London’s viral Korean corn dog restaurant Bunsik has revealed it is heading to Manchester, with a new site set to open later this year.
Bosses of the hit London chain now have their sights set on a new space on Piccadilly Gardens and have leased a 2,000 square foot unit for the new restaurant opening.
The new opening will mark the first northern venture for the hit eatery, which already has three popular London branches in Chinatown, Embankment and Camden.
Having already become iconic for their £4 corn dogs in the capital, the team is now making moves north with their first outpost in Manchester – promising to offer an even wider selection of its infamous corndogs when it opens its doors here.
Sweet and savoury, chewy and crispy, Korean corn dogs are believed to have been around since the 1980s in Korea and have since gained notoriety in Taiwan, Japan, China, the US, and now, Manchester.
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For the uninitiated, a Korean corn dog is made from either sausage, cheese, or a combination of the two; skewered, dipped in batter then rolled in breadcrumbs; topped with potato, diced french fries, crushed ramen noodles, or crispy rice before hitting the fryer and cooked to a perfect golden brown.
Image: Bunsik
Image: Bunsik
Championing this well-loved East Asian snack, Bunsik’s menu will feature all kinds of tasty and authentic options.
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Alongside tried-and-tested classics, further menu highlights include the Kimbap (cooked rice, vegetables, fishcake, and meat rolled in gim – dried sheets of seaweed – and served in bite-sized slices), Ddukbokki (cylindrical rice cakes cooked in a spicy sauce), Korean Fried Chicken (tossed in a variety of sauces including sweet and spicy, honey garlic, and dakgangjeong) and Cup Bap (rice, noodles, broccoli and chicken).
The new restaurant will also serve a variety of Korean chicken burgers., alongside a new Korean dessert similar to ice cream.
Called Bingsu, it is a type of Korean shaved ice where a block of frozen milk or cream is grated or shaved using a knife to create a fluffy, snow-like dessert and will be available exclusively at the new Manchester site with toppings ranging from chopped fruit and condensed milk to fruit syrup and red beans.
There’ll be something on offer for fans of bubble tea too, with popular choices like Strawberry Bubble Tea, Chocolate Bubble Tea and Matcha Latte Bubble Tea on offer.
One of the country’s most innovative and successful street-food brands, Bunsik will open on Piccadilly gardens in late summer and will be available on Deliveroo.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse to reopen
Daisy Jackson
The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme – the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.
But now it appears that the spirit of the venue will live on, under the new name of The Abbey.
Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.
The pub, which closed early last year, is currently being carefully restored ahead of its big relaunch just next week.
The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.
There’ll also be affordable, hearty pub grub including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.
The team bringing The Abbey to life are Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth – Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manchester venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year; and Gareth is the founder of multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest.
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.
The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.
Its restoration and relaunch is part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.
Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.
“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.
Glimpses of The Abbey’s refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.
“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”
Ruth Hemmingfield from The Abbey commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area. Honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”
Georgina Pellant -
10th May 2023 
