Following Guardian critic Jay Rayner’s rave review of Erst as “one of the best meals of this year,” we expect there will be plenty of eyes on Manchester’s budding food scene this week.
Whilst Trove’s sister restaurant isn’t getting an inclusion, we felt it deserved an honourable mention – especially given the fact it was also recently ranked as one of the very best restaurants in the country.
That said, there’s plenty more to be talking about too as even more new openings land in the city and – who knows – Rayner could be visiting one of these next.
From indie bakehouse Batard, who have eyes from Chef Table on them as they open their new cafe at SEESAW this Wednesday, to Manchester brewers Track and their brand new taproom, we’ve some great spots for you to check out this week.
Back Piccadilly has long been a spot filled with excellent local brewers. For those in the know, this also makes it a great place to head down and sample some of the freshest beer in the city given that many also have their own taprooms.
ADVERTISEMENT
Already well populated with the likes of Cloudwater, Manchester Union, Alphabet, Squawk, Beer Nouveau, Wander Beyond, this weekend the trading estate will also see Track Brewery open the doors to its new and improved unit, no. 18 to the public from 12 pm on Friday.
Expect 23 taps pouring different creations, including the 3.8% Sonoma – one of the brewery’s signature session beers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Find it at Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP. Track Brewery’s taproom opens Friday 1 October, 12 pm.
Batard’s babke french toast with red wine poached pear, poaching liquor, honey-tahini mascarpone, burnt white chocolate / Image: Batard
Indie bakehouse Batard opens at SEESAW
It’s an exciting moment for fans of Batard’s blackened bakes, as the indie bakehouse moves into a new permanent home on Princess Street. Taking over the cafe at SEESAW, co-founders Dorothy Jaffa and Lewis Loughman will be serving up hearty breakfast and lunch dishes using their own baked in-house breads.
Think porchetta and celeriac sandos, grilled cheese, and the return of their ‘proper’ steak bakes, plus breakfast babka, stout rarebit, and Batard’s signature take on the McMuffin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Find it at 86 Princess St, Manchester M1 6NG. Batard is open for coffee and breakfast from 9 am pm, lunch is served from 12 – 3 pm.
Mana and Three Little Words have collaborated on a new oyster gin in the name of sustainability, and there’s free oysters in it for all of us / Image: Three Little Words
Free oysters and gin martinis at this archway bar
Simon Martin, the chef behind Manchester’s only Michelin star restaurant Mana, has teamed up with distillers at Three Little Words’ Spirit of Manchester to make an oyster gin. All done in the name of sustainability, the gin has been distilled using oyster shells from Mana that would’ve otherwise gone in the bin.
To celebrate its launch, the Manchester Gin team has created two bespoke cocktails and they are giving away free oysters as a garnish – served either fried or fresh – at their archway bar and restaurant Three Little Words.
Choose from the mana Perfect Serve (£9), which pairs the Mother of Pearl Gin with lime, basil, and Franklin & Sons light tonic; or the Mother of Pearl Martini (£11), combining oyster gin with dry white vermouth, bergamot liqueur and lemon bitters.
Find it at Three Little Words, 12-13 Watson St, Manchester M3 4LP.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Acai and
Manchester’s first dedicated açaí bar
A Brazilian dessert originating from Pará and Amazonas, açaí na tigela translates simply to ‘açaí in the bowl.’ Made of frozen acai palm fruit that is pureed and served as a smoothie, it’s become quite a trendy ‘health food’ breakfast option in recent years.
Whilst you can already find açaí bowls in Manchester, this new opening sounds set to become a go-to spot. Started by former pilot Connor and his partner Alisha, the pair discovered the treat whilst travelling and fell so in love they decided to create a business around it.
Eat your heart out Pret, because they also serve banana loaf, yoghurt and granola bowls and avocado toast.
Find it at the Arndale Market, 49 High Street Arndale, Manchester M4 3AH.
Feature image – Batard / Alex Proudfoot
News
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
News
Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Georgina Pellant -
27th September 2021 
