This Friday marks National Katsu Curry Day and to celebrate the occasion, Tampopo is giving away a whopping 400 free curries to us Mancs.
We’ve suddenly just become bigger fans of Tampopo than we already were.
The Pan-Asian favourite franchise, which started here in our city nearly three decades ago, now boasts a total of four Greater Manchester sites and all of them will be participating in handing out free bowls of katsu curry at the end of the week.
We can’t think of many better ways to kick off the weekend than with a free curry, to be honest.
So what’s the deal? Well, it’s pretty simple: special popup ‘Katsu Curry Hubs’ will be stationed outside all of Tampopo’s locations in and around Manchester and free curries will be served up from 11am-1pm.
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Just to warn you now, it’s strictly first come, first served and when they’re gone, they’re GONE, so you’re best making a beeline for your nearest Tampopo restaurant when in time to get in line.
100 curries will be given away at Albert Square, The Corn Exchange, The Trafford Centre Restaurant and The Trafford Centre Kiosk site too, meaning a total of 400 bowls of complimentary katsu curry are up for grabs, so you stand a very good chance of getting your hands on some free scran this Friday.
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Better yet, the Tampopo has just had one their biggest menu updates ever; 70% of dishes are either brand new or refined to perfection – including the already much-loved katsu curry, so not only are getting it for free but it promises to taste better than ever.
The chain has always been committed to bringing the best of Far Eastern cuisine to Manchester even since it first opened up in 1997, and it remains just as diverse and dynamic as it is authentic.
The dish has evolved and tastes better than ever. (Credit: The Manc Eats/Supplied)
David Fox, co-founder of Tampopo, said: “Katsu Curry Day is the perfect occasion for us to give back to our amazing Tampopo community and to share one of most popular dishes – and a great way to welcome the Autumn.
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“Our Katsu Curry has been honed to perfection over 27 years and we’re delighted to invite Manchester to come and celebrate with us.”
The katsu curry isn’t just a dish synonymous with Japanese cuisine but has quickly become a staple of comfort food here in the UK too. The crispy chicken, the steamed rice and that rich, savoury sauce – it’s just the best, and we have Tampopo to thank for being one of the first to bring it to Manchester.
It’s not the only freebie you can grab this week either…
Padel is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and it’s really picking up speed in Manchester now too with another city centre club opening this month.
The Pollen Club is a little different to the others, in that it’s fully undercover and protected from Manchester’s less-than-favourable weather.
And another thing that makes it a must-visit is the cafe attached to it – a third site for the beloved Pot Kettle Black.
The Pollen Club and Pot Kettle Black have both taken over a prominent city centre spot just off Deansgate, at the foot of the recently-opened Treehouse Hotel.
There are two state-of-the-art padel courts inside, with a mezzanine terrace for enjoy Pot Kettle Black’s offerings.
In summer, there are plans to launch a bar downstairs too, where you can sip spritzes courtside from loungers and swing seats.
The exciting new Manchester padel club will host pop up events, DJ takeovers and an extended evening food offering.
Pot Kettle Black are part of the new padel clubInside Manchester’s new padel club, The Pollen ClubPot Kettle Black are part of the new padel club
And even if you’re not heading inside The Pollen Club, Pot Kettle Black has a grab-and-go hatch facing onto Blackfriars Street, making their delicious coffees, sandwiches and pastries (from their own bakery Half Dozen Other) even more accessible.
Commenting on the opening of the new site, Pot Kettle Black co-owner, Mark Flanagan said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have opened our third Pot Kettle Black site at The Padel Club. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.
“After ten years in the city we’ve been enjoying seeing some familiar faces stopping by for a coffee and we can’t wait to get started on our programme of summer events!”
Manchester’s late-night sweet treat spot Insomnia Cookies is dishing out freebies this week… but there’s a catch.
You have to be called one of two specific names to get one.
With the long bank holiday weekend upon us, those in-the-know will also have noticed that this Sunday isn’t just Easter Sunday, it also happens to be 4/20… and that means Insomnia Cookies is back with its ‘blazing’ £4.20 deal, giving you the chance to bag a box of four warm cookies while saving nearly £7 at the same time.
But even better still, if you happen to have either the first or middle name ‘Mary’ or ‘Jane’, then you can also get yourself a warm tasty cookie for free.
To mark both 4/20, and celebrate the launch of its newest strain of mouthwatering cookie, the Mary Jane, anyone called Mary or Jane can pop into either of Insomnia Cookies’ two Manchester city centre sites – Cross Street and University Green – show their valid ID with their name on, and walk alway with a cookie free of charge.
If you want to try the new Mary Jane cookie, then this limited-edition special is made up of a cookies n cream dough base, packed with rainbow sprinkles.
The freebie deal has been running all week, and you have up until 3am on Monday 21 April to take advantage of it.
Customers will be limited to one free cookie per day.
Insomnia Cookies is giving away free cookies to anyone with these two names / Credit: Insomnia Cookies UK
If you aren’t lucky enough to be called one of those two names though, then thankfully you can still make some great savings on a classic four-pack of cookies over the spring bank holiday weekend, and for every four-pack sold, £1 will be donated to Groundwork – a charity helping make Manchester greener for nature and for local people.
“We’re calling for Marys and Janes to join us to live the high life with free cookies all week,” commented Millie Ralston, Head of Marketing at Insomnia Cookies.
Danny Jones -
23rd September 2024 
