There’s a new fried chicken roast dinner breaking onto the scene in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and it sounds absolutely incredible.
Consisting of a giant Yorkshire pudding, sweet potato mash, roasties, veg, crispy chicken skin and Kong’s signature fried chicken thigh, all this then comes topped with chicken gravy to provide hungover Mancunians with the ultimate Sunday cure.
Using thigh meat, the chicken here is brined for three hours, rolled in a secret spice mix, then double-dredged for a crispier texture. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, did we mention that the fried chicken roast also comes with a game-changing extra layer of fried crispy chicken skin ‘crackling’?
Phwoar.
A close up of the fried chicken roast dinner from Kong’s Chicken Shop / Image: Kong’s Chicken ShopThe fried chicken roast in all its glory with Yorkshire pudding, sweet potato mash, roasties, veg, crispy chicken skin and Kong’s signature fried chicken thigh / Image: The Greek Eats MCR
The fried chicken roast is the latest creation to come out of Kong’s Chicken Shop – the brainchild of Tom Potts (bar manager at CBRB and all-around fried chicken mastermind).
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The fried chicken roast premiered last weekend and seems to have been a hit, as he’s now decided to run it again this Sunday 8 August – albeit in limited numbers.
Sharing the news to Instagram page yesterday, Kong’s said: “Don’t know if you heard but we dropped a fried chicken roast yesterday. A lot of you have been asking if we’ll do it again next Sunday…
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“Well, we are yeah! Obviously! And hopefully every Sunday maybe forever?
“If you’ve been following up from our humble beginnings as a collection pop-up at CBRB you might remember that we asked you to pre order and book a time slot through our DM’s.
“If you want to secure a roast on Sunday, drop us a DM with what you’d like and if it’s a chicken or veggie! Walk-ins will be available but we’re only doing very limited numbers so if you don’t wanna chance it slide into those DMs.”
Up until now, Kong’s has been all about the wings, burgers, and tater tots, so this new fried chicken roast makes an exciting new addition to the lineup.
The fried chicken passion project, which first started life as a pop-up out of CBRB, is currently operating out of Northern Monk’s kitchen on weekends. If you want to get a fried chicken roast this weekend, that’s where you want to head.
They’re serving up their regular menu across the weekend too, but if you want to head down on Sunday for your fried chicken roast dinner fix, it’s worth dropping them a message first to secure your plate as the numbers are going to be limited this weekend.
You can hit Kong’s Chicken Shop up on Instagram here.
Food & Drink
Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down
Danny Jones
Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.
Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.
Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.
Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.
Credit: The Manc Eats
While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”
The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.
Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.
Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.
While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.
A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.
We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.
You can get FREE cookies at this ‘munchie exchange’ in Manchester on Saturday
Emily Sergeant
You can get your hands on free cookies in exchange for other unopened snack foods at a popular Manchester park this weekend.
That’s right, this Saturday is 4/20… and if you don’t know what that means, just Google it.
In a bid to mark the global event, Insomnia Cookies has decided to “spark up excitement” with it’s calling its most “blazing” offer yet.
The cult late-night bakery – which has two sites here in Manchester city centre, on Cross Street inside the Royal Exchange and off University Green, as well as a newly-opened shop in Fallowfield – has aptly-named the event the ‘Munchie Exchange’, and is inviting foodie fans down to a popular park in Fallowfield for some freebies.
You can get FREE cookies at this ‘munchie exchange’ in Manchester on Saturday / Credit: The Manc Group | Insomnia Cookies UK
Set to be hosted across “the green green grasses” of Platt Fields Park on Saturday 20 April, the company‘s dedicated pop-up will offer laid-back Mancs the chance to upgrade their snacks with a one-of-a-kind deal.
All 4/20 celebrators will need to do is bring unopened, non-perishable snacks either to the Platt Fields pop-up, or any of the other three Insomnia Cookies stores in Manchester on the day, and exchange them for a freshly-baked warm and delicious cookie – and no, no that kind of cookie.
The munchie trade-up isn’t only a treat for your taste buds either, as every snack collected will be donated to local Manchester foodbanks.
Beyond the exchange, there’ll also be a ‘secret’ 4/20 offer that’s available for one day only too, and it means you can get yourself a box of four classic cookies for only £4.20 when you head to any of the three Insomnia Cookies stores in Manchester and say “I’ve got the munchies” to the cookie crews serving them to redeem.
“We’re all about bringing joy and deliciousness to our fans, and will be serving up in Platt Fields Park for one-day only,” commented Millie Ralston, who is the Senior Marketing Manager at Insomnia Cookies, ahead of this Saturday’s event.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd August 2021 
