There are some restaurants in Manchester that have been here for so long, it’s hard to remember life without them.
One such restaurant is Red Chilli, which has been on its corner of Chinatown for two decades, the neon red chilli sign above the door very much part of the Portland Street furniture even as the area has developed around it.
The clue for the food offering at Red Chilli is in its name – they really, really like spice. If you leave your dinner here without a sheen of sweat and a ringing in your ears, you’ve done it all wrong.
From its huge menu, there are those dishes that will be most familiar to British palates – sweet and sour, black bean, and lemon sauces, chow mein, crispy duck, spare ribs, salt and pepper wings.
But Red Chilli is best-known for its home-style cooking and its authentic Sichuan cuisine, and Sichuan cuisine is best-known for its obsession with all things spicy.
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In this south-western province of China, the cooking is bold and fiery, laced with Sichuan pepper, chillies, and garlic.
In Red Chilli, you’ll find casseroles, braised meats, and stews, with ingredients like beancurd, frog’s legs, and pig’s feet.
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An alarming portion of the menu is bullet-pointed with chilli icons – and when they list something as three chillies on the spice scale, they mean it.
Spicy pig intestines from Red Chilli. Credit: The Manc GroupRed Chilli. Credit: The Manc GroupCold poached chicken in chilli oil at Red Chilli. Credit: The Manc Group
In fact, if you search the restaurant’s Deliveroo page for ‘spicy’ or ‘chilli’, you get more than 60 dinner suggestions. It’s a lot.
That might be the Sichuan Dandan noodles with minced pork and chilli sauce, or the hot poached fish fillets in chilli oil, or the nerve-testing whole seabass grilled and served in a blanket of dried chilli.
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For our lunch on a recent episode of our Takeaway Champions series, we start off mild (ish) with wasabi prawns. You know you’re in for a spicy time when wasabi is the mildest dish on the table.
These huge, butter-soft prawns are deep-fried and then served in a pale green creamy wasabi sauce, which dials the heat of the horseradish right down but still allows that signature sinus-clearing magic to do its thing.
Next up is home-style poached chicken, served cold and swimming in a fiery red chilli oil.
The first thing that hits you is the perfect texture of the chicken itself – but then in marches the heat from the sauce.
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It’s so spicy that it makes you talk faster in a panic, words tumbling out of your tingling mouth – ‘I quite like pain so this is good, actually’.
Even licking a drop of the sauce off your finger is enough to make your eyes widen and your nostrils flare.
Much more gentle is a sautéed pork dish, with rings of intestine coated in a tangy and peppery sauce. Put aside any squeamish thoughts and think of this as what it is – one of the most flavourful and tender parts of a pig, cooked to perfection.
And really, whatever your spice tolerance is like, there will be something at Red Chilli to suit you. There’s a good reason it’s been here for so many years.
Brilliant Saddleworth restaurant shares statement after devastating fire that brought village to a standstill
Daisy Jackson
A brilliant restaurant in Saddleworth has been left ‘badly damaged’ after a huge blaze ripped through it yesterday afternoon.
Hot Duck in Uppermill, a modern Chinese establishment tucked above a takeaway, said that the fire on Sunday 6 September has been ‘devastating’.
Both Hot Duck and Hei Hei, which share a building on the village’s high street, will be closed for the foreseeable future.
But in a statement, Hot Duck said they will ‘do everything we can to come back stronger’.
They reassured customers that everyone is safe following the blaze.
Six fire engines from across Greater Manchester scrambled to the fire yesterday, with High Street closed while emergency services attended.
Locals were asked to avoid the area on Sunday evening.
Hot Duck said in a statement: “Thank you to everyone who has reached out over the last 24 hours. As many of you know, our restaurant has suffered a devastating fire affecting our whole building.
Inside Hot Duck in Uppermill before the fireHot Duck’s incredible dim sum
“Thankfully, everyone is safe, and for that, we’re incredibly grateful. We are still processing what comes next.
“It’s heartbreaking to see something we’ve worked so hard on over the years so badly damaged.
“The kindness, messages, calls, and offers of help mean more than we can put into words. To our customers, friends, neighbors, suppliers, and the wider community, thank you. Your support has given us hope at a time we really needed it.
“For now, the restaurant will remain closed while we begin the long process of rebuilding. It won’t be easy, but we will do everything we can to come back stronger. We’ll keep you updated. We will be back.”
The Greater Manchester book café serving literary afternoon teas and build-your-own bouquets
Daisy Jackson
If you like your afternoon tea with a side of good books, there’s a Greater Manchester café where you can quite literally have your cake and read it too.
Tucked inside this charming bookish spot, afternoon tea arrives with an unexpected twist. Rather than being presented with the usual three-tiered stand, you’re handed a stack of heavy hardback books.
But don’t start worrying that you’ve accidentally wandered into a very niche library club. The books are hiding something.
Lift the covers in Peony & Parchment – or, more accurately, open the book-shaped boxes – and you’ll discover a full afternoon tea concealed inside.
There are dainty sandwiches to get stuck into, including tiny egg mayo, herby chicken salad, ham and mustard, and cheese and tomato focaccia, alongside a little quiche.
Then comes the scone – classic, fluffy and ready for the obligatory dollop of clotted cream and jam. And, because no afternoon tea should leave you feeling like you’ve been short-changed in the cake department, there are five miniature slices to work through.
Afternoon tea concealed in a stack of booksSome of the other bakes on display
There’s a Victoria sponge with a dreamy vanilla cream, lemon drizzle, rich chocolate cake, a Bakewell slice and a pecan pie, all sourced from a local bakery just across the alleyway.
It’s all served with a pot of tea or coffee, with the option to add a glass of prosecco.
And the bookish theme doesn’t stop at the afternoon tea.
Downstairs you’ll find shelves packed with books, including the intriguing ‘blind books’. Instead of judging a book by its cover, you’ll be given clues and a short summary of what lies inside before taking a gamble on your mystery read.
Downstairs in Peony & Parchment‘Blind books’A role playing village for kids
There’s also plenty here to keep younger visitors entertained, thanks to a children’s area complete with a mini role-playing village.
And if books and cake weren’t enough, there’s another string to this café’s bow.
The Bloom Bar lets you build your own bouquet. Choose the size you want, then wander around selecting your own stems and foliage to create something that’s uniquely yours.
You can build your own bouquetThe Bloom Bar at Peony & Parchment
Of course, you don’t have to be visiting specifically for the afternoon tea. The wider menu includes tapas, full breakfasts and sandwiches, making it just as suitable for a leisurely brunch, lunch or coffee-and-cake stop.
So whether you’re there to discover your next favourite novel, assemble a bouquet, entertain the kids or simply eat your way through five different miniature cakes, this is one café where there are plenty of chapters to explore.
Daisy Jackson -
19th May 2023 
