A new Deep South-inspired dive bar is tipped to open its doors in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, bringing more late-night rock and roll antics to Oldham Street.
According to a licensing application submitted by Leeds-based bar operators The Mean Eyed Cat, the team has got its sights set on the home of former Michelin-recommended restaurant District.
The application shows that the bar is proposing to take over the basement space and ground floor at 60 Oldham Street, suggesting that District may be shutting its doors for good – although, with consultation remaining open until 23 February, nothing is confirmed as of yet.
Described as a ‘Deep South-inspired bar with an ode to the rock n’ roll legend Johnny Cash,’ the proposals state The Mean Eyed Cat will be serving ‘food and drinks including specialist cocktails’ and that the premises ‘will also comprise of a small outside area at the front.’
Cocktails being made at The Mean Eyed Cat bar in Leeds. / Image: The Mean Eyed Cat
The Mean Eyed Cat is known for giving out free pizzas with every drink. / Image: The Mean Eyed Cat
Open until 3am in the week and 4am on weekends, if successful it will offer an all-day service with hours from 11am every day, plus live music, film and entertainment.
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Already a popular fixture amongst the bars on Leeds’ Call Lane stretch, its owners have been looking for a Manchester location for some months – even offering a generous finder’s fee to anyone who could help them find a new site.
Known for serving up free pizzas and offering its customers a chance to ‘roll the dice’ for free (or discounted) shots, on its website The Mean Eyed Cat describes itself as a ‘little rebellious and a lot raucous’.
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Having recently revealed plans to open in Liverpool on 24 February, it now seems that the party bar is coming to Manchester city centre next.
On the drinks front, customers can expect to find its signature Mean Marg cocktail (where margarita meets Corona) on offer alongside plenty more Southern-inspired cocktails to ‘fuel your mischief all night long.’
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Pizzas, meanwhile, come in a host of Deep South-inspired flavours including Texas BBQ and smoky chipotle, and are included free with any drink ordered before 9pm.
The Mean Eyed Cat’s signature Mean Marg cocktail (where margarita meets Corona). / Image: The Mean Eyed Cat
The news, however, is bittersweet – as it suggests that the end is nigh for Oldham Street’s New Wave Thai restaurant-turned-cocktail bar, District.
Despite receiving rave reviews for its food, last October the Michelin-recommended restaurant closed its doors after its owner sent an email to newsletter subscribers saying the business was suffering from ‘extreme economical pain’.
At the time, the news left fans of the Michelin-recommended restaurant in a panic but when District reopened as a cocktail bar everyone assumed all was well again.
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Now it’s not so clear what the future holds for the brand, which has not put out a statement about closing but does appear to have deleted all of the posts from its Instagram account and wiped its website.
The Manc has contacted a representative for District regarding the Oldham Street bar and former restaurant’s potential closure.
Feature image – The Mean Eyed Cat
Eats
A restaurant in Ancoats is serving up plates of crispy fried squirrel
Georgina Pellant
A Manchester restaurant is serving up plates of crispy fried squirrel – and their customers absolutely love it.
Taking game dishes to a whole other level, the wild crispy buttermilk fried squirrel at Ancoats restaurant Street Urchin comes served atop a creamy pulled ham hock cassoulet, with hazelnut bread croutons and nettle pesto and costs £22.50.
Sourced from their game supplier in Cumbria, it might sound nutty but owner Rachel Choudhary told The Manc that the dish has proven incredibly popular – and that the team has been ‘really surprised’ at how much of a hit it has become with customers since adding it to the menu.
She said: “We were looking for something new for the game options on the menu. Kev was speaking to our game supplier and randomly asked if he had any grey squirrels. Happily, he did.
“The whole team tried the dish the day it went on and the majority thought it was really good.
Wild crispy buttermilk fried squirrel with creamy pulled ham hock cassoulet, with hazelnut bread croutons and nettle pesto. / Image: Street Urchin
Image: Street Urchin
“We weren’t sure if it would sell, but have been really surprised. So many people have tried it and given good feedback. We’ve recommended that they eat it like chicken wings and pick it up, that way you get most of the meat.
“I’d never tried squirrel before and I absolutely loved it, it has great flavour, rich buttery texture, and it’s wild, free-range meat.”
The gray squirrel currently has an estimated population of 2.5 million in the UK according to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and is considered a good sustainable alternative to factory-farmed meat.
It is legal to control grey squirrels by shooting or trapping them in the UK in a humane manner and even helps protect the UK’s endangered native red squirrel population.
Whilst some might find the idea of eating squirrels a tad unappealing, many chefs argue it is better to eat them when culling as it means the meat does not go to waste.
Fresh clams, homemade chorizo, fennel and white bean cassoulet, garlic crouton. / Image: Street Urchin
Whole red mullet, warm red pepper and olive salsa, battered potato scallops. / Image: Street Urchin
English market diner Street Urchin was first opened on Great Ancoats Street in 2019 by husband and wife team Rachel and Kevin Choudary.
Prior to opening in town, the couple ran The Victoria in Altrincham for eight years before deciding that it was time to move on.
Their Ancoats market diner has made its name on being one of the few city centre restaurants specialising in fresh fish, with everything from clams and mackerel to cured chalk stream trout, king scallops, and whole grilled red gurnard regularly available on the menu.
Whilst the fish board is the main attraction, however, there are other dishes to explore on the daily-changing menu too – with game meat a popular choice whenever it is in season.
Featured image – Street Urchin
Eats
Gary Neville comes to woman’s rescue at Manchester restaurant Fazenda
Georgina Pellant
Gary Neville has proven himself the utmost gentleman after coming to the rescue of a disabled woman who was struggling to walk to a restaurant in Manchester on Mothering Sunday.
The football pundit spotted Ann Knowles, 67, struggling to walk to Brazilian steakhouse Fazenda in Manchester’s Spinningfields and took it upon himself to come to her aid.
After approaching her and offering a lift, the former Manchester United star helped her into his car and then provided door-to-door service to the restaurant, walking her the last part of the way.
Ann had been on her way to meet daughter Samantha Ward, who was inside the restaurant when she received a phone call to tell her how the ex-footballer had saved the day.
She told BBC News: “I was upset thinking we’ll have to forget dinner, but then my daughter rang and said ‘it’s ok Gary Neville the footballer is taking her’ and I was like ‘what?'”
Image: Fazenda
Image: Gary Neville
“I said the actual footballer? Where did he come from? And she said he just appeared out of nowhere, obviously saw them struggling and said ‘you need help’.
“So he physically picked her up and gave her a lift to the door in this car.
“He delivered her to the restaurant and saved Mother’s Day.
Georgina Pellant -
6th February 2023 
