The UK’s best curry houses have just been named for 2023, and we’re pleased to see that a few of our favourite Manchester restaurants have been included in the cut.
The Nation’s Curry Awards were celebrated at a glitzy ceremony in Manchester last night, with hospitality pros across the region picking up gongs for their excellent cooking skills.
Designed to recognise and celebrate ‘the talents and hard work of individuals and businesses within the UK’s curry industry’, awards categories included Best Chef of the Year, Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year, and Best Customer Service.
Taking home the gong for Best of Manchester was Asha’s on Peter Street. A fine dining Indian restaurant established in 2016, it featured in the Michelin Guide in 2017 and 2018 and takes its name from Bollywood icon and founder Asha Bhosle.
Beating other popular Manchester eateries like Indian Tiffin Room, Delhi House Cafe, Kabana, Arnero, Wah Ji Wah, Dhoom Dhaam, Indique, and Chit ‘N’ Chaat, the team took to social media to celebrate after the ceremony writing: “We won! ‘Best of Manchester!”
Image: Asha’s Manchester
Image: Asha’s Manchester
“Thank you to all our customers for your continued support at Asha’s. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the #nationalcurryawards.”
Fans were quick to congratulate the restaurant, with one person writing: “Huge Congratulations. Totally deserving. For my favourite restaurant.”
Another said: “You deserve all the best, you r the one and the one only. Love you all so much without knowing you …”
Asha’s reopened after a period of closure and a change of management last August, following a takeover by KRO Hospitality group.
At the time, it retained its executive chef Ashwani Rangta but he has since moved over to Cheshire to head up the newly acclaimed eatery GupShup. However, the award win last night suggests that Asha’s is as popular as ever.
Other Greater Manchester restaurants to pick up awards at the ceremony included Ayaan’s in Bolton, which was crowned Pakistani Restaurant of the Year, and The Great Kathmandu, a Burton Road favourite which took home the gong for Best Nepalese Restaurant of the Year.
A Spokesperson for the inaugural Nation’s Curry Awards 2023 said: “It has been an unforgettable night, filled with incredible food, vibrant energy, and passionate conversations.
“We have celebrated the finest in the UK’s curry scene, recognising the creativity, innovation, and exceptional service that have become synonymous with this beloved cuisine.
“The UK’s curry industry is a vital part of our culture, and these awards recognised the exceptional talents of the individuals and businesses that make it so special. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and thank you to everyone who participated and supported this event.”
Feature image – Asha’s Manchester
Eats
Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers
Daisy Jackson
The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals.
The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them.
This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester.
Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men.
And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering.
Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthdayPen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long.
On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night.
Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm.
All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.
There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.
Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years!
“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”
Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’
Emily Sergeant
In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.
Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway.
That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.
First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips.
Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree
With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.
To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.
The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.
Georgina Pellant -
21st February 2023 
