Eats

Hakkapo – Inside the beautiful new Japanese restaurant opening in Manchester this week

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 4th March 2024

A brand new Japanese restaurant is opening in Manchester city centre this weekend, with stunning interiors and affordable prices.

Hakkapo is ready to welcome its first diners this week to the bright and airy restaurant down on First Street.

They’ve taken on the old The Laundrette site (it was also, briefly, School For Scandal) and turned it into a modern dining space.

The unit on Jack Rosenthal Street is blessed with plenty of natural light thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides.

They’ve embraced that by decorating the space with rattan, light wood, wicker, and white marble throughout.

And Hakkapo will be a haven when summer finally rolls around, with a large weather-proof terrace out the front (it’s covered and heated, because we all know Manchester summers are a smidge temperamental).

As for the menu, Hakkapo is keeping things much more affordable than a lot of other Japanese restaurants that have opened in Manchester lately.

You’ll find delicious dishes including ramen, donburi, bao and Japanese small plates, all at a similar price point to Wagamama’s.

The outside terrace at Hakkapo in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The outside terrace at Hakkapo in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Hakkapo, a new Japanese restaurant opening in Manchester this week. Credit: The Manc Group
Hakkapo, a new Japanese restaurant opening in Manchester this week. Credit: The Manc Group

Many of the ramens begin with a traditional tonkotsu base, a creamy pork broth, which is then jazzed up with ingredients like black garlic ketchup, chashu pork, smoked pork belly, and slow-cooked bbq pork.

There’s also a tori chintan shoyu, a ramen made with clear chicken broth, braised chicken thigh, and naruto fish cake.

Hakkapo stuffs fluffy bao with fillings like kaarage chicken, smoked sausage, and ebi katsu (or crispy squid).

Traditional Japanese donburi rice bowls come with toppings like salmon sashimi, chicken katsu, salt-aged sirloin and miso aubergine.

Fried ice cream bao at Hakkapo in Manchester
Fried ice cream bao at Hakkapo in Manchester
Matcha affogato
Matcha affogato

And on the small plates side of things, there are pickles, salads, yakitori skewers, and sweet-and-salty fries.

The desserts include a miso and vanilla fried bao, and a beautiful matcha affogato with red bean paste.

And as well as sake and Japanese soft drinks, there’s a menu packed with wines from central Europe.

Hakkapo will officially open its doors on Tuesday 5 March.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Kala announces closure after more than half a decade in Manchester city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Another hit for the Manchester hospitality sector as city centre cult favourite Kala has announced it has closed with immediate effect.

The Manc bistro, beloved for putting a contemporary slant on British and French classics, was opened by restaurateur Gary Usher back in 2021, receiving plenty of positive press over the years.

Perhaps the most notable bit of praise it received was from renowned food writer Jay Rayner, who said it “quietly feeds you well”. But that was part of the problem: it was too quiet, unfortunately.

Announcing the shutdown on Tuesday evening (24 June), Usher shared an extended statement on social media, explaining the details behind the decision – but there was one, clear, overriding reason.

Confirming the news on Instagram, the chef-owner wrote: “Gary Usher here.. It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the immediate closure of Kala. I’m not really sure how to explain why we’ve closed other than we weren’t busy enough to cover our costs.

“I really really want to blame the economy and the pandemic. I really want to say the rising costs have made it impossible. All those factors haven’t helped, but we are 50% down in trade at Kala, and that is the killer.”

This isn’t the first of the St Albans-born chef’s locations to close either, as his Burnt Truffle venue on the Wirral also shut back in January.

Nevertheless, Kala’s reputation has remained strong throughout, boasting one of the best elevated albeit accessible evening and lunch deals in the city centre, not to mention at very reasonable prices.

Moreover, they were famed for their stunning Sunday dinners, with Sacha Lord dubbing them the best roasts in Manchester he’s had “in ages.”

Sacha Lord hails Manchester restaurant for serving up ‘the best Sunday roast’ he’s had ‘in ages’
That perfectly blushed beef was incredible.

Usher goes on to add: “It goes without saying our business rates [are] increasing substantially, and the hike in NIC [national insurance] contributions only works against us. This was not planned, but neither was us being this quiet in June. All the Kala team will be paid up to date, our rent & suppliers too.

“If you have a voucher with us, as always, it can be used in the wider group. It was always a dream to have a restaurant on King Street in Manchester. I just wish it had lasted longer than 6 years.

“Thank you to all the team past & present & I’m so sorry to all of you and all the guests that I couldn’t create something with longevity.

“Please come and visit us in Didsbury at Hispi where it will be our pleasure to welcome you. Farewell, King Street. Farewell Kala. Gary.”

Kala closing marks yet another local business we’re gutted to see go, as it was only earlier this month that we had to bid goodbye to both Medlock Canteen and Indian street food spot, Rola Wala, which closed on Monday.

Safe to say it’s been a gutting few days for local food and drink.

With that being said, please do support the Elite Group’s remaining restaurants where you can, which include the aforementioned Hispi, The Sticky Walnut in Chester, The White Horse in the Cheshire village of Churton, as well as Wreck in Liverpool.

All we can say is thanks for the memories and the brilliant food.

Inside Gary Usher’s cosy new village boozer The White Horse at Churton
Kala may be closed but this nearby gem is still well worth the trip.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

First look at Zaap Thai as popular Thai street food restaurant opens in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A Thai street food restaurant with sites all over the North has finally announced plans to come to Manchester for the first time.

Zaap Thai is famed for its authentic and affordable street food-inspired menu, served up in restaurants designed to mimic the bustling street food markets of Bangkok.

Expect colourful fairy lights, illuminated signs, graffiti art, enamel crockery and even seating booths built into tuk tuks.

Zaap Thai already has locations in cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Durham, but hasn’t made it into the North West before now.

It’s now set to open on Lincoln Square – where you’ll already find Maray – this June.

This new Zaap Thai location is set to be one its biggest venues to date, with 160 covers.

The expansive menu features 80 dishes from across Thailand, from street food small plates to big bowls of noodles and fiery curries.

Their menu highlights include chicken satay, crispy pork belly, stir-fries like Pad Ga Prao, and sweet dishes such as mango sticky rice and pandan custard pancakes.

That’s alongside Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails, plus Thai lagers like Singha.

Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester. 

Inside Zaap Thai Manchester

Noodles at Zaap Thai Manchester
Food at Zaap Thai Manchester
Seafood at Zaap Thai Manchester
The Moo Deng mural
The Moo Deng mural
Noodles at Zaap Thai Manchester
Stir fries at Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai

“This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community.

“Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny South East Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time.

“Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to bring the Zaap experience to Manchester!”

Zaap Thai Manchester will open on Lincoln Square in on Thursday 26 June, with free pad thais or curries to the first 100 people in the queue from midday.

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Featured image: Supplied

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