The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant is currently recruiting for the city’s first ever ‘five star foodie panel’ to sample and review the restaurant’s newest dishes all from the comfort of their own home.
Do you fancy yourself as the next Jay Raynor? Do you know your velouté from your vichyssoise?
As The River Restaurant is needing feedback on its exclusive new @HOME Package – which includes all the ingredients to cook five courses at home with a bottle of wine to share between two – food-loving Mancunians are now being encouraged to submit their application to join the city’s hottest new review panel.
No foodie CV is necessary, just a passion for good eats.
@HOME by The Lowry is a new dining concept which allows customers to enjoy restaurant quality food at home via a click-and-collect service, so for those not selected as a panel member you can still enjoy the luxury of five-star cooking with the @HOME Dining Package, which is priced at £60 for a five-course meal for two people and a bottle of wine.
ADVERTISEMENT
The five lucky applicants chosen to sit on the hotel’s first ever panel will receive a personalised @HOME packages each month.
With menus curated by award-winning Executive Head Chef Dave Ashton, successful applicants will get to taste different sumptuous dishes and accompanying wines between October and December 2020, with the expectation the role will continue in to 2021, and, if that wasn’t enough, they will also be able to enjoy exclusive hotel member benefits, which includes a complimentary overnight stay at The Lowry Hotel to indulge in five star luxury.
ADVERTISEMENT
All they’ll be expected to do for the role is finish off the dishes at home using the ingredients provided, and rate the dishes using the #LowryLifeatHome hashtag on Instagram or Twitter.
It is a friends or work colleagues birthday or special occasion soon?
There is no better way to celebrate than @ HOME by The Lowry Hotel.
Choose from afternoon tea, Sunday lunch or the dining package.
Dave Ashton – Executive Head Chef at The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant – said: “We’ve been hard at work in the kitchen, developing and testing a five-star dining experience which people can enjoy at home.
“We have successfully launched our @HOME afternoon tea and Sunday roast service, but now we need your help to tell us what you think of our new deluxe dining package and menu changes.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Manchester’s food scene is constantly growing, and we need people like you, who love good food, to tell us what you think of our new menu and help make it even more delicious. Our dining package changes on a monthly basis, so you will sample five different dishes each month paired with a bottle of wine for you and your lucky plus one.
“We look forward to hearing your thoughts and evolving the menu for the following month based on your feedback.”
To be in with a chance of being selected for the role, you’ll need to follow The Lowry’s Instagram account – @thelowryhotel – and send an email to [email protected] with your name, Instagram or Twitter account handle, proof of age, and 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected.
You have until Sunday 8th November to get your applications in.
Members will be chosen by a panel of judges comprised of two representatives from The Lowry Hotel.
ADVERTISEMENT
Don’t worry if you’re not chosen for the role though, because The River Restaurant’s @HOME service also includes a bubbly afternoon tea – which will set you back just £50 for two people – and includes a fully-prepared afternoon tea spread, including tea from the Manor and a bottle of Prosecco, and even a Sunday lunch option – priced at £40 for two people – which includes the freshest of locally-sourced veg, quality meats, and plenty of mouth-watering gravy.
You can find more information about the @HOME service via The Lowry Hotel website here.
Eats
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant unveils big refurb
Thomas Melia
Much-loved Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five has just unveiled a beautiful refurbishment at one of its Manchester sites, along with a new menu of fresh, handmade pasta.
Gone is the famous yellow colour palette of this Italian eatery as they swap in a sophisticated and regal turquoise blue at their Liverpool Road restaurant.
This establishment is known for its impressive shop-window pasta making stations where you can see your food prepared live in-store and while walking past outside the venue.
They’re continuing their foodie legacy serving carby creations, like a flaming cheese wheel pasta where staff blowtorch the cheese to ensure it’s as melty as possible.
One of the biggest menu highlights at Italiana Fifty-Five is the cappellacci, which comes in two equally gorgeous forms and much like its English translation, emulates tiny hats.
These cute little plates come in two delicious stuffed pairings – the burrata, combined with a tangy tomato and beef filling, and a salmon with cream sauce and fresh lemon for a match made in heaven.
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb. Credit: The Manc GroupInside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group
How can you think of anything more ideal than a table full of hearty and home-comforting meals than one that also features an array of beautiful sides?
Usual delights like the burrata on a bed of rocket, tomato and finished off with a balsamic vinegar glaze area great addition to your already faultless food.
Cheesy garlic pizza bread is quintessential when dining in an Italian restaurant, and Italiana 55’s lovely flavour-packed favourite is a go-to when ordering here.
The Liverpool Road restaurant also has a tonnata pizza which uses toppings that are an exact ingredient breakdown of the Mediterranean sauce, which it shares its name with.
In photos: Italiana Fifty-Five has undergone a refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
What better way to wolf down some incredible Italian feasts than with some perfectly paired alcoholic offerings like the classic Aperol spritz, trusted espresso martinis and a selection of fine wines.
Their menu is staying as tasty as ever with their delicious pizzas and pastas, with the new fresh pasta menu available at their restaurants on Liverpool Road and in Didsbury.
Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap
Daisy Jackson
Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.
The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.
The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.
More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.
And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.
In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.
“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.
“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”
The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.
Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.
With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrongHuge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2020 
