There’s a restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter serving up giant pancake tacos stuffed with streaky bacon, fried eggs and sausage, and we’re officially in love.
Taking thick and fluffy American pancakes as the sturdy ‘taco’ base, chefs at Kong’s NQ are filling up these sugary sweet bad boys with lashings of maple syrup and all the salty breakfast goodness you could wish for.
Crammed full of crispy rashers of bacon and a hand-shaped sausage patty, drizzled with syrup then topped off with a fried egg, according to Kong’s owner Tom Potts and co-owner/chef Martin Stephens it’s the only dish of its kind here in Manchester – and quite possibly in the whole of the UK.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Priced at £11, for that you’ll get two massive pancake tacos loaded with all your breakfast must-haves. Combining salty and sweet perfectly inside thick, sweet pancakes, it’s everything we want in a breakfast dish.
That said, there are plenty more dishes to tempt on the menu elsewhere – not least, one of the most perfect specimens of fried chicken French toast we’ve enjoyed in some time.
Read more: The new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester this month | April 2023
Think thick toasted brioche loaded with Kong’s signature fried chicken, which is brined for three hours, rolled in a secret spice mix, then double-dredged for a crispier texture, plus streaky fried bacon, maple syrup and a comforting dollop of Cheshire Farm ice cream.
Fried chicken French toast at Kong’s NQ. / Image: The Manc Eats
Crispy pork belly and green harissa breakfast tostadas at Kong’s NQ. / Image: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere on the brunch menu, you’ll find the likes of pork belly and green harissa breakfast tostadas, vegan black pudding breakfast muffins with hash, spinach and spicy salsa verde, and the ever-classic steak and eggs.
Add to that free coffee refills, and more dishes like Chipotle pulled braised beef egg benedicts and a special Breakie Burger with pork patty, smoked streaky bacon, aged cheddar, fried egg, hash browns and bloody mary ketchup, and it’s safe to say this is one hell of a brunch menu.
Newly opened on Oldham Street inside the old CBRB unit, Kong’s is predominantly known for its epic fried chicken dishes and has hosted different pop-ups around the city at locations including Black Dog Ballroom, Dog Bowl and Hatch.
Vegan black pudding breakfast muffin at Kong’s NQ. / Image: The Manc Eats
Vegan fried ‘chicken’ at Kong’s NQ. / Image: The Manc Eats
On its main menu, diners will find a host of its must-try fried chicken burgers alongside some elegant small plates and larger sharing dishes.
Whilst still working for CBRB, back in 2021 Kong’s owner Tom took advantage of the furlough scheme to start his own specialist fried chicken sandwich business – even cooking and serving his first sandwiches out of CBRB’s kitchen whilst the restaurant was closed.
Now, everything has come full circle with him taking the keys to his old place of work and transforming it into his first permanent restaurant.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
City Centre
Manchester to fall silent today to mark 80th anniversary of VJ Day
Emily Sergeant
Manchester will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ Day) with a poignant ceremony at the city’s Cenotaph today.
While VE Day in May 1945 signified the end of World War II in Europe, thousands of British, Commonwealth, and Allied troops continued to fight in Asia and the Pacific – but VJ Day, which was declared on 15 August 1945, brought a final end to the global conflict.
The day remains a powerful reminder of the enduring spirit of those who fought for freedom, and Manchester‘s commemorations today will aim to honour their courage, resilience, and sacrifice.
The event will bring together veterans, civic leaders, cadets, and members of the public in a shared moment of reflection and gratitude.
This year’s commemorations in the city centre will begin at 11:50am.
15 August 1945 marked Victory over Japan.
Join us tomorrow at 11:40am at the Cenotaph to commemorate the 80th anniversary of WWII in the Far East and honour those who served🫡
A two minute silence will be held at 12 noon, marked by a maroon.
Commemorations will start with opening remarks from The Very Reverend Rogers Govender, followed by a solemn programme of remembrance.
The service will begin at 11:58am with The Exhortation recited by Brigadier AG Ross OBE, followed by The Last Post sounded by WO2 Nick Burroughs, and then at midday, a national two-minute silence will be observed – which will be marked by the firing of a maroon.
Brigadier Ross will then recite the Kohima Epitaph, leading into the wreath laying ceremony featuring cadets from the Manchester Trafalgar Unit Sea Cadets, and the Lord Mayor of Manchester.
The service will conclude with the singing of the National Anthem.
Manchester to fall silent today to mark 80th anniversary of VJ Day / Credit: Manchester City Council
Iconic buildings and landmarks in Manchester, including the Manchester Civic Quarter Heat Network (CQHN) tower, will illuminate their facades from 9pm tonight to honour VJ Day.
“Today, Manchester stands united in remembrance and respect,” commented Councillor Carmine Grimshaw, who is the Lord Mayor of Manchester. “The 80th anniversary of VJ Day is not only a tribute to those who served and sacrificed, but also a celebration of peace and resilience.
“Manchester’s commemorations today reflect the deep gratitude we hold for those who gave so much for the freedoms we have today.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
City Centre
Comedy nights, run clubs, and resident parties – why The Castings is Manchester’s most social city centre neighbourhood
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is a city full of opportunity – and The Castings is the perfect place to live to experience all it has to offer.
As the bustling hub of the north – and, arguably, the UK’s ‘second’ city, depending on who you ask – Manchester has firmly cemented itself as being somewhere people of all walks of life want to live, thanks to the wealth of live music,sport, nightlife, and so much more.
And for those who want to get amongst it, one of Manchester’s newest city centre neighbourhoods, The Castings, has a social life built right in, ready for residents to make the most of.
Currently rated number one on HomeViews, it has been voted by its residents as the best place to live in the city.
And it recently celebrated its first birthday too, in one of the ways it knows best, of course – with a free party for all residents.
A glimpse into life at The Castings’ stunning lifestyle-led apartments / Credit: The Manc Group
If you were unfamiliar withThe Castings until now, it’s a stunning community made up of 352 apartments to rent in Piccadilly East.
With its range of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom homes, The Castings’ design-led spaces are inspired by industrial shapes, flowing forms, and molten textures.
As well as its stunning apartments, the lifestyle-led development also features a fitness studio, high-spec gym, games room, private dining spaces, a co-working hub, and a 21st-floor rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Manchester.
The Castings is one of Manchester’s most social city centre neighbourhoods / Credit: The Castings
It sits in the heart of Piccadilly East is a neighbourhood often touted as Manchester’s next-generation, and named by The Sunday Times as one ofthe UK’s best places to live and The Castings has been ‘bringing new life’ to this up-and-coming area near Manchester Piccadilly stationever since it launched it last summer.
Even though Piccadilly East – which is conveniently-adjacent to Ancoats, New Islington, and the Northern Quarter – is already home to some of Manchester’s most popular food, drink, and liveentertainment venues, residents at The Castings don’t even need to leave the comfort of their own community to get involved with a wide variety of events and make some new friends along the way.
In just the year since the first residents moved into The Castings, it has hosted everything from live comedy nights to regular yoga and fitness sessions, run clubs, and seasonal resident ‘socials’.
One of the biggest highlights in The Castings’ social calendar so far has to be the recent ‘Spring Social’, which helped welcome the new season in style, complete with an ice cream van, DJs, big Jenga, and lots and lots of pizza, making it a ‘standout’ moment of the year.
If The Castings sounds like somewhere you’d love to live, then the final few apartments are still remaining, and you can head online to book a viewing now.
Georgina Pellant -
5th April 2023 
