City Centre
Snappy Runners
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022 City Centre
A taste of ‘Dam in the heart of NQ: a first look at Manchester’s first Dutch fry house
Danny Jones
A brand-new Amsterdam-inspired chip shop has opened up on the backstreets of the Northern Quarter, and we have a feeling you’re going to love this one.
Complete with burgers, beer, a whole brunch menu, plenty of cheese and sauce, there may be a lot of calories coming your way, but just imagine how hard this is going to slap on a night out.
Smaak opened up somewhat quietly at the end of April, just in time for a maiden long weekend of Manc punters over the early May bank holiday, and the reviews have got off to a great start.
But we wanted to try it for ourselves, so we did.
Yes, the central crux of a ‘Het Friethuis’, or fry house, is the fries, but trust us, this is much more than a chippy; Smaak is not only the first of its kind in Manchester, but we think it’s nailed on to become NQ’s next big thing.
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Either that, or at the very least, a cult favourite among those who know their schooners from their steins.
Why? Well, besides preaching to the choir when it comes to chips – let’s face it, we Northerners aren’t just converted, we’re practically dipped in the frying oil at this point – the full food lineup is a condensed but satisfying selection full of big hitters.
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Let’s begin with the brunch: it features everything from classic Dutch pancakes and topped Belgian waffles, to breakfast buns, and rostis served up until 3pm; we’re off to a great start.
Then there’s an all-day smattering of bar snacks, including various loaded fries like truffle mayo and parmesan, classic Belgian trimmings, or even the ‘Oorlog’ option with peanut sauce, house mayo and raw onion, to ‘bitterballen’, which are basically breaded and deep-fried stewy meatballs.
But then you peruse the rest of the menu to see not only wonderful beers that taste like they’re flowing directly from casks in the Netherlands, but a trio of traditional burgers (yes, even a fish one) and seven seriously enticing cocktails and desserts, each with a little twist from the region.
It’s also worth noting that A LOT of time and attention goes into this operation, from shipping over a fryer straight from ‘The Dam’, to double-cooking, making all of their sauces in-house, usually freshly-sourced Cheshire potatoes, and the best quality thick-cut bacon, just to name a very small few impressive details.
Some of these recipes literally took more than a year to perfect – and that’s just when it comes to sauces, no exaggeration…
The whole concept was developed with help from renowned chef Kate Austen, who has worked with Gordon Ramsay and even appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu, becoming the first woman to ever win the competition. So yeah, there’s some proper pedigree behind this one, too.
Put simply, you’ve heard of farm table – well, these guys are really committing to that ethos, too, only their slogan is more like “from farm to fryer”, and it shows in the results.
Overall, they’ve just got a really good product to offer here, with a more casual cafe-style set-up on the first floor, the cool pour-your-own beer option, as well as plenty of scope for private hire with the big space downstairs. Located on Back Turner Street in NQ, Smaak is well worth a visit.
Read more:
- The fantastic fuss-free cafe in Stockport serving food just like your nan used to make
- ‘A lovely surprise’ says Manchester restaurant after being added to Michelin Guide
- The best rooftop bars and terraces in Manchester city centre
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
City Centre
Manchester ‘institution’ Topkapi Palace quietly closes Deansgate restaurant after 47 years
Danny Jones
After the best part of half a century, local institution Topkapi Palace looks to have quietly closed the doors to its Manchester restaurant.
Founded way back in 1969, Topkapi has been a mainstay of the Deansgate strip longer than most other venues in the area, but many have noticed that it hasn’t been open for a little while now.
After plenty of speculation online, it now appears to have shut down for the foreseeable future.
It remains to be seen whether or not this is a permanent culinary casualty, but judging by the paper signs now displayed in the windows, things don’t look promising for the Turkish grill.
As posted in the shopfront of the restaurant, an update from Wilson and Doe High Court Enforcement says: “Under the terms of the demised lease, we, as authorised agents on behalf of the landlord, have to this day re-entered the premises known as Topkapi Palace…”
It also warns that any attempts to enter the building will result in criminal or civil proceedings.
The statement goes on to read: “Acting as agents for the Involuntary Bailee, we give notice to any third party who asserts ownership of the Goods to which this notice relates:
- The goods identified at Topkapi Palace (Part Ground Floor and Basement), 205, 206 and 209 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3NW are being held at the Property.
- The Goods are ready for collection immediately, and this is a notice of your obligation to take delivery of the Goods at a mutually convenient time to be agreed and arranged with the Involuntary Bailee’s agents
- Unless the Goods are collected on or before 17:00 on 10 April 2026, the Involuntary Bailee or its agents will remove and dispose of the Goods. The period between now and the Deadline is sufficient to provide you with a reasonable opportunity to take delivery of the Goods.
- If the Goods are disposed of, the Involuntary Bailee intends to retain its disposal costs from any sale proceeds.”
As you can see, multiple units are listed in the forfeiture notice, including the address assigned to their takeaway sister site located just around the corner on Bootle Street, although it’s still unclear whether or not this way will stay open.
For now, it looks like their Stockport site in Hazel Grove will remain untouched.
Somewhat of an institution in its own right, plenty of Mancs will have visited the late-night street food spot even if they have never sat down for a meal in the Topkapi Palace itself.
Posting on the Manchester subreddit last week, one user wrote: “I noticed that Topkapi Palace on Deansgate had shut down, I was gutted!”; another went on to add: “Oh dear – I hadn’t realised this.
“I always enjoyed the food, but it was often quiet during the week more recently, and that end of Deansgate is now prime territory for expensive bars. I doubt the unit will stay empty very long.”
Topkapi’s apparent closure is just one of several in and around the city centre already this year, with several hospitality names having to cease trading due to rising energy bills, business rates, rent and various other reasons. Here’s hoping the sector regains a bit of stability sometime soon.
Read more:
- ‘Stunning’ Old Rectory pub in Stockport has closed down permanently
- The fantastic fuss-free cafe in Stockport serving food just like your nan used to make
- Michelin-recommended rooftop restaurant Climat has closed its doors with immediate effect
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
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