There’s a new addition on Stevenson Square and it’s causing a bit of a stir with those in the know.
Called the Fry By, it’s inspired by Amsterdam’s many chip (or frite) shops and has even created its own version of Fritessaus or frietsaus, the classic mayo-style condiment that no self-respecting Dutchman will do without.
That’s not the only topping option, though, far from it. These super crispy fries can come as loaded or as simple as you like, with a total of roughly 54 different flavour combinations on offer with six homemade salts and nine sauces to choose from – plus extra toppings.
And as well as the fry cones, there’s a handful of VHS-style boxes drawing inspiration from cult movies like Richie Rich and Goodfellas.
Staff wear bright yellow branded jackets and there’s a general air of cool around the place as friends saunter up to order cones piled-high with all sorts from fennel butter and lemon pepper mayo, to brown crab and onion and garlic salt.
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As we tuck into a cone of triple-cooked, perfectly crispy fries topped with their signature house Ando (lemon red pepper mayo) and pickled pink onion slices, founder Marwan Mounti tells us he came up with the idea last year whilst sat having a drink in Stevenson Square.
Realising Manchester was falling short on a late-night stop off for drunken scran since the disappearance of Slice, he hit on the idea to something inspired by the Netherlands fry obsession – given that he knows Amsterdam pretty well.
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“Slice used to slap, [but] there’s nowhere here that’s just like a quick bite rather than a sit down – because you can go Bab, you can go Ply, you can go Flok now, they’ve got food, but there’s nowhere where you can just be like yo, chips.”
His day job has him well embedded in the city’s food scene: running social media foodie accounts and creating content for the likes of Jerk Shack, Wholesome Junkies and Go Falafel. So if anyone knows what’s going on, it’s him.
We touch briefly on Oldham street’s chippy-turned-Turkish takeaway, which once did a decent-ish late night cone of chips but now slings everything from pizzas to paninis to kebabs, and decide it’s just not got the pull it once had.
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Tastes round here have definitely elevated in the past decade, even when you’re smashed, we agree.
“I feel like people are starting to give a f*** about what they’re eating,” says Marwan.
“Even when we’re pissed, my missus is just like ‘no I’m not eating that,'” he jokes, miming false shock at her refusal to enjoy a Tandoori chicken with him at two in the morning.
“I think we all have [got more fussy], we’re all like yo is that truffle oil? How do you make it? Is it fresh?” he quips, correctly (in our opinion).
“But that’s like where it came from,” he continues, telling us they wanted to make their own chips.
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“Everything’s [done[ on the day fresh, the potatoes were cut today, steamed, then blanched, then fried, all the sauces are made fresh on the day, all the meats are marinaded and like cooked off on the day, […] that’s why we’re [not opening until five because most of the prep is done in the morning and the afternoon.”
He reveals he’s become a bit of a potato obsessive, as part of his search for the perfect fry. We ask who their supplier is, and Marwan tells us McCalls – the vegetable stall next door to Jerk Shack just off High street.
“I’ve been working with them for years helping them with their Jerk Shack account, so I was just like ‘my turn now, sort me out’ he laughs.
We hear they’ve been through a few potatoes before finding the right one, ultimately settling on red Desiree.
“The potato really matters.,” he confides, “we had to compromise between crispiness and taste [in the end].
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“Sajitas are like super crispy but then they’d taste a bit frozen, you know the vibe, but these are like crispy, but not like 10-10 where you’re like ‘crisps’, but these are really tasty. Like nice and sweet, we brine them for a little bit so its like a bit of sour.”
As he says this, a loud crunch comes from the table behind us which perfectly makes his point.
“They sounded super crispy.!” he says enthusiastically, turning around to find the cruncher responsible. “Sorry, I’ve become obsessed. I’m not even joking.”
It’s early days here still, but we think Marwan’s on to a winner. He certainly knows his potatoes and he’s not wrong about the need for a high quality late night takeaway round that part of town (and every part of town) .
As the saying goes, if you will build it they will come. And come they have.
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Since opening just a couple of weeks ago, The Fry By has been pulling in big crowds with queues sometimes running down the street.
Over a year in the planning, its open from Thursday to Sunday inside The Corner Boy, just off Stevenson Square, and is operating as a sit in or take out from the hatch next to the bar.
With a three year lease, it should be around for some time – but that’s no excuse to be slacking. Next time you’re around for a drink, go see them for a cone. You won’t regret it.
To find out more including opening times, head over to their Instagram.
Eats
Beloved plant-based independent street food business Herbivorous is set to close imminently
Danny Jones
We hate writing this, but we have news of yet another local hospitality closure as beloved Manchester-born and pioneering plant-based brand Herbivorous has confirmed they’ll soon be calling it a day.
If you can hear us sighing through the screen, apologies – we’re just getting really fed up of saying farewell to our favourites, so god knows how rubbish those involved feel.
As you can see, the team behind the multi-location vegan street food specialists began by writing: “It’s a long one so stay with me… It seems you can’t open social media at the moment without reading about another hospitality business closing down.
