If you love a good curry, but can never quite seem to recreate that restaurant standard when you’re cooking up a storm at home, look no further – because Manchester’s legendary Indian restaurant Zouk Tea Bar is here to show you all the tricks of the trade.
The award-winning Manchester curry house is famous for its high-quality dishes, and proudly shows off its chefs through its Manchester restaurant’s semi-open kitchen.
Found just off Oxford Road, at Zouk diners can watch the chefs hard at work – making fluffy, fresh naans in the tandoor oven and simmering aromatic curries on the industrial-size stoves – from the restaurant floor.
But for those really eager foodies, Zouk is now breaking down that fourth wall and inviting diners into the kitchen to learn tips and tricks from the curry masters themselves.
Video: Zouk Tea Bar
Diners can opt to don their own aprons and take a spin in the kitchen themselves, learning how to cook popular British curry house favourites like chicken tikka masala and lamb rogan josh from the masters themselves.
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And that’s not all, you’ll also get to grips with how to make onion bhajis, chicken tikka and seekh kebabs from scratch – just as it’s done in the restaurant.
There are also vegetarian and vegan course alternatives available for those who want to learn but don’t eat meat.
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Zouk’s curry school gives die-hard curry fans the chance to get up close and personal with their favourite dishes, with the kitchen’s best chefs on hand to skill you in you how to properly prepare a selection of different Indian starters and mains.
Starting at 10am and finishing at 1.30pm, all courses run for half a day – and in that time you’ll be initiated into the world of Indian cooking, learning how best to prepare your spice mixes and simmer down dishes for the perfect consistency.
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Taking place on 18 June, more information and tickets for the British Favourites cookery class can be found on Zouk’s website here.
Feature image – Zouk Tea Bar
Manchester
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.
Man City fan jailed after causing £10k damage to a police vehicle following Champions League victory
Emily Sergeant
A Manchester City fan has been jailed for his part in large-scale disorder following the club’s Champions League victory.
The court heard how, following Manchester City’s Champions League Final win over Inter Milan in Istanbul in Turkey on Saturday 10 June 2023, jubilant fans flocked to the streets of Manchester city centre for late-night celebrations.
The large influx of fans in high spirits prompted a police response to ‘ensure public safety’ and ‘prevent any public disorder’, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
However, the disorder did begin to escalate despite police presence.
A number of fans, including 22-year-old Leon Blackett, scaled a police vehicle and proceeded to jump up and down on it, which subsequently caused more than £10,000 worth of damage, and resulted in the vehicle having to be written off.
#JAILED | Leon Blackett (14/01/2003) of Craigmore Avenue, has been been handed a three-month jail term for causing £10k worth of damage to a police vehicle following the club's Champions League win in 2023, along with 41 months for other offences.
Following the disorder, an investigation was launched by GMP’s City Centre policing, with officers obtaining social media and CCTV footage that helped them to identify those responsible.
Blackett admitted to the offence, after he was arrested on Thursday 19 October 2023.
Following admitting to the offence, Blackett was sentenced to 44 months in prison – a three-month jail term for this football-related offence, along with 41 months for possession of a bladed article and a domestic related communications offence.
He has also been given a seven-year Football Banning Order, commencing on the day Blackett received his sentence.
“The actions by Blackett in the wake of Manchester City’s historic Champions League Final victory were completely unacceptable,” commented PC Matt Ford, from GMP’s Specialist Operations Planning Unit.
“This is a timely reminder to those who commit crimes while following the football in another country, we will seek prosecutions for unacceptable behaviour.”
Georgina Pellant -
31st May 2022 
