Food & Drink

Lakeside dining domes reopen at Heaton Park for the summer

The dining domes were closed after 'senseless' vandals broke into them, but now they're returning for the summer season - with later opening times and a new evening picnic menu.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 6th July 2022

Afternoon tea fans can once again enjoy scones and finger sandwiches by the waterside as Heaton Park reopens its lakeside dining domes for the summer.

After being targeted by vandals during the spring, the newly-refurbished domes are back to help us enjoy a bit of the al fresco experience this summer – no matter what the Manchester weather decides to do with itself.

Set in the midst of beautiful parkland, the refurbished domes will once again serve up a range of afternoon teas alongside a soon-to-be-launched summer evening picnic menu to help you make the most of the lighter evenings.

Image: Supplied

With later bookings being made available up until 7pm, evening visitors will have the option to tuck into a new summer picnic package with scotch eggs and sausage rolls, chocolate-filled churros, molten Camembert and cauliflower mac & cheese, not to mention a glorious range of salads.

The private dome’s afternoon tea menus also return with several choices on offer, including a vegan tea, all carefully curated by Heaton Park Cafés to offer a mix of quintessential classics and reimagined takes on all-time favourites.

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Each dome is fitted with shaded glazing and air conditioning, to keep you comfortable no matter what’s going on outside, with stunning views of the lake and park surroundings.

As for those who want to get out on the water and explore the lake and its scenic surroundings, Heaton Park Boats offer a range of hire boats, from the family-friendly Swan Pedal boats to traditional rowing and all-new Electric craft, for a more leisurely cruising experience. 

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Image: Supplied

The Dining Domes can seat up to six and children’s menus are also available.

The Afternoon Tea menus are £23.95 per person and served with a pot of English breakfast or speciality tea or regular hot drink, such as a barista-crafted coffee made with the unique Life Café Blend Coffee Beans.

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Read more: Scenic lakeside dining domes open for afternoon tea at Heaton Park

Heaton Park is a historic area on the edge of Manchester and is the perfect setting for a family day out. There’s something for all ages with an Animal Centre to a Tram Museum, play areas, bowling greens and delicious food and drink options curated by The Stables Café and The Lakeside Café.  

To make a reservation for Afternoon Tea please visit the Heaton Park cafes website here.

Feature image – Supplied

Food & Drink

Yard and Coop is collaborating with The Great Kathmandu on a special burger

The Manc The Manc

Yard and Coop is collaborating with The Great Kathmandu on a special burger for National Curry week.

The buttermilk fried chicken heroes have teamed up with Gopal Dangol, the visionary founder of Didsbury’s beloved Nepalese restaurant, to create an absolute gem.

Combining The Great Kathmandu’s award winning Makhan Chara sauce with Yard and Coop’s famous fried chicken, it will be available throughout the coming month starting from Monday 2 October.

Using Yard and Coop’s 24-hour brined buttermilk chicken, plus crunchy slaw with lime and coriander, the one-off special features homemade bhaji bits and cardamom salt.

The main event, however, has to be the two Yard and Coop buttermilk fried chicken thighs dunked in The Great Kathmandu’s mouthwatering Makhn Chara buttermilk sauce.

The iconic Makhan Chara, created as a culmination of Gopal’s culinary experiences in the vibrant and diverse food landscape of 1960s India, serves as a tapestry of flavors and textures that reflects his masterful understanding of Indian and Nepalese cuisine.

Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group

Despite numerous chefs and restaurants attempting to replicate the Makhan Chara, none have managed to capture the nuanced balance of flavors and textures that Gopal Dangol originally conceived.

An inviting blend of orange and red hues, achieved through the natural pigments of the tomatoes and spices, sets the dish apart visually and – combined with Yard and Coop’s crunchy, crispy buttermilk chicken – makes for a striking burger.

Known for its towering dirty burgers and fried chicken plates, served under tongue-in-cheek names like The Dirty Bird and The Massive C*ck, buttermilk fried chicken thighs are very much the order of the day at Yard and Coop.

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The restaurant has been a staple on Edge Street for as long as we can remember, and now we have one more reason to visit.

To find out more and book a table at Yard and Coop to try the special burger, click here.

Food & Drink

The Mean Eyed Cat – Manchester’s brand new Deep South-inspired dive bar opens in Northern Quarter

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Mean Eyed Cat is ready to open in Manchester

The Mean Eyed Cat, a Deep South-inspired dive bar with free pizza, is ready to open its doors in Manchester city centre.

The bar is already a familiar face on the bar scene, pulling out all the party vibes for almost two decades.

It’s now slinking its way onto Oldham Street, with a late-night sister bar, Tiki Hideaway, tucked down in the basement.

The Mean Eyed Cat has taken what was the futuristic, Blade Runner-esque dining room of District and flipped it into an American dream, with neon signs, weathered wooden walls, and rows of beers and bourbons behind the bar.

District’s old basement cocktail bar is now dripping in straw ceilings and bamboo walls as it turns fully into a Hawaiian-themed rum shack famed for its flaming Zombies.

The Mean Eyed Cat comes with plenty of unusual details – where else in town could you roll a dice and let fate decide how much your round at the bar will cost (FYI, it’s 25% off if you roll a two or a four, and it’s free if you roll a six).

Every drink you purchase at The Mean Eyed Cat in Manchester between 5pm and 9pm comes with a free pizza
Every drink you purchase at The Mean Eyed Cat in Manchester between 5pm and 9pm comes with a free pizza. Credit: The Manc Group
You can roll a dice at the bar at The Mean Eyed Cat in Manchester to save money on your round. Credit: The Manc Group
You can roll a dice at the bar at The Mean Eyed Cat in Manchester to save money on your round. Credit: The Manc Group

Every drink you purchase between 5pm and 9pm comes with a free pizza. The catch, you ask? Nope, there isn’t one.

Pizza toppings include cheeseburger, chipotle fajita and buffalo cauliflower, with the West Yorkshire branch getting through hundreds every day.

There are several Johnny Cash-themed drinks on the Mean Eyed Cat menu, including I Walk The Lime (a Key Lime Pie-inspired creamy classic with Absolut lime vodka, apple juice, sugar syrup, cream, lime curd and a sprinkling of lime zest) and Ting of Fire (a zesty, fruity, vodka number with watermelon liqueur and Ting grapefruit juice).

Grant Dexter, Managing Director at Escapism Bars, said: “With many hospitality firms and venues feeling the pinch due to the energy crisis and cost of living, it’s exciting to be able to open these awesome venue, which includes not one but two incredible bars, in this popular area in Manchester which spans the NQ and Ancoats.

“We opened The Mean-Eyed Cat in Leeds back in 2004 and it has stood the test of time, attracting students, after work drinkers, party goers and anyone that likes to let their hair down. We can’t wait to see what Manchester’s legendary revellers make of the venues!”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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