Northwest Food News – February 2015
It's a distinctly, um, 'urban' month starring the Hip Hop Wine Shop festival and Urban Food Fest, while the region sees new eateries with both wine dispensers and crisp sandwiches
Things move quickly in the world of food and drink. This column blinked in January and during that split-second a whole load of places were added to the 'Ooh that sounds nice but I probably won't get around to trying it until my bank balance recovers from Christmas/until June' list.
Chief among them is La Bandera, a Spanish restaurant with a menu designed by Michelin-level chef Josetxo Arrieta, which opened just off Manchester's King Street in December with little fanfare, save for a tweet from Manchester City's David Silva.
Chorlton has seen a new opening too, in the form of The Cellar Key, a "sociable wine bar" started by Andy Leathley aka @AndyTheWineGuy. There're sharing dishes, a 65-strong bottle list and an Enomatic wine vending machine. Yes, that's as cool as it sounds.
In Liverpool, The Pen Factory has been making waves already. The new project from Paddy Byrne and the team behind the original, highly successful Everyman Bistro, it's got a seasonal, small plates thing going on and there are crisp butties as bar snacks. Say whaaat!?
Now, it wouldn't quite be Food News without mentioning a festival or two: the roster of Manchester street food events grows ever bigger with the arrival of Urban Food Fest from that there London; they'll be running every Saturday night on Bridgewater Street from 28 February with 15 food trucks.
Liverpool meanwhile have The Hip Hop Wine Shop festival to look forward to – on Saturday 7 February, as part of Camp & Furnace's Curious Community programme, there'll be beats, boarders, wine and talks from industry experts like Joe Wadsack and Dan Harwood. The aim: to make wine less stuffy and more 'urban,' it seems.
And finally, mildly famous chef Mary-Ellen McTague of Aumbry and 4244 Edge Street will be taking over Cuckoo bar in Prestwich. Those lucky North Mancunians!