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Japanese restaurant to open at Manchester Arndale’s £11m food quarter

Daisy Jackson - 26th April 2022

Another new restaurant is set to open at Halle Place, the Arndale’s £11m food quarter.

Hoardings have now gone up signalling the arrival of Kokoro, a Korean-Japanese restaurant.

Kokoro started life a little over a decade ago in a tiny restaurant space in London – it’s now grown from a three-table business to a franchise with more than 50 locations.

When it opens here in Manchester, it will join Archie’s, PizzaLuxe, Barburrito, Doner Shack and Wolf Italian Street Food in the Arndale’s newest space.

Kokoro will be opening at Halle Place in the Arndale. Credit: The Manc Group

Kokoro will be opening at Halle Place in the Arndale. Credit: The Manc Group

Kokoro, which translates from Japanese as heart, mind or soul, specialises in fresh and healthy food.

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Dishes on its menu include warming bowls of noodles, stir-fries with rice, and sets of sushi and nigiri.

Popular meals at Kokoro include its chicken katsu curry rice bowls, its sweet chilli chicken thighs, and its Korean-style beef bulgogi with onions, carrots, and bell peppers.

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Read more: New Mediterranean and Middle Eastern vegan kitchen to open above Stockport pub

Lighter options range from poke bowls to sashimi to katsu salads.

The menus at other sites also feature mochi, a popular Japanese dessert where ice cream balls are encased in a chewy rice paste.

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As well as food and drink, Halle Place is also home to the immersive gaming experience Electric Gamebox.

It’s not yet known when Kokoro will open its doors at the Manchester Arndale.

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre

Danny Jones Bada Bing returns to Manchester new Northern Quarter shop

Bada Bing returns to Manchester new Northern Quarter shop

Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!

The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.

Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.

These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:

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A post shared by Bada Bing Sandwich Deli (@badabingsandwichdeli)

Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.

If you know, you know…

Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.

The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.

Seriously, they were insane:

@the.manc You need to try the #sandwiches at Bada Bing sandwich #deli in #Manchester 🥪🇮🇹 #learnontik #foryou #foryoupage ♬ Woke Up This Morning – Alabama 3

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Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.

From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.

Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.

bada bing manchester reopening — Credit: The Manc Group

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Featured Images — The Manc Eats

Eats

Burger King is giving away free burgers to new drivers today

Burger King will be giving away burgers to drivers who have recently passed their tests for free of charge today.

In case it wasn’t on your radar, tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) is actually National Drive-Thru Day, and in a bid to properly celebrate this unofficial holiday, Burger King has decided to hand out a bunch of freebies to newbies today.

The fast food chain is asking all new drivers to “buckle up”, head on down to their nearest Burger King drive-thru, and help themselves to a free burger.

All newly-qualified drivers will be able to take their pick from either the Whopper or Chicken Royale without parting ways with a penny, and all they’ll need to do the claim their freebie is simply show off their learner’s ‘L Plates’ to the staff at their local Burger King restaurant.

/ Credit: Burger King UK (via Instagram) | Supplied

/ Credit: Burger King UK (via Instagram) | Supplied

Hundreds of Burger King drive-thrus across the UK are taking part in the one-day promotion – including several across in Greater Manchester.

Although it might seem a little too good to be true, there’s a reason Burger King has chosen to dish out the freebies, and that’s because the company says it knows that one of the first activities newly-qualified drivers like do once they’ve passed their test is make a pit stop at a drive-thru with their mates to show off their new wheels and skills.

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A post shared by Burger King UK (@burgerkinguk)

Sometimes though, navigating a drive-thru for the first time can be tricky, and this leaves new drivers feeling a bit like a rabbit in the headlights.

Luckily with this one-day Burger King offer, new drivers’ first drive-thru trip couldn’t be any easier.

The offer is available nationwide today (Wednesday 24 July) at Burger King drive-thru lanes only, while stock lasts, and newly qualified drivers must verbally mention “BK Plates” at the drive-thru lane to unlock their free burger.

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Then, once they get to the window, they must show drive-thru staff their ‘L Plate’ to redeem a free Whopper or Chicken Royale.

Featured Image – Burger King UK