Here in Manchester, ramen places have always been a bit like buses. For years, there’s hardly been any, then all of a sudden a load appears all at once.
Thanks to the arrival of Toyko Ramen, CBRB, and Lucky Ramen these past few years, city folk are now well-catered to – but for those in the suburbs, good ramen can still be a hard thing to find.
Thankfully Chorlton has just welcomed a brand new addition in the form of Shogun Ramen and Bar, where noodle fiends can slurp down umami-rich broth, nori, and gooey eggs to their heart’s content.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Opened inside what was formerly Peck & Yard, Shogun might be a new concept but it all still comes from the same team.
On the menu, you’ll find six different styles of ramen served in either a rich and flavoursome pork bone tonkotsu complete with a secret base, a 6-hour chicken broth for non-pork eaters, or vegan-based miso and shitake mushroom broth.
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The eponymous Shogun tonkotsu is the signature dish here and made even more indulgent with the addition of truffles, whilst the ‘owner’s favourite’ ike no tonkotsu features shitake mushroom, double nitamago eggs, sweetcorn, and chilli flakes.
Traditional tonkotsu fans, meanwhile, will definitely want to try the ‘original’ which combines thick slices of barbecue pork belly with kikurage mushrooms and a dusting of spring onions.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
In a nod to the site’s past as a beloved chicken shop, there’s also a chicken teriyaki ramen served in a 6-hour broth with radish. nitamago egg, mushrooms, spring onions, sesame seeds and sweetcorn.
As for vegans, they’re well looked after too, with a plant-based bowl featuring wilted pak choi, kikurage mushrooms, spring onions and sesame seeds.
Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find nibbles like edamame, fried vegetable gyoza, chicken yakitori and stuffed bao buns to get your appetite going, alongside a selection of cocktails and Japanese beers.
The new concept sees the team behind Peck & Yard breathe new life into their restaurant as they give things one more shot after announcing a heartbreaking closure earlier this year.
In the summer, the team said they ‘did [their] best but unfortunately it wasn’t enough’, sharing a farewell video last month that showed staff members hugging one another and ‘holding back tears’
Now they’re back, reopening under a new name and switching up their concept from fried chicken to steaming bowls of ramen.
Having previously considered opening a ramen shop prior to launching Peck & Yard, owners said that now seemed as good a time as any to give things ‘one last shot’ – and we’re so glad they did.
Open from 5pm – 10pm Thursday to Friday, 1-11pm Saturday and 1-9pm Sunday, head down to the restaurant on Manchester Road to get your traditional ramen fix.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
‘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 -
7th October 2022 
