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Rochdale restaurant named best curry house in the UK

The Champion of Champions Award comes to the North West.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th October 2023
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A restaurant in Rochdale has scooped the top prize at the ‘Curry Oscars’ to be named the best curry house in the UK.

The prestigious awards reveal the best of UK Asian cuisine from thousands of nominations, and celebrate the UK’s Curry Industry.

Categories include National Takeaway of the Year, Fine Dine Restaurant of the Year, and Street Food of the Year, as well as awards recognising the best in Korean, Japanese and Sri Lankan cooking.

But this year the big prize – the Champion of Champions Award – went to The Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale.

The Dale Street restaurant is loved for its authentic Indian cooking, and its neon-soaked restaurant space in the heart of the town.

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It’s an extra victory for The Milnrow Balti Restaurant, which last year received the Regional Restaurant of the Year award for the North West of England.

Speaking on the red carpet at the awards ceremony in London, which is nicknamed the ‘Curry Oscars’, a spokesperson for the restaurant said: “This is massive for us.

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“You know, to win an award today, but to win this one over everything else – it just goes to show that hard work and dedication that everyone’s doing, and how much the customers enjoy coming to the Milnrow Balti, it just goes to show the dedication that all the staff put in there. We’re really delighted and over the moon with this one.”

The restaurant has shared a heartfelt message today after receiving the huge award last night, thanking their ‘curry-loving community’ for their ‘unwavering support’.

They wrote: “This award belongs to each and every one of you, our amazing customers. It is a testament to your trust, loyalty, and love for our curry creations.

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The Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale has been named the best curry house in the UK. Credit: Facebook
The Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale has been named the best curry house in the UK. Credit: Facebook
The Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale has been named the best curry house in the UK at the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards
The Milnrow Balti Restaurant in Rochdale has been named the best curry house in the UK. Credit: Facebook

“Your continued patronage and recommendations to family and friends have contributed significantly to our success.”

The Milnrow Balti Restaurant also said: “We are immensely proud of the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who consistently strive to bring you the best curry experience you deserve.

“From our talented chefs who skillfully craft each dish with passion, to our attentive staff who ensure your dining experience is exceptional, every member of our team goes above and beyond to make your visit memorable.”

Congratulations to the Milnrow Balti Restaurant!

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Featured image: Facebook

Eats

Former Lunya site to be taken over by kebab house, five years after closure

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Former Lunya site to be taken over by kebab house, five years after closure
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The restaurant space that was previously home to Lunya will finally be brought back to life, with a new kebab restaurant moving in.

Lunya, which had a two-storey restaurant and deli on Deansgate in the beautiful Barton Arcade, shut down in 2020.

It was one of the earliest and most high-profile closures caused by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, with owner Peter Kinsella penning at the time a heartbreaking open letter to then-PM Boris Johnson.

The Lunya site has remained empty for the last five years despite its enviable location in the heart of Manchester – but finally, new signs have gone up and a new operator is swooping in.

The windows now tease the arrival of Great British Doner, touting itself to be ‘the ultimate doner experience’.

The new opening will be selling wraps and boxes stuffed with beef, chicken, halloumi and falafel.

In a statement supplied to Place North West, Andrew Hynes, director at Hynes Illingworth said: “Barton Arcade will be the first UK opening for British Doner with two additional locations also secured in Manchester city centre.

Great British Doner is moving into the old Lunya site on Deansgate
Great British Doner is moving into the old Lunya site on Deansgate

“The business has been established by experienced restaurateur, Mehmet Korkut, previous owner of Café Istanbul and UK franchise owner of heritage brand Sultanahmet Koftecisi.”

There’ve been a lot of changes down this end of Deansgate in the last couple of years, including the openings of Simmons, with the city’s ‘biggest happy hour’, and Mama Roux’s, as well as the departures of Classic Football Shirts within the Barton Arcade.

When it opens, Great British Doner will join the likes of award-winning coffee shop Pot Kettle Black, and independent menswear retailer The R Store in the landmark building.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

The viral factory in Oldham that sells £2 Colin the Caterpillar cakes

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia
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A factory in Oldham has gone viral online after sweet fiends discover they sell ‘Colin the Caterpillar’ cakes for less than half price.

There are some things that just go hand in hand: a brew and a biscuit, peanut butter and jelly and Brits and their crazy obsession with a character chocolate cake from M&S called Colin the Caterpillar.

Since hitting the shelves in 1990, more than 15 million Colin the Caterpillars have made their way from supermarket shop floor to our sweet-treat-awaiting plates.

Who would’ve ever guessed that the home to this cheeky chappy, who M&S have made their unofficial mascot (after Percy Pig, of course), has been crafted and created right here in Oldham?

park cakes oldham greater manchester
The utterly delicious Colin the Caterpillar cake which you can get for £2 at Park Cakes.
The shelves at Park Cakes will also be stacked with Colin and Connie The Caterpillar delights.
The shelves at Park Cakes are stacked with Colins and Connies.
Credit: The Manc Eats

Established in 1937, The Park Cake Bakeries – or just Park Cakes, colloquially – has been serving up this critter-inspired cake for over 30 years, and savvy shoppers have flocked to their factory shop to get their hands on some very sweet savings.

There’s a whole range of cakes on offer at this Oldham dessert factory shop, including slabs, sponges, loaves and even sweet pies too.

Whether you’re a firm believer that the birthday person deserves all of Colin’s white-choc face or you precisely cut it up so everyone gets some, Park Cakes has the solution, selling bags of the character’s chocolatey face so you can have one all to yourself.

The cake isn’t the only thing that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as the prices will too. Colin the Caterpillar, who normally retails for just under a tenner, is sold for around £2 at this Oldham factory shop.

It’s always the ones that look unassuming, isn’t it?

where is park cake bakeries cheap colin caterpillars m&s outlet
Credit: Google Earth/The Park Cake Bakeries (via Facebook)

Alongside producing one of the most adored cakes in the UK, they’re also responsible for lots more of your favourite supermarket sweet treats, and we’re definitely not complaining.

You can let your sweet tooth go wild in this factory shop as they sell everything from rainbow birthday cakes to sticky toffee puddings.

There’s so much on offer too, how about a giant bag packed to the brim with misshapen golden flapjacks that’ll last you over a week and cost you less than a fiver? Sounds like a plan to me.

If you haven’t had enough of your Easter chocolate fix, why not trek over to Oldham and stock up on even more chocolate and sweet treats? Trust us, there’s plenty to choose from.

Park Cakes factory shop can be found on Ashton Road in Oldham and is open from 10am-4pm, so go and grab yourself a seriously sweet deal before everyone else beats you to it.

Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.
Mini Colins, small in size but still packed with all that chocolatey goodness.
Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.
Flapjacks and cookie dough bites are just some of the wonderful treats you might be able to get hold of.
Credit: The Manc

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Adam Higgin (via Facebook)

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