When Mughli opened in 1991, the Curry Mile was filled with exactly that – curry.
This lively strip of Rusholme has changed a lot since then, diversified, and is now more of a Kebab Mile than a length of road with row after row of restaurants serving Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan food.
But still smiling out on the strip after all these years (literally – it’s got a giant mural of a softly smiling woman out front) is Mughli, run by the same family since it opened more than three decades ago.
It’s older than, probably, a lot of The Manc readers – and there aren’t all that many restaurants in Manchester that can still claim that.
In a time where hospitality closures are peppering the news like sesame seeds on an everything bagel, Mughli is still going as strong as ever.
From 5pm on the nose it’s busy. Groups of pals, dates, families, and a steady stream of Deliveroo drivers traipse in and out through the waft of incense in the doorway.
It’s an old(ish) restaurant that keeps up with the times though – there’s a QR code for the Wi-Fi, a One Direction joke buried in the one-way system, a collaboration with a local craft brewery, along with all the secret recipes passed down and honed through the generations.
The Leopard Roll at MughliMughli’s collaboration beer with First ChopGol Gappay
This cosy spot is famed for its charcoal pit, where cuts of meat including charred lamb chops and chicken tikka are flamed to perfection, as well as its ‘unapologetically unauthentic’ curries.
One of those curries that they don’t even try to pretend is the real deal is their korma.
It’s not the sort of wimpy, almost dessert-like korma a lot of us are used to (though, if you like your curries to have a bit of fire behind them, this is not the one to order).
Mughli’s korma is packed with flavour even with its lack of spice, a bright yellow sauce swimming around… onion bhajis? Some may call it controversial and unconventional but we call it bloody genius.
If you ask Mancs where the best butter chicken in the city is, a lot of fingers will point up Wilmslow Road in Mughli’s direction.
Flake-apart chicken is dropped into a thick curry sauce so rich it’s chasing down Elon Musk on the Forbes list.
Onion bhaji korma at Mughli on the Curry MileThe Scorpion Prawns
One of the stars of their show is the Leopard Roll, where a lamb seekh kebab is coated in a tangy chutney, then rolled up in a roti blanket, finished off on the grill so its crust turns into a black and beige patchwork.
Gol Gappay is another theatrical little dish. A mountain of puffed-up puri balls arrives beside a pot of chickpea chaat, studded with pomegranate seeds. You crack open the top of the hollow puri, pile in your chaat, finish with a drizzle of tamarind water, then attempt to fit the whole thing in your mouth at once.
And then the must-order – gigantic scorpion prawns. They’re so big and beefy I’d be worried about bumping into them in a dark alleyway.
These bright red grilled prawns, their edges charred black, are caked in Mughli’s signature tandoori masala, a drizzle of garlic oil, and a squeeze of lemon. I’m seeing stars. They’re SO good.
There is a good reason Mughli is still pulling in the crowds on the Curry Mile after so many years. The proof is in the puri.
Award-winning chippy in Prestwich announces heartbreaking restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Chips @ No. 8, a chippy in Prestwich that’s lauded as one of the best in the UK, has announced the sad closure of its restaurant.
The award-winning takeaway made some big moves last year, expanding into the unit next door so that they could comfortable double their space downstairs and add a restaurant upstairs.
The restaurant was a brand-new concept for the much-loved Prestwich chippy, serving a seafood-focused menu that wasn’t necessarily all about the fryer.
But sadly, Chips @ No. 8 has announced that the restaurant element of its business, Loft @ No. 8, has closed for good.
They wrote that the economic climate and the huge amount of choice in Prestwich has left them struggling to fill seats in the chippy restaurant.
The good news is that the fish and chip shop itself remains open for business and thriving, and customers will be able to use the former restaurant space to eat their takeaway in.
The bar downstairs also remains open for business for a cheeky pint or glass of wine while you wait for your order.
The Loft @ No. 8 is closing. Credit: The Manc GroupCurry sauce on a Chips @ No 8 chippy tea. Credit: The Manc Group
In a statement, Chips @ No. 8 said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Loft.
“With so many great places to eat in Prestwich, and the economic climate being what it is, we have struggled recently to fill enough seats to continue to make it a financially viable side to our business.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support whilst we were open, the team for their efforts, in particular, Craig, the creator of the delicious food that we had on offer up there.
“Chips @ No.8 remains open as normal and going forward, we are opening up the space upstairs for additional casual seating for the takeaway.
“The bar will remain open so you can still enjoy a pint or a glass of wine with your fish & chips, even if it is out of a box! We hope to see you soon!”
There’s a tiny Japanese restaurant inside a Manchester cafe serving matcha afternoon tea
Daisy Jackson
There’s a tiny little Japanese restaurant space in Manchester tucked inside a coffee shop – and they’ve just started serving matcha afternoon teas.
Niwa Yakitori is a brilliant addition to the city centre – by day, it’s sharing the space at North Star Piccadilly and operating as a matcha cafe.
And by night, it transforms the space into a cosy Japanese restaurant, complete with paper lanterns, bamboo plants, and neon signs.
While the word-of-mouth restaurant space is a real rising star thanks to its menu of freshly barbecued chicken and seafood, as well as delicious flights of sake, it’s the new matcha afternoon tea that we popped in for this time around.
Each table is presented with a tiered tower of treats infused with the popular Japanese green tea, and this is some world-class baking that’s going on at Niwa Yakitori.
Let’s break it down, tier by tier, to give you an idea of what you can get.
Up first is a Japanese egg mayo sandwich, made with fluffy shokupan bread and Kewpie mayo, then sprinkled in Furikake for a little bit of salt and texture.
The Japanese egg mayo sandoStrawberry sando with matcha creamThe half-and-half cookieMatcha basque cheesecakeScones with matcha cream and yuzu jamJapanese afternoon tea in Manchester
Also joining the sandwich line-up are strawberry sandos (yes, the ones that M&S had a go at this summer), made with a matcha cream and more of that pillow-soft shokupan.
Moving on up, and what afternoon tea would be complete without some scones? These ones come with a matcha cream and a yuzu and chilli jam. Divine.
Then the very top tier has a gang of miniature treats, including an adorable teddy bear-shaped matcha chocolate truffle; a matcha muffin; and a matcha-infused madeleine.
A real star is the chunky cookie, a clever half-half yin-yang of matcha and white chocolate, vs vanilla and dark chocolate.
Niwa Yakitori is a tiny Japanese restaurant in ManchesterJapanese afternoon tea in ManchesterMatcha and hojita at Niwa Yakitori
And they show off their baking prowess with a slice of matcha basque cheesecake, with three layers and a scoop of strawberry ice cream on top.
All washed down with ceremonial-grade matcha or hojicha lattes, which can be made table-side in a traditional tea ceremony.
The team at Niwa Yakitori are hoping this afternoon tea will fill crucial tables in their tiny space at a time where hospitality is being crippled with rising costs.
So please, for the love of all that is matcha, get this lovely Manchester Japanese spot on your list to visit.
Daisy Jackson -
6th October 2023 
