch.
The restaurant has recently launched a brand new menu – called ‘Same same but different’ in a playful nod to the well-known Thai expression – that’s bringing back some classic dishes with a twist.
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Signature dishes include Yamato fillet steak, served medium rare and simply with fresh garlic, black pepper and sake; and Thai fried whole sea bream with fresh mango, Thai basil and oyster sauce.
Yamato fillet steakPad Thai with noodlesThai fried whole sea bream
There are familiar favourites from South East Asia like their take on pad Thai, where the silky noodles are encased in a thin omelette; Japanese chicken katsu; and a sharing platter piled with chicken satay, sticky wings, corn fritters, Bali pork belly, and kimchi and cucumber salad. Oh yes – and loaded curry fries to die for.
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Tampopo has a decent list of Asian small plates too, like a delicious and fresh Szechuan Soy pork belly served thinly sliced with cucumber, soy, garlic, chilli oil and spring onion.
Tampopo even does brunch, including a Thai-style omelette, bubble waffles with honey, chicken and bacon, a crispy avocado stack, bacon and egg roti, and a protein filled Bang Bang steak and eggs.
The independently-owned restaurant spent a year researching these new dishes, including research trips to Hong Kong, all to bring these modern Asian flavours to Manchester.
David Fox, Tampopo Co-Founder said: “The new Tampopo menu has been over 12 months in the making. It allows guests to interact with the menu in a way that is new and unique for us.
“Our small and large plate options make it easier to graze, share, taste more, stay longer. This is how many people like to eat in the East – food is at the heart of every interaction.
“We’ve taken inspiration from restaurants in some of the most exciting global cities in the world like Hong Kong and Bangkok.
“There’s an expression in Thailand ‘same same but different’ which is what this menu is – we’ve kept all the things everyone loves, it’s the same Tampopo but you can also experience us in a completely different way with this menu.
“We’ve worked hard to keep the prices affordable and to listen to the feedback of guests – this menu reflects the tastes of people in Manchester.
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“As an adopted Mancunian I feel that Manchester is a city that has its arms wide open – to new people and flavours and so we think this new menu will be welcomed.”
The new Tampopo menu is available now at its restaurants on Albert Square, The Corn Exchange, and The Trafford Centre. See more HERE.
Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display
Daisy Jackson
Spring has really sprung in Salford – legendary pub The Black Friar has just revealed a sensational makeover, with gigantic flowers sprawled across its frontage and a new seasonal menu to go with it.
The historic pub is celebrating the changing of the seasons with both a striking floral installation and a menu that celebrates spring and Salford in equal measure.
Most Mancs will by now have spotted the 4,000 flower-strong installation that now adorns the front of The Black Friar, with bright pink, yellow and purple flowers spilling from a gigantic pink tap.
And all those florals continue inside, with the pub’s Tavern – previously a cosy winter hideaway – now filled with trailing blooms and woodland installations, just off their award-winning garden.
Cheshire-based artist Kelly Louise Chapman is the woman behind this sensational transformation of the much-loved gastropub.
As for the pub’s kitchen, they’ve crafted a new very seasonal and very British menu, with plenty of nods to Black Friar’s Salford roots.
There are dishes like a Boddingtons braised ox cheek (the pub still proudly displays its Boddingtons sign outside), aged beef tartare, butternut squash and ricotta tortellini, and pan-roasted cod fillet.
Spring small plates at The Black Friar pubDelicious spring drinksInside The Tavern at The Black Friar
A popular item from the Valentine’s Day menu – the Cornish crab vol-au-vent – will be sticking around on the spring menu, along with an enhanced grill section that includes a lamb Barnsley chop cooked over coals.
Then for desserts, you’ll be spoilt with a banoffee knickerbocker glory, and passionfruit panna cotta.
And for drinks (because this is a pub, after all), The Black Friar has put together a range of seasonal drinks like a rose sangria sharer, and non-alcoholic sodas like kaffir lime and coconut.
Ben Chaplin, head chef at The Black Friar, said: “This new menu is all about celebrating the best of spring produce.
“We’ve carefully crafted each dish to highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavours, adding new depth to our offerings while still delivering the comfort that will always be associated with The Black Friar.
“My top recommendation and personal favourite dish is the Slow-Cooked Boddingtons Braised Ox Cheek.”
Neil Burke, owner of The Black Friar, commented: “We wanted to bring a taste of spring to The Black Friar, inside and out. This floral installation will transform the space and bring sunshine and smiles, whatever the weather!
“My top recommendation on the new menu is the Cumbrian Spiced Lamb Scotch Egg. It’s EXCEPTIONAL.”
To find out more about The Black Friar and to book a table, visit HERE.
You can get a mobile massage treatment in your office – just like us
Thomas Melia
We’d like to introduce you to the pioneering personalised service offering massage treatments on the move at practically any location including direct from your office– including to those of us here in Manchester.
In a world where you can get practically anything delivered straight to your door, it wasn’t going to be long until some genius invented a way to get a massage from the comfort of your own office.
Named ‘London’s first digital beauty concierge’, Ruuby have been pampering the nation’s capital for almost a decade before branching out to further locations.
The gorgeous set up provided by RuubyLook at that lovely branding on the towels.They did wonders with our otherwise plain downstairs office space. (Credit: The Manc Group)
In October 2024, the company expanded beyond its domestic reach in the likes of the capital, the Cotswolds and Surrey into Europe, making its first mark Switzerland: the perfect country for both luxury and essential beauty treatments with a tailored experience.
The month following saw the group moving up North and all the way to Manchester, where people can now book professional treatments best suited to them, right on their doorstep.
If you’re feeling scepticalstill, you can take it from us here at The Manc; we couldn’t tell you how relaxing and comforting these massages are.
There are a range of treatments available and we opted for two bespoke massages, a sports massage and a deep tissue massage.
Each experience is suited to your personal needs meaning each massage therapist will be able to fine-tune their relaxation abilities to what benefits you best.
After choosing the bespoke massage that I felt would work best for me, I went into this with no prior massage experience and I came out feeling taller, broader and more refreshed. Highly recommend.
Mid-day office massage? Yes, please.How relaxing. What a shame you have to go back to work after!Credit: The Manc Group
My masseuse guided me throughout the whole process and we soon discovered that I was able to tolerate much harder pressure than I thought which helped release tension I didn’t even know I had!
The same applies to how firm you’d like your session to be, as the masseuse can help with a brief overview of your time together, but the amount of pressure you like is down to personal preference.
It’s not just massages either: there’s everything from waxing, nails and hair to physio and IV drips; how about getting Marbella ready in less than an hour with a spray tan service set up wherever you are?
As Ruuby is a mobile and remote work environment, there are a number of at any time up and down the country, meaning your next beauty slot could be as little as an hour away, find out more HERE.