A new Thai restaurant taking inspiration from the country’s northeastern region will bring street food-style barbeque dining to Manchester next month.
Brand new Manchester bar and kitchen Neon Tiger will open on 64 Bridge Street this June, in the former Grindsmith unit next door to what was once Randall and Aubin’s Manchester brasserie.
Here, its chefs will use traditional cooking processes of live fire and smoked meat to create a range of sharing dishes to be enjoyed with cocktails and a seasonally-changing wine list.
The Thai grill house, or Baan Yang, will pay homage to traditional charcoal cooking methods with a host of grilled skewer dishes.
Image: Supplied
Diners can expect house made lemongrass and turmeric smoked sausages, King oyster mushroom skewers, and coal-roasted aubergine served with soft boiled egg and sweet soy dressing.
Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find a centrepiece coconut chicken curry noodle bowl – made using hand-pulled noodles created by the Manchester-based Komuji team – as well as bright salads and reimagine nostalgic Thai favourites.
Working closely with a range of premium Manchester-based suppliers, a fluid and seasonal wine list will be provided to the restaurant by Northern Quarter-based specialists Ad Hoc – promising to showcase organic and sustainable wines from around the world.
As part of this offering, a wine flight will also be available as part of the restaurant’s dining experience.
Furthermore, the restaurant will house a contemporary open bar at its front that will serve fun speciality cocktails based on individual flavours like melon, pineapple, grapefruit and rhubarb.
Image: Supplied
Ben Morris, Co-Founder of Neon Tiger, said: “We love this city and are looking forward to bringing what we think will be a new F+B experience to Manchester.
“Neon Tiger was born from our obsession with classic neighbourhood bars, incredible wines and exciting cocktails.
“Food-wise we have taken inspiration from some of our favourite restaurants like Kiln, Smoking Goat and Temper in London as we have always been massive fans of this style of BBQ and think that the bright and bold flavours you get from these dishes would shine in a more relaxed and bar focused space.
“Most of all we hope to have created a welcoming and comfortable environment for people to come and try some delicious things.”
Neon Tiger will open on Bridge Street on Wednesday 8 June, 2022. Opening hours will be Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 12am; and Friday to Sunday from 12pm to 12am.
Feature image – Geograph
News
‘Eyesore’ Northern Quarter car park to be redeveloped as ambitious new neighbourhood
Emily Sergeant
An underused multi-storey car park in the heart of the city centre is set to be sold and redeveloped as an ‘ambitious’ new neighbourhood.
The ‘eyesore’ car park situated in Manchester’s iconic Northern Quarter will be transformed into what Manchester City Council is hoping will become a green and sustainable neighbourhood set to complement the ‘unique and independent’ ethos of the area.
It comes after developers CBRE were appointed by the Council last year to market the Church Street site for disposal, ahead of seeking formal planning permission.
The new scheme will deliver more than 300 new homes – including 60 affordable homes – alongside new commercial opportunities and high-quality public spaces.
A before and proposed after of Church Street Car Park / Credit: Manchester City Council
It’s expected that the development will respect the heritage and architecture of the historic city centre neighbourhood and help to enhance the wider area, all while improving a car park site that has long fallen out of favour.
The new neighbourhood will also feature four new public squares and green spaces, along with opportunities for pedestrianising the surrounding streets as part of the public realm.
As mentioned, commercial space is also part of the plans, as the ground floor of the building will offer a mix of smaller, more affordable units to ensure local independent businesses can access the neighbourhood, alongside units for food and beverage outlets.
“For too long, the Church Street car park has been an eyesore and a barrier to the ongoing success of the Northern Quarter,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“We want to bring forward a world-class development that has the potential to completely transform this part of the neighbourhood, together with the newest city centre public squares and green spaces.”
The final legal negotiations will conclude over the summer, and it’s expected that a public consultation will then take place to inform a future planning application.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
News
‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
Georgina Pellant -
30th May 2022 
