Northwest Food News – August 2014

Oh the paradox of choice! There are so many new openings on the near and distant horizons that the thorny question “Where shall we go to eat?” is going to become even more fraught with indecision. Still, rather that than some dystopian future where we eat the same amorphous white gloop day after day. 

It begins with Hawksmoor. Those who don't pay much attention to the capital or bovine-based menus will likely never have heard of the superlative London steakhouse, whose offerings caused Giles Coren to say: ‘The best steak you'll find anywhere’. He's probably 90% correct and they're coming to Deansgate, Manchester, in 2015. For more meat-centricity, see Cane and Grain, occupying the former premises of Thomas in the Northern Quarter. Ribs are the culinary focus, but as the name implies, the USP is really rum and whisk(e)y.

Liverpool isn't lagging far behind in the race for peak restaurant. The guys behind El Bandito, Santa Chupitos, 83 LTD and Salt Dog Slim’s are on the verge of launching Slim’s Pork Chop Express on Seel Street, much to the chagrin of pigs everywhere. That said, it's a smokehouse-cum-BBQ-joint with more to it than just pork. For those who want something distinctly more European, Cargo restaurant are bringing a taste of the Med to Princes Dock (minus the weather we can assume). Their Twitter bio claims they're bringing a ‘brand new dining concept’ to the city; we're confused as to how a restaurant bar and deli is a new concept, but by Jove we're intrigued.    

And, to round things off, a handful of events. Dead Crafty Beer – a pop-up craft beer bar – are coming to Liverpool in various venues ("disused shops, old warehouses") and will even be offering themselves up for private catering (@DeadCraftyBeer). Mad Hatter and Liverpool Craft Beer Co. will be among the offerings as well as beer from other small independents. Two of Manchester's favourite beery institutions, Beermoth and Marble Arch are joining forces, with the latter offering a unique five-course tasting menu at their pub and the former curating the beer selection (15-17 Aug). Urban gardening festival Dig the City also returns this month (2-10 Aug). We've heard from the horse's mouth, aka CityCo, that the event will be a step up from last year's – we're looking forward to the giant garden games on King Street and ‘The Hanging Gardens of Manchester’.