Salmon & Avocado Open Bagel
19 Cafe Bar
Part of 19 Cafe Bar’s absolutely massive breakfast/brunch offering – ordering one of these open bagels is an absolute MUST whenever you find yourself there. My pals and I had a wander over last weekend – mainly because they were sick of me going on about just how good it is – to get ourselves some bagel goodness. Thick cream cheese, creamy smashed avo, LOADS of smoked salmon and 2 perfectly runny poached eggs sit comfortably on top of a MASSIVE open bagel – delicious. My absolute fave brekkie dish to ever exist. All their bagels are also available to order gluten-free, which was perfect for my friend – who fully approved of my weekend brunch choice.
British Minute Steak
Don Giovanni
Realistically, could Manchester’s Oldest (and my favourite) Italian get any better? The answer is YES. Their brand new ‘Curfew’ menu launched this week and it basically means you can get any main and THREE drinks for £22. Naturally, we opted for the British Minute Steak with 3 Pornstar Martini’s because that’s got to be the best value, right? The steak from DG is always perfection – cooked on their Josper Grill, the Minuto Bistecca (British Minute Steak) is a deliciously juicy cut of Sirloin and comes with a thick and creamy Peppercorn Sauce and a side of fries. The perfect substantial meal to line your stomach before your 3 cocktails.
Smoked Pineapple Margarita
The Pen & Pencil
P&P (as us in the ‘know’ call it) will be introducing a new cocktail menu this week, with around 12 brand new and creative concoctions to get your lips around. Naturally I wanted a piece and so we went down to try a few of them out and my word – this Smoked Pineapple Margarita is a winner. Sometimes pineapple can be a bit too sweet but the smokiness of the thing brings it down and makes it a purebred winner in my book. The new menu will be launched on Tuesday – so if you want to try – head on down.
Berber Eggs
So Marrakech Cafe
Located on Altrincham’s Market Street, the So Marrakech cafe serves up breakfast, brunch and lunch from 9am daily. Served alongside specialist tea and coffee – their full menu is based on staple flavours from Moroccan cuisine and the full venue is to die for. A couple of us went over this week to give their Moroccan brunch food a whirl. Here’s my fave, the Berber Eggs (baked eggs) with spinach, herbs, Merguez Sausage and sourdough. It’s so good.
Bottomless Cheese Naan
Zouk Tea Bar & Grill
The Chef’s over at Zouk introduced their Bottomless Brunch offering this month, and it’s DELICIOUS. Now I love most dishes that come out of the Zouk kitchen but this gooey Cheese Naan is something else (and it’s bottomless!!) Made in a tandoori oven in front of you in their theatre-style kitchen – these are absolutely massive so we didn’t actually need more than one. Soft, warm and deliciously cheesy – this is the perfect dish to mop up your Chicken Tikka Massala.
‘Pub Stew’
The Bay Horse Tavern
You’ll see the ‘Pub Stew’ on the new Tier 3 menu at the Bay Horse and probably wonder what the hell it is and why it’s so vague – well I’m here to assure you that it’s bloody well fit – and the perfect remedy to these cold, wet days. You’ve got veg, succulent beef and roast potatoes – all coated in a thick gravy just ready to be mopped up with some buttery bread. I must admit that I did lick my plate at the end of it all – but I’m not embarrassed or ashamed – I’d do it again.
Arancino
Sugo Pasta Kitchen
Who doesn’t love Arancino? The guys over at Sugo Pasta Kitchen are ridiculously passionate about making Italian food exciting again, with many of their dishes featuring distinctive twists. They’re actual pasta experts, and we trust them to deliver nothing but good, hearty Italian food every time. This baby has got to be up there with the best of the best when it comes to Italian dining in Manchester. Their Arancino is filled with basil, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella fior di latte cheese and comes served with a delicious roasted red pepper dressing. A gooey, cheesy, tasty slice of goodness.
Goldbox
202 Kitchen
202 Kitchen is just every Instagram influencers dream. The MCR Finest gals headed over this week to make our TikTok dreams come true and to have a little nosey around the brand-new venue. Whilst we were there, we thought we’d give their famed ‘Goldbox’ a try, and it’s safe to say it was UNREAL. It featured grilled lamb chops, a whole lobster tail with lemon and pepper sauce, truffle mac & cheese, creole spiced prawn skewers, mixed fries, coleslaw, garlic butter corn and sticky waffle wedges – I know. It’s as good as it looks honestly. Wash it down with a couple of their cocktails and I’d say you’ve got yourself the perfect day out with the gals.
Burger Buddy Meal
Cane & Grain
Rather weird name aside, Cane & Grain this week introduced a great new deal – 2x burgers, a mound of fries, corn on the cob (with shit loads of butter) and 2x drinks for £20. Perfect for you and your little ‘buddy’. Oh yeah, they also introduced a new Bottomless Deal too, where you can get Bottomless Ribs, Wings and Booze for 90 minutes for just £25 per person! Both are available every day and will leave you with some serious meat sweats.
