Kicking off a new season in the Northern Quarter, Rio-Mex has teamed up with Calcio! to deliver a South American fusion rivalling a Copa Libertadores classic. This Mexican-Brazilian crossover is as tasty as Chicarito getting on the end of an Anderson cross in the last days of Fergie’s United.
Calcio was already a footy fan’s idea of heaven, with screens on almost every wall and quality food coming out of the kitchen, but throw in some extra samba flair and things just get even better.
Born from the culinary brain of MasterChef and Great British Menu star, Caroline Martins, the Le Cordon Bleu graduate is now pulling the strings in the back of house and elevating cult classic street food with her fine dining expertise.
Making the switch from the previous scran providers, What’s Your Beef — who are now located over at Central Bay’s Kargo MKT in Salford Quays (where Rio-Mex is also a fan favourite) — Calcio has managed to sort an early transfer before the January window has even opened and they’re sure to prove themselves a popular signing.
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Let’s set the scene: It’s Saturday afternoon, your team is cruising to victory late in the game and a few pints in you’re feeling a bit peckish. Place the order. The full-time whistle blows and a platter of loaded nachos, their signature burrito, chilli con carne tacos and doce de leite-filled churros rock up to the table. Unparalleled matchday vibes. Oh, and obviously another pint.
If you’ve only got room for a snack though, Rio-Mex’s salgadinhos are a traditional savoury nibble to keep you going until full time. You’ll find them on just about any corner in Rio De Janeiro, these fried croquettes packed with flavourful meat, veg and cheese are covered in breadcrumbs and deep fried.
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We’ll say that again: Brazilian-style seasoned meats, veg, gooey cheese and just pure goodness covered in carbs and then deep-fried. Need we say more?
Credit: The Manc GroupCalcio! was already plenty of fun before Rio-Mex arrived — it’s just even better now.
And it doesn’t stop there either. If gaming is more up your street, you can battle it out on their retro games consoles and table football. Super Nintendo, Sega Megadrive, PS2 — they’ve got the lot. All you need to do is grab those mates whose parents let them win growing up and smoke them on Wii Sports.
Continuing the Italia ’90 theme, the shot selection is something straight off out of FIFA’s ‘Classic XI’. Keeping things classy on the touchline is ‘The Mancini’ (Limoncello); ever dependable in midfield is ‘The Keane’ (Baby Guinness) and if you’re looking to add that finishing touch, ‘The Chicharito’ (Tequila Silver/Gold) has you covered — and this is just a small taste of the Rio-Mex cocktail selection at Calcio.
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So whether it’s a fresh and authentic taco, a trusty old burrito, rustic Rio street bites, or just some proper good booze to make even the dryest of 0-0’s feel like a five-goal thriller, we highly recommend taking your tastebuds on a Brazilian-infused Tex-Mex trip with at Calcio!
We love this place and have spent a lot of time there since they opened last year — so much so that we invited down Andy Milne, a.k.a. the ‘World Cup Guy’ along for a pint.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Rio-Mex(via Instagram)
Eats
Manchester’s favourite Irish pub Mulligans is giving away hundreds of FREE pints next week
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s oldest and most iconic Irish pub has announced that it’s giving away hundreds of free pints next week.
Mulligans is finally adding the beloved Irish stout Murphy’s to its already-exceptional draught beer lineup, and to celebrate the launch of Guinness’ slightly lesser-known cousin, the first 1,989 people through the doors will get a pint of the good stuff for free on one day only next week.
Originating from Cork, Murphy’s is known for its smooth, mellow profile with subtle notes of caramel and malt.
The much-loved stout was first introduced on draught in the UK all the way back in 1989, hence the number of free pints being given away next week.
The unmissable giveaway will be taking place for one day only next Thursday (8 May) from 11am right through to 1am, and open to all punters on a first-come, first-served basis, with one free pint per person… but you’ll need to be quick if you want a freebie, because once those 1,989 pints are gone, they’re gone for good.
Mulligans is giving away hundreds of free pints of Murphy’s next week / Credit: Supplied
Murphy’s joins Guinness as the second stout on draught at Mulligans, and with the Deansgate institution already famed for pouring what many call ‘the best Guinness outside of Ireland’, you can expect that every pint of Murphy’s will be just as expertly poured.
Those heading to Mulligans for their free pint next Thursday can also look forward to the venue’s famously-lively entertainment being in full swing all day long.
“Murphy’s has been a long time coming and we’re excited to finally be serving it on draught,” commented Pádraig Brady, who is the owner of Mulligans, ahead of next week’s highly-anticipated giveaway.
“The idea behind this giveaway isn’t just to introduce the stout and celebrate its history, but to give people another reason to enjoy a proper Thursday day and night at Mulligans with our extensive live entertainment offering.”
In case you missed it, Mulligans recently had a bit of makeover, which most-notably included the renovation of its upstairs space complete with vaulted timber-beamed ceilings, a mezzanine-level stage, and two new bars with even more room for dancing and drinking.
So if you haven’t had a chance to check out the new space yet, then what could be better than sipping on a free pint while you’re at it?
The Murphy’s giveaway will take place on Thursday 8 May from 11am, and guests are encouraged to arrive early to claim their freebie.
Featured Image – Supplied
Eats
Popular Thai street food restaurant Zaap Thai is finally coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A Thai street food restaurant with sites all over the North has finally announced plans to come to Manchester for the first time.
Zaap Thai is famed for its authentic and affordable street food-inspired menu, served up in restaurants designed to mimic the bustling street food markets of Bangkok.
Expect colourful fairy lights, illuminated signs, graffiti art, enamel crockery and even seating booths built into tuk tuks.
Zaap Thai already has locations in cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Durham, but hasn’t made it into the North West before now.
It’s now set to open on Lincoln Square – where you’ll already find Maray – this June.
This new Zaap Thai location is set to be one its biggest venues to date, with 160 covers.
The expansive menu features 80 dishes from across Thailand, from street food small plates to big bowls of noodles and fiery curries.
Their menu highlights include chicken satay, crispy pork belly, stir-fries like Pad Ga Prao, and sweet dishes such as mango sticky rice and pandan custard pancakes.
That’s alongside Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails, plus Thai lagers like Singha.
Zaap Thai is coming to ManchesterFood at Zaap Thai
Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester.
“This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community.
“Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny South East Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time.
“Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to bring the Zaap experience to Manchester!”
Zaap Thai Manchester will open on Lincoln Square in June 2025.
Harry Quick -
17th November 2023 
