Manchester’s original independent Pan Asian restaurant Tampopo turns 25 this year – and to celebrate, it’ll be giving away 100 katsu curries next week.
Next Monday, the restaurant will hand out one of its most popular dishes from a pop-up Katsu station outside its Corn Exchange site.
Katsu,a crispy fried cutlet of meat or seafood made flaky with Japanese panko breadcrumbs, is one of Japan’s most popular dishes – often served with a sweet and savory spiced fruit sauce called Tonkatsu.
Tampopo’s version comes as either crispy chicken or sweet potato served with the restaurant’s special house curry sauce, and has been a favourite at the restaurant for a quarter of a century.
Image: The Manc Eats
From 12pm on Monday 20 June, there will be a pop-up Katsu station offering the free Katsu curries out on a first-come-first-served basis.
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The free curry giveaway will kick off a summer of events, offers and rewards for loyal fans of Tampopo.
Diners can enjoy a special anniversary offer of 25% off click and collect at all of Tampopo’s restaurants across Manchester, The Trafford Centre and the East Street by Tampopo Kiosk.
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Tampopo will also be collaborating with Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) to launch a special foodie podcast series, chronicling the last 25 years of the Manchester food and drink scene with special guests from the wider hospitality community.
The podcast will launch with a big party at MFDF in September.
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Image: Tampopo
Tampopo first opened its doors in 1997 with its original restaurant in Albert Square. The first dining establishment of its kind back in the 90s, twenty-five years on it now has four Greater Manchester outlets and another site in Fitzrovia, London.
Tampopo has also welcomed some celebrity diners over the years, including Victoria and David Beckham, Ian Brown and Jason Donovan.
David Fox, founder of Tampopo, said: “I am proud to have been a part of the Manchester dining scene for 25 years – a time which has seen the city’s food and drink community develop almost beyond recognition.
“I’m happy to have played a small part in the lives of so many loyal customers and team members over the years too – those moments of happiness when family and friends can share food at our table is truly special.
“We even have five Tampopo team marriages, and six Tampopo babies including a set of twins! All in all it is the people that have made the last 25 years so special – so, here’s to the next quarter century with them too!”
Salford confirms another ex-player as new CEO of phoenix rugby club
Danny Jones
As Salford turns the page of a new chapter in its rugby league history, ex-Red Devils player Ryan Brierley has been announced as the new chief executive officer (CEO).
His appointment was confirmed on Wednesday, 24 December, giving Salford rugby fans some fresh hope over the festive period.
Brierley, who played as a full back at Salford Red Devils from 2022 before leaving for Oldham RLFC halfway through last season earlier this year, follows fellow former player Mason Caton-Brown in returning to the team in a leadership capacity.
Sharing the news on his own social media, he wrote: “Incredibly honoured to announce I have been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Salford RLFC.”
His official statement goes on to read: “I would like to place on record my gratitude to the board members Malcolm Crompton, Mason Caton Brown and Paul Hancock for this opportunity. I would also like to thank the RFL and Salford City Council for their continued support.
“Lastly, but most importantly, to the Salford fans: what we had to go through last year was heartbreaking. I think I can speak to the wider Rugby League community and echo the sentiments of all fans that no club should ever go through that experience.
“Thank you for letting me lead this organisation into a new era. I’ve always said Salford people are my people and I will protect this club, with its best interests at heart. It is important [that] expectations are managed, and patience is required.”
He signed off by simply asking for the same support he was afforded as a fan, adding: “I have no doubt in my mind that you will go above and beyond, it’s just what Salford fans do…”
Led by the aforementioned Caton-Brown (a retired winger who played for the Red Devils between 2014-26), as well as another pair of directors in Hancock and Crompton, the Salford phoenix club has officially been given a Championship license for 2026.
Although relegation from the Super League and liquidation after 152 years were dark days for the club, this new consortium has already provided fans with some promising signs.
Besides saving the Salford sporting institution from total extinction, having previous members of the old outfit who know the bones, the stadium, the culture and the city so well is obviously a big bonus.
For now, it is a race against time to get a squad ready for the season opener against Brierley’s last team, Oldham – though contracts for a head coach and several players have reportedly been “pre-agreed”.
Featured Images — John Moorhouse (via Geograph)/supplied (via Rumpus PR)
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Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Georgina Pellant -
16th June 2022 
