El Gato Negro founder Simon Shaw has teased a first glimpse of the menu for his new opening Habas – a Middle Eastern restaurant set to launch in Manchester this summer.
Housed in the former wine cellar of the historic Manchester Club building just off King Street, the hotly-anticipated venue is tipped to welcome its first customers in June.
Habas will focus predominantly on small plates, and given how this concept has enjoyed huge success at multi-award-winning sister sites El Gato Negro and Canto (the latter was recently awarded a Michelin Plate), we know this is something Shaw does very, very well.
From tomato filo cigars to spiced lamb ‘jackets’, some intriguing creations have been revealed today – stirring excitement for this summer’s opening.
Feta cheese, wilted spinach and sunblush tomato filo cigars
Small plates so far include a homemade garlic and herb flatbread with hummus and zhug, Middle Eastern raw slaw with pomegranate molasses, bata harra (spicy fried potatoes with dill sour cream) and beetroot hummus with Greek yoghurt and dill.
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Feta cheese, wilted spinach and sunblush tomato filo cigars have also piqued our interest piqued, along with the spiced lamb ‘jackets’ (fried potato skins filled with spiced lamb, served with mint yoghurt).
Alongside a generous small plate selection, the menu will also feature some larger dishes and feasting platters.
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Beetroot hummus with Greek yoghurt and dill
Speaking on the new opening, Shaw said: “Back in the late 90’s you’d have struggled to have found Middle Eastern restaurants outside of London. Even there, they existed largely to feed the local community, people from Middle Eastern countries and living in London, it was almost regional to them.
“Times have changed and there’s a whole new wave of Middle Eastern & Mediterranean cuisine coming through.
“It’s an amazing style of food, simplistic but with a real depth of flavour that blows you away. It’s what excited me about it as a chef and I think it will have really broad appeal.”
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He’s not wrong. This year alone has seen the emergence of some successful Middle Eastern pop-ups in the city, most recently Evelyn’s Pitta Shop – which saw their head chef Phil Cardy cooking up traditional Israeli pittas and babkas over the last lockdown.
Middle Eastern raw slaw with pomegranate molasses
From what we understand, the new menu at Habas Shaw is very much leaning into the fusion side of things – its ingredient selections making connections with the Spanish food, Syrian lentils and spiced aubergine dishes of El Gato Negro.
“Middle Eastern cuisine has many influences and Habas is a fusion of all,” added Shaw.
Describing the menu as “a real labour of love,” Shaw adds that he can’t wait to unveil it in its entirety.
“There’s something for everyone, whether you’re dining as a table of two, six or twenty. It’s a really inclusive style of dining.”
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Bookings for Habas are due to become available in the coming days.
To be amongst the first to hear when reservations go live, you can sign up to the restaurant and bar’s newsletter on the Habas website.
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Girl, 14, charged with attempted murder after stabbing at Manchester high school
Emily Sergeant
A 14-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder following a stabbing at a high school in Manchester earlier this week.
In case you need bringing up to speed, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a stabbing at a school on Plant Hill Road in Blackley – confirmed to be Co-op Academy Manchester – on Tuesday morning (9 June 2026), and when they arrived on the scene, they discovered that two students and a teacher had been injured.
A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault, before being taken into custody for questioning.
It was confirmed yesterday by GMP that the girl had been detained under the Mental Health Act, but now, following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), she was charged yesterday evening (11 June) with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed article on school premises.
The three people injured during the shocking incident earlier this week have now all been released from hospital after being assessed.
Due to circumstances surrounding the incident, the investigation was passed to Counter Terrorism Policing North West, although at this time, it has not been declared as a terrorist incident.
The girl is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court today (Friday 12 June).
Speaking following the charges, Detective Chief Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: “These are extremely serious charges against a young girl and, working closely with Greater Manchester Police, we continue to support the victims and their families and offer support to the wider school community, who have been deeply affected by what happened.
“Although charges have now been secured, our investigation is still ongoing, and we continue to work with local policing colleagues in the Blackley area.”
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The simple hack that can save healthcare workers and teachers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
In fact, even those working in education can cut their costs, too.
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £500 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
As mentioned, education workers can also benefit from similar money off, with an extra £50 per person through the TUI x Discounts for Teachers partnership, as well.
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager for TUI, said in a statement: “Getting away is absolutely vital for wellbeing, especially for those working in high-stress healthcare and education roles.
“With the cost-of-living crisis still putting a strain on household budgets, we know how hard it is to stretch your pay to cover a much-needed family break. By unlocking these exclusive TUI deals, we hope to give our key workers the realistic recovery time they deserve without the financial worry.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes and teachers looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
Georgina Pellant -
6th May 2021 