“Throughout 8 years of Herbivorous years we’ve come up against many challenges from Covid 5 years ago to watching all the big vegan brands from London and beyond come to Manchester and largely disappear again to the closure of Hatch our busiest site, but with continually increasing costs its becoming really difficult to maintain a thriving business.”
Herbivorous started out life back in 2016 as a cult hit at the old outdoor food, drink and entertainment hub centring around a ‘container village’, the first of its kind in the city and soon to reopen under new owners and a new name.
Since then, co-founders Robyn and Damian have gone on to expand not just to one permanent site over in Withington but with outposts in Sheffield and York, having gained a strong reputation with stalls and pop-ups all over.
Their hospitality story might not have the ending we personally would hope for, but it’s been a brilliant one for so many foodie fans – us lot included.
Nevertheless, they go on to add in the emotional statement that external pressures such as a recent bereavement and their own ever-growing family have also contributed to the decision which, despite being an understandably hard one, “feel like the right time.”
“We are so incredibly proud of how far we’ve come from spending long days slinging duck wraps from our green vintage horse box at festivals to three Herbi locations across the North of England”, they continue, “and with that we’ve also met so many fantastic people!”
“Whether you worked for us at a few festivals over [the] summer or for years at our restaurant, we just wanted to say and massive thank you! The memories will stay with us forever and, of course, how can we not mention our fabulous customers!
“Thank you all so much for choosing Herbivorous over the years. Those of you who had our food at Festivals and then found us at one of our permanent locations, those of you who came back week after week to Hatch, Spark, Withington and beyond.”
They signed off by detailing their final business days, with their Sheffield Kommune spot having already shut for refurbishment; meanwhile, their spot in SPARK York will be wrapping up on Saturday, 19 April.
As for their flagship brick-and-mortar venue here in Greater Manchester, Herbivorous Withington will be shutting on Friday, 25 April.
Once again, there’s nothing we can say other than thank you for years of delicious food, that we’re guttted to see you go, and that everyone at The Manc Group wishes you the best whatever comes next.
Cult favourite food spot Desert Island Dumplings is set to close their Manchester shop
Danny Jones
A much-loved Manc spot is bidding a reluctant farewell, and to be honest, we’re not ready to say goodbye to Desert Island Dumplings either, as it’s been announced that they’ll soon be closing.
What started as a lockdown idea has gone on to become a cult favourite of the city centre and among vegans in the area, with countless foodies heading to their quiet little third-floor corner.
Delivering the gutting news at the start of this week on social media, founder Lucy Linford had to assure fans that this sadly isn’t an April Fool’s before going on to share a lengthy and stirring statement.
Taking up ten whole slides and numerous paragraphs in what is one of the most emotional Instagram posts the local hospitality industry has seen so far this year, she confirmed that Desert Island Dumplings will be closing in the coming months.
She began by stating, “This news might come as a shock to you”, adding that “we’ve rolled with the punches these past couple years of years and the shop is busier than ever”, but insisted that closing this particular chapter “is the right decision”.
The little dumpling shop that could hasn’t just been one of the most popular vendors inside Afflecks, an iconic Manchester attraction all of its own – it’s also gone through so many steps to get to where it is now, and it’s a local independent story that you can’t help but admire.
From the days of serving as a little pop-up at cricket grounds and various other street food stalls to establishing a dark kitchen in Liverpool, enjoying stints at GRUB, Sadler’s Cat, Ancoats General, Stretford Food Hall and more before settling down in the Palace’s emporium, it’s been a joy to watch.
Before explaining the reasons behind shutting up shop, Lucy wrote: “Thank you to every single person who has supported to Desert Island Dumplings over the past five years.”
We were left particularly moved and inspired by the recollections of the period shortly after she went “full-time-dumplings”, spending her hours learning about business, “trying to concentrate through webinars, scribbling words like ‘dividends’ and ‘GDPR?’ into notebooks.”
This part of the real hard work that you hardly ever get to see but that so many of those who start out with a dream to make it in the sector have to struggle through, and we couldn’t have more admiration for her graft if we tried – and look what it led to.
It’s also worth reminding the waves this place as made in terms of plant-based dining not just in Manchester but the North West and beyond, standing proudly as ‘the UK’s first vegan fusion dumpling joint’ and not sacrificing on flavour one single bit.
The brand even went on to pitch to Aldi, and you’ll be glad to hear that this isn’t curtains completely: Lucy and co. will still be serving right up until the last day, and as she prepares to take on a Masters up in Edinburgh, the dumps, noods, hash browns plus all the rest of will be a big hit in Scotland, no doubt.
As for the final chapter here in Manchester, the team will be bringing back some beloved specials and fan favourites, not to mention “putting on a few fun farewell events” ahead of their final day on 15 June.
Put simply, Lucy says she’s “loved every second of it”, and so have we. She signed off by adding, “Nothing good lasts forever but memories do.” We urge you to read the post in full, it’s really touching.
Make sure to give them a visit whilst you still can, and thanks again to Desert Island Dumplings for filling our bellies so many times. We hope to stumble across you in Scotland one day.