A TikToker in Los Angeles has set the internet ablaze after claiming to have invented the picky tea.
Consisting of leftovers and various random bits of cold food, any self-respecting Manc knows that picky teas have been a hallmark of British summertime since the dawn of sliced cucumber.
To us Brits, the picky tea is an iconic summer staple – widely known to be every British mum’s favourite thing to serve when the weather gets hot and they don’t want to cook.
But now, the humble hodge podge of ingredients has been rebranded as ‘Girl Dinner’ on TikTok – and the New York Timesis crediting LA social media user Olivia Maher with coining the phrase.
According to an article published in the American newspaper, the 28-year-old used the term to describe her dinner of cheese, grapes, bread, and wine on 12 May.
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In a video that now has over 1.2 million views, she said: “I cannot find the TikTok right now but a girl just came on here and said how in medieval times peasants had to eat nothing but bread and cheese and how awful that was, and she was like ‘that’s my ideal meal’. This is my dinner. I call this ‘girl dinnner’ or ‘medieval peasant.’
The video has racked up hundreds of comments, with lots of Americans posting to say they’re all about these sorts of meals as #girldinner continues to trend on TikTok.
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There are reams of comments underneath, with users celebrating Olivia as the ‘original’ girl dinner creator.
Others have questioned #girldinner’s originality in the comments, with one person saying: “This is actually a European dinner by some standards.”
Another person said: “It’s called picky bits”
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A third person said: “Perfect dinners, I call this ‘picky tea’ just want more bread for you”
Image: Twitter
Image: Twitter
A fourth person added: “I feel like y’all need to look up the average German breakfast(which can be consumed any time of day) because this isn’t really that far off”
A fifth said: “I call this a picnic dinner”
A sixth said: “American women calling picky bits, ‘girl dinner'” with a crying-laughing emoji.
In an interview with Insider, Olivia Maher said: “The name ‘girl dinner’ came to me while on a ‘hot girl walk’ ‘with a friend discussing our favourite low-maintenance way to eat when our boyfriends aren’t around.”
She added that she’d decided to have a ‘girl dinner’ after her walk, and decided to post it on TikTok thinking perhaps ‘other women out there might do the same and feel just as giddy about it.’
New Almost Famous owners praised for ‘honest’ statement about burger joint
Daisy Jackson
The new owners of Almost Famous have released a lengthy statement addressing the legendary burger joint’s shock closure and sudden reopening.
The statement touches on everything from hiring back old teams to reopening those remaining venues that didn’t survive the takeover.
And this ‘transparent and honest communication’ has earned them a wave of praise from fans, who say it’s a ‘breath of fresh air’.
In their statement shared a week after reopening Almost Famous, D2 – the company behind PINS Social Club bowling bar in Liverpool – addressed plenty of the rumours and noise surrounding the high-profile closure.
“No, it wasn’t a publicity stunt,” they stressed, adding: “It wasn’t a pre-planned takeover – we saw the news at the same time everyone else and acted quickly.”
Addressing the staff who were made redundant when former Almost Famous operator Beautiful Drinks shut the brand down, D2 assured followers that they have ‘hired as many of the old team as we could’.
And as for their outstanding wages, they added: “We moved heaven and earth to get them a pay check in February as we knew they hadn’t been paid since December.
Food at Almost Famous since D2’s takeover of the legendary burger brand. Credit: The Manc Group
“It was really important to be able to reopen the venues quickly – we wanted to get staff back into their jobs and keep the existing suppliers -otherwise it wouldn’t have been the same brand we all loved, would it?
“If we hadn’t been able to reopen at the speed that we did – then the existing teams would have had to look at new jobs and we’d have risked losing brilliant people. If you don’t believe us ask them.”
When D2 took over Almost Famous, they had initially toyed with the idea of having it as the food operator in its PINS Social Club, but instead swiftly reopened the restaurants in the Northern Quarter and in Liverpool – though its Leeds and Great Northern sites never got back to slinging burgers.
On that, they said: “Leeds – we’ve not forgotten you. Ideally we’d have all four sites reopen now but the lease agreements were more complicated for Leeds and Great Northern. We had to prioritise the sites we knew we’d be able to save and we’re hoping that we’ll be able to look for new sites soon.”
Since sharing their statement on Instagram, Almost Famous has been flooded with praise from customers for their honest take.
One person wrote: “Great to read such an open and transparent statement about everything, especially regarding the old staff, and their pay, the staff at the NQ have always been one of the reasons I’ve kept visiting anytime I’m up in Manchester.
“I’m looking forward to making a visit at the end of the month when I’m up in the city for an overnight stay.”
Another commented: “This is awesome! I love how upfront and honest you have been with all of this. Taking the OG team back too – more businesses need to take this lead! Good luck with your amazing future, I’ll be bobbing in to get my AF fix ASAP.”
And someone else said: “This is honestly such a positive sign. The fact you’re being completely transparent is a breath of fresh air – I had no idea the previous owners hadn’t paid their staff. I really hope the Leeds branch opens again.”
Manchester’s Joy Division-inspired bar has shut down, to be replaced with ramen restaurant
Daisy Jackson
A bar in the heart of Manchester that was inspired by the legendary Joy Division has quietly closed its doors, and its spot in the Northern Quarter already snapped up by a new operator.
Disorder opened in 2023 on High Street, taking over the former Walrus bar and turning it into a restaurant and bar inspired by one of the city’s most famous bands, with decor including a mural of Ian Curtis himself, painted by the legendary local street artist Akse-P19.
Disorder has now quietly closed its doors, with its social media pages falling silent.
But the site itself won’t stay quiet for long – a new application has already been lodged for a popular ramen and sushi spot to move in.
Maki and Ramen have submitted plans to open another of its Japanese restaurants here in the Northern Quarter, pretty much down the street from their existing, and very busy, York Street.
The brand started life in Edinburgh, before opening more restaurants across Glasgow, Leeds, and arriving in Manchester in 2023.
Founder Teddy Lee spent time studying the art of both ramen and sushi making in the heart of Tokyo to hone the menu at Maki and Ramen.
Maki and Ramen is taking the former Disorder site in the Northern Quarter. Credit: The Manc Group
Now you’ll find sushi, side plates and other mains, including classic tonkotsu ramen, steak tataki and salmon miso.
The interior of the existing restaurant is filled with pink cherry blossoms, and the walls are adorned with post-it notes that customers sign and leave well-wishes on.
Disorder had been serving an Asian fusion menu, which features items like Japanese sandos, loaded skewers, and tostadas, but was best-known for its live events down in its basement.
Georgina Pellant -
10th July 2023 
