Altrincham’s vegan bahn mi sandwich bar is coming to KAMPUS for a pop-up, it has been revealed.
The team will be taking over the KAMPUS bungalow from the most recent residents, Tine, from Friday 8 October.
Serving up hot Vietnamese sandwiches filled with pickles, plant-based pate and Asian-style vegetables and proteins, they’ve been doing a roaring trade down in Alty for the past two years – and now they’re going to be popping up in the centre of Manchester at a new waterside venue.
The nasi goreng at Bahn Vi, which is moving into the KAMPUS bungalow from Friday 8 October / Image: Bahn Vi
It’s not all bahn mi on the menu, though, they also cook up some other Asian favourites like nasi gorgeng and Tom Yum noodle soup alongside tasty little plates of crispy fried oyster mushroom wings with pickled fennel and gochujang mayo.
As for drinks, there’s a choice of hot or cold Vietnamese coffee, plus a range of fragrant teas and Asian beers.
ADVERTISEMENT
They’ll also be running Pho and summer roll cooking masterclasses out of the space, giving diners a chance to try their hand at mastering some classic dishes themselves.
Co-founded by Harry Yarwood and Jess King, Banh Vi was born from a love of travel and Asian cuisine after the couple packed in work for a one-way-ticket to experience the best culinary experiences Asia had to offer a few years ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Bahn Vi team at their stall at Altrincham Market (From L to R: Loui, Thao, Cam, Meesh, Harry) / Image: Bahn Vi
Speaking on the upcoming move, Bánh Vì co-founder Harry Yarwood, said: “Hot, sweet, salty, sour, bitter – we’ve always strived for the perfect flavour balance in our creations.
“Since we started, we’ve won over so many regulars who now come back week after week for our take on Vietnamese and Malaysian food.
“Our ethos has always been about using the best ingredients, supporting local suppliers and just delivering amazing, creative menus that people fall in love with, whether they’re used to eating plant-based food or not.
ADVERTISEMENT
Soup and a sandwich, but not as you know it / Image: Bahn Vi
“The vibe of the community at Kampus is absolutely perfect for us and we can’t wait to be filling the Bungalow with people who may be experiencing our signature Banh Mi sandwiches for the first time.”
Considering that Altrincham was just awarded the best foodie suburb in Manchester at the 2021 MFDF awards, the arrival is perfect timing – giving city centre residents a chance to sample one of the area’s more popular food traders without having to leave town.
Bánh Vì will open Thursday to Saturday from 12 pm – 11 pm, with food served until 9pm, and Sundays from 2 pm – 7 pm. Kicking off on Friday 8 October 2021, the residency will run through to the end of November.
Diners are advised to book ahead by contacting 07549133392 as there is limited space for walk-ins.
Government refuses to deny reports HS2 may not run from Manchester to central London
Emily Sergeant
The UK government is refusing to deny recent reports that HS2 may not run from Manchester directly through to central London.
The Sun reported this week that HS2 is currently in “shambles” and that rising inflation and construction costs could mean that trains may terminate in the suburbs of west London instead of London Euston, as has always been planned – with the paper saying transport bosses were considering pushing back the service’s Euston terminus to 2038, or even scrapping it all together.
The paper reported that trains would be instead stopping at a new hub at Old Oak Common in west London’s suburbs, which is about 8km (five miles) away from Euston.
Passengers would then have to finish their journeys into central London by using the Elizabeth Line.
On top of all of this, the paper also reported that anywhere between a two to five-year delay to the entire project is also being considered by the government, however ministers are refusing to confirm or deny any of the reports.
Government refuses to deny reports HS2 may not run from Manchester to central London / Credit: HS2
A statement provided by a Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson reads: “The Government remains committed to delivering HS2 to Manchester, as confirmed in the autumn statement, and as well as supporting tens of thousands of jobs, the project will connect regions across the UK, improve capacity on our railways and provide a greener option of travel.”
HS2, which has the full name High Speed 2, was originally intended to connect London with Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.
The leg to Leeds has since been scrapped in November 2021, but work on the first phase of the project between London and Birmingham is now well under way, with a part of the line due to open by 2033, despite the fact the project has faced delays and mounting concerns over the exact route, and its potential environmental impact.
While a budget of £55.7 billion for the whole of HS2 was set in 2015, this was made before the Leeds leg was cancelled, and the estimated cost of HS2 was therefore set between £72 billion and £98 billion at 2019 prices.
Transport bosses are reportedly considering pushing back the service’s Euston terminus to 2038 / Credit: Network Rail
A report published last October found it was unlikely that the £40.3 billion target for the first section of the line would be met.
A senior figure at the DfT warned last week that ” tough decisions” could lie ahead for the scheme.
Featured Image – HS2 (via gov.uk)
News
This hidden Manchester pasta and dumplings restaurant has just made the Michelin Guide
Georgina Pellant
Michelin has just added some new additions to its guide, and one of our favourite Manchester restaurants has finally made the cut.
Loved by locals for its continental pasta and dumplings, gorgeous European wine list and sake collection, The Sparrows in the Green Quarter is something of a hidden gem – tucked in a disused railway arch on Red Bank.
It received rave reviews from local and national critics alike when it first opened in 2019 in a tiny space with room for just 12 covers. Since then, it’s relocated to a bigger home and its following has grown significantly.
After spending years wowing foodies in the know, the restaurant has made it onto the radar of Michelin’s inspectors at last – and we have to say, the accolade is well deserved indeed.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Front of house is headed up by Polish-born Kasia Hitchcock with her chef partner Franco Concli at the helm in the kitchen. Plates celebrate Franco’s Tyrolean heritage, with their signature dish spätzle, a rustic fresh egg pasta from which the restaurant takes its name, sitting front and centre.
Traditionally made by scraping dough from the wooden board straight into a pot of boiling water, these irregular-shaped delights translate from Swabian-German to mean “little sparrows.”
Served in multiples ways, they can be enjoyed either savoury or sweet – mixed with braised onions into a creamy gruyere and Emmental cheese sauce, as is traditional, or transformed into a pudding with a touch of cinnamon, brown sugar and butter.
Joining the now seventeen Manchester restaurants to be featured in the prestigious guide, its description reads as follows: “Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is a restaurant whose name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here.
“The dumplings and assorted pasta dishes are all made in-house and include excellent pierogi. The focus on Eastern Europe carries through to the wine list, which has a leaning towards Polish wines.”
A welcome new addition, if you haven’t yet visited then we recommend you book in swiftly. No doubt the news of its conclusion in the Michelin Guide will send reservations filling up pretty sharpish.
Georgina Pellant -
29th September 2021 
