As one door closes, another opens. Never has this been more true than in the Northern Quarter right now, where chefs are rotating kitchens like it’s a game of musical chairs.
Modern Chinese favourite Salt and Pepper has just made its exit from Black Dog, the popular late-night bar that opens until 4am, in preparation to open its own venue round the corner on High Street.
In its place, Kong’s Chicken Shop has moved in with a brand new taco and quesadilla concept.
After a very happy year of naughty burgers and roast dinners at Northern Monk Taproom (now home to beloved lasagne restaurant Lazy Tony’s), the team is venturing on to pastures new with a new Mexican-inspired menu of gravy-soaked goodies.
Of course. Kong’s signature fried chicken still features prominently. In fact, you can still get your hands on Kong’s signature burger and some of the most popular sandwiches. But in truth, we’re here for the tacos.
Think thigh meat brined for three hours, rolled in a secret spice mix, then double-dredged for a crispier texture, topping a 6-inch hasa marina corn taco with accompanying iceberg, chipotle slaw, diced pickles and burger sauce.
Elsewhere on the new list, you’ll find Al Pastor adobo pork neck tacos, barbacoa beef shin tacos with green jalapeno harissa, and sustainable white battered fish tacos with crispy capers, tartar and tajin shoestring fries.
As ever, the food at Kong’s is set apart by the attention to detail. There is no scrimping on flavour here.
As for the new quesadillas, each comes with candied jalapenos, guacamole and heaps of cheese, as well as crema and house hot sauce.
As for sides and sauces, choose from crispy shoestring fries, queso cheese loaded fries, or a ‘nacho salad’ with charred sweetcorn, salsa, lime jalapeno dressing and crumbled cheese.
Alternatively, you can go all out with the loaded beef Birria fries, feat. barbacoa beef Bbirria gravy and a rich queso cheese sauce.
Currently in its soft launch phase, Kong’s officially opens at Black Dog Ballroom on Monday from 12-9pm. seven days a week.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Bundobust and Madre announce bold new Indo-Mexican collaboration
Clementine Hall
Two of Manchester’s best-loved casual dining spots are joining forces for a limited-edition collaboration.
Bundobust and Madre will be teaming up this summer to create a menu inspired by two world-famous street food cultures – India, and Mexico.
The Indo-Mexican menu will feature dishes like ‘Naanchos’, and plenty of other Desi-flavoured Mexican dishes.
It’ll be mashing up iconic ingredients, techniques, and flavours, with a menu of brand new spice-packed dishes and cocktails combining Desi and Mexican influence.
So, what can we expect?
Mexican street food classics chimichanga and quesadillas get the Desi treatment, while Bundobust’s Indian street food favourites like chaat get a little Latino heat.
All paired with spicy summer-time cocktails, as a homage to Mexican drinking culture, plus the return of Bundobust Brewery’s new golden Cerveza, SANJA Mexican Lager.
We can’t think of a better place to spend our summer evenings to be quite honest.
On the menu there are crunchy Indo-Mexican ‘naanchos’, topped with salsa verde, crema, tamarind, onion, coriander, and a punchy pickle masala.
Madre and Bundobust are teaming upNaanchos, from the Bundobust x Madre menu
There’ll also be a ‘Tikkadilla’ – a corn tortilla packed with oyster mushrooms, red tikka sauce and Oaxaca cheese, with a side of desi birria sauce for dipping.
That’s alongside masala chimichanga, birria-ani, and corn chaat.
Then you can wash that down with a cashew colada, an avocado lassi, spicy mango margs and loads more.
The Indo-Mexican menu will be available at all Bundobust and Madre locations from Monday 14 July until Sunday 17 August 2025.
Northern Quarter cafe to give out 100 FREE slices of cake to celebrate its birthday
Emily Sergeant
A little Northern Quarter cafe is celebrating a big milestone this week, and is giving out 100 free slices of cake for the occasion.
Nibble is turning eight this week, and nothing makes a birthday better than cake.
The female-run independent cafe on Oldham Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter first opened its doors to hungry Mancs back in July 2017, after owner and manager Lauren had dreams to take her business of selling brownies at local artisan markets and turn them into a cosy cafe of her own that catered to people with all sorts of dietary requirements.
The cafe has since been acknowledged by tastemakers as one of the most accessible places in Manchester.
Not only is Nibble known and loved for serving up some of the best homemade bakes in the city, with something for everyone to tuck choose from, but they also provide a tasty selection of all-day brunch dishes, salads, and sandwiches, as well as corporate catering too.
So of course, to celebrate eight years of the lovely Nibble team feeding the good people of Manchester, the business is giving away free slices of birthday cake on Friday.
Nibble NQ is giving away 100 free slices of birthday cake / Credit: The Manc Group
After doing something similar to celebrate their birthday last year, this time around they’re taking things once step further, as it’s not just 100 free slices of scrumptious cake you can get your hands on, there’s plenty other prizes too.
Nibble will be ‘levelling up’ and throwing in some ‘hidden surprises’ in the form of vouchers, giving people an opportunity to win a free brunch, brownie box, or coffee and cake.
To be in with a chance of taking away one of the 100 free slices of birthday cake, all you’ll need to do is head to Nibble on Oldham Street this Friday (11 July) and line up outside the cafe from 9:30am, then you may just be lucky enough to start of your day in the sweetest way possible.
Georgina Pellant -
2nd September 2022 
