If Bundobust can’t make you eat your sprouts then we’re not sure who can. The Manchester restaurant has just launched a new Christmas menu featuring sprout bhajis – and it’s exquisite.
We loved Bundobust at any time of the year, but when we heard that they were making mince pie parathas and gingerbread ale for the occasion we knew that we had to get ourselves down asap.
Putting a seasonal twist on their brilliant Indian street food dishes, the infamous sprout bhajis make a triumphant return atop a spiced cranberry chutney – giving new life to the celebrated (if somewhat misunderstood) seasonal vegetable.
The Sprout Bhaji Butty is a thing of beauty. / Image: The Manc Eats
The Sprout Bhaji Butty and the classic Vada Pav. / Image: The Manc Eats
Fans of the Christmas sarnie can also opt for the sprout bhaji butty, a crispy sprout bhaji patty with salad, spiced cranberry and green chutneys. Even better, £1 from every sprout bhaji butty sold will go towards the #CookForUkraine charity initiative, reports The Hoot.
Elsewhere, you’ll find festive dahl with rice: a warming and smoky Christmas take on Dal Makhani boosted with black cardamom, clove and cinnamon that feels like a hug in a bowl.
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The beloved biryani balls are also back for 2022, pairing India’s celebratory dish, Biryani, with the party buffet snackability of arancini. A match made in heaven, right? Spiced with mint, saffron, ginger, nutmeg and rose, served in a rich tomato sauce crowned with crispy onions, we’re sure these are going to be flying off the shelves.
As for the mince pie parathas, what to say? A new addition this year, these are a perfect sweet-savoury flavour bomb stuffed with sultana, raisin, cinnamon, clove, star anise and coconut. We ordered them with the signature house paneer and made ourselves little festive wraps – a trick we highly recommend you try for yourselves.
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And of course, you’ll need something to wash all the delicious food down with, and it wouldn’t be Bundobust without beer. So from 21 November, you’ll be able to grab a pint of Bundobust Brewery’s AADU – a limited edition 5.8% Gingerbread Wheat Beer.
Equally, if beer isn’t your thing you can opt for a mulled wine, Bundo Snowball, Cosmopolitan or Amaretto Sour. We swear down the mulled wine is one of the best we’ve ever had.
All the dishes are available now until Christmas. To book a table take a look at their website.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
The UK’s largest wine festival is returning to Manchester this autumn
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The UK’s biggest festival of wine will be coming back to Manchester this year, with more than 300 wines on offer plus plenty more.
The Laithwaites’ Wine Festival is returning up north, following the major success of last year.
As well as having hundreds of wines to showcase, the festival will also offer a chance to discover a selection of luxury spirits, plus join expert-led tastings, and visit artisan food stands, all under one roof.
As the UK’s longest-running wine tasting event, with 40 producers from 17 different countries, and artisan food all accompanied with carefully paired wines at each stall, it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.
Struggling to think of a birthday present or ideas for how to celebrate with loved ones? Look no further – each ticket includes a tasting guide to help plan your route around the room and a complimentary tasting glass to sample over 300 different wines – trust me, they will love it.
As part of the Friday evening entertainment, guests can also expect a special appearance from wine presenter and communicator Tom Gilbey. Here, fans will be able to talk with Tom and sample the Signature Six case, which is a collection of wines approved by the man himself.
What’s more, is that this year, guests are invited to get creative at their brand new ‘design a wine label’ competition. You never know, maybe a few top-quality glasses of wine is the sweet spot for your drawing abilities to show themselves.
It is also possible to upgrade each ticket to gain access to expert-led masterclasses, with tutored tastings of sparkling wine, sherry and food, or cheese with wine. Fine Wine ticket holders will also be granted access to the Fine Wine Room and its rarer bottles.
Whether you spend ages aimlessly deliberating in a supermarket aisle, pick the cheapest bottle and call it a day, or you can smell the bottle and tell me the exact province it is from – this event welcomes all wine-drinkers, no matter the level of expertise.
The festival will be hosted at Manchester Central, starting with an evening session (6pm to 9pm) on Friday 20 November, as well as a lunchtime (12pm-3pm) and evening session (5pm to 8pm), on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Tickets are on sale now, starting at £40 per session. Click HERE to grab yours now.
Award-winning Manchester cocktail bar Red Light announces surprise return in new location
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, an award-winning cocktail bar that closed its doors earlier this year, has announced it’s making a grand return.
The celebrated watering hole had been at Kampus in the city centre for three years before it closed for good in August.
But now, in news that will thrill a lot of us in Manchester, the bar has announced it’s returning, with plenty of new ’surprises’ to come.
Announcing Red Light 2.0 this evening, they revealed a brand-new location, with all the cocktails we all loved before, plus a new bar snack offering.
Also new with its reopening will be a dedicated clubbing space (operating in a residential area was one of the reasons Red Light closed at Kampus) and the return of its legendary street parties.
They said: “Your love and support has meant the absolute world to us since we closed the doors to our Kampus venue.
“It’s been a tricky secret to keep but we’re thrilled to share that we’re back and in a brand new location!
“This one feels special, it’s not often you get a second chance at things in the current climate.”
They added: “We can’t wait to welcome you with open arms. Red Light NQ. LETS GO BABY!”
Although they’ve not announced the location, they have teased some pictures – and unless we’re very much mistaken, they’ll be moving into Tariff Street, in the old El Capo site.
Georgina Pellant -
24th November 2022 
