Sleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious @mcrsleuth
SUSHI WARS
Is it Sleuth, or is Spinningfields on a sushi binge? Yo Sushi paved the way, followed closely by Australasia in 2011 and the now departed Samsi (which took over from Yo Sushi), another mini-Australasia, Grand Pacific, then Tattu and recently opened grab’n’go sushi outfit Nudo. Now Sleuth hears they’re chucking another fish into the tank – a BIG one.
Sleuth has it on good authority (from a builder – the best form of intel Sleuth knows) that London-based fast sushi chain Itsu – created in 1997 by Pret A Manger founder Julian ‘Midas’ Metcalfe - has joined the lengthy London caravan heading north. Sleuth understands Itsu – which has 66 branches across the South – will open in the former Samsi unit (opposite Tattu and next door to the only Greggs in the world where folk queue outside in the pissing rain for a sausage butty) sometime in early-2016.
Two fast-service sushi shops opened months apart within throwing distance? Sleuth hopes they don’t swallow one another.
Itsu is moving into SamsiOh, and while we’re at it, Sleuth also hears there’s movement down at The Kitchens in Leftbank. Latin American outfit Yakumama are reportedly hotfooting it to Oz, making way for a new venture by street foodsters Bangers & Bacon. Well Hung will serve up steak sarnies, steak salads, steak’n’chips and others bits of cow starting sometime next month. Moo.
The Well Hung lads... and lady…MEANWHILE, IN THE NORTHERN QUARTER
And in some rare new Northern Quarter bar news, Sleuth hears we’re to get a new Northern Quarter bar – stone the crows!
One of the chaps behind Northern Quarter tequila bar and restaurant, El Capo, and the Whiskey Jar next door on Tariff Street, has plans for a third bar five minutes away at 93-95 Oldham Street – in the former t-shirt printing store next door to Retro Rehab. No idea of the name or the theme or the gubbins just yet, not that it really matters, Sleuth can assure you there’ll be brick, filament lightbulbs and impudent bartenders charging skinny hopsters £6 for a ‘schooner’ (that’s Australian for ‘less than a pint’) and serving artisan gin in plant pots.
New bar for Oldham StreetMACKIE MAYOR MARKET MOOTED
Elsewhere in the Northern Quarter, Sleuth's heard whispers this week that Altrincham Market’s saviour Nick Johnson - the former chief exec of Urban Splash, chairman of Marketing Manchester, founder of Atlas bar - has his eyes on the Grade II-listed Mackie Mayor building on Swan Street, formerly Smithfield meat market opened in 1858.
Earlier this year, Sleuth’s colleague Jill Burdett met Wes Erlam, development director at Muse Developments, which began restoration works on the historic Council-owned building back in March. Sleuth hears from Wes that the first stage of the refurbishment is now complete, and though they’ve ‘had a lot of interest from potential occupiers’, they’re in no position to confirm anything.
Sleuth hears from a little dicky that Johnson, alongside partner Jenny Thompson, has been mooted to take on the Mackie with designs for an Alty-style food hall. Sleuth says YES, YES, YES. A little under two years ago Johnson and Thompson took hold of the Altrincham Market and turned it, in the words of Sleuth’s drinking buddy Neil Sowerby, into a ‘soaring satellite market’ and ‘one of the best regeneration initiatives around’ (read here). Indeed, last month the market scooped the Observer Food Monthly Best UK Market 2015.
Sleuth says when the Mackie is done hand it over and let’s get cracking, the lack of a decent food market in Manchester city centre is frankly embarrassing.
The Mackie Mayor building on Swan Street - a new food hall for Manchester? (image courtesy of the lovely, assiduous folk at skyscrapercity)
Inside MackieSLEUTH'S FAVOURITE NEW RESTAURANT
Sleuth's pal was staying at the Crowne Plaza in Shudehill this week. Sleuth went to meet him for dinner. "What do you fancy to eat?" asked Sleuth, ready to impress his pal with a torrent of restaurant suggestions. "Someone at the hotel said a new Italian has opened over the road," replied Sleuth's pal, "she reckons it's pretty good - called The Pasta Factory." Sleuth groaned, not only because Sleuth's pal had suggested a restaurant Sleuth had never heard of, thus nullifying Sleuth's smug local restaurant knowledge, but also because it was called The Pasta Factory, which we both agreed was a crap name.
Well slap Sleuth's knee The Pasta Factory - occupying the former Baekdu site on the corner of Shudehill and Hanover Street - was bloody fantastic. Opened by four young Italian chums, who've been grafting away in numerous Manchester bars and restaurants for the past few years, it's an understated room of modest furniture (the best Italians usual are), wine corks, pasta-making kits and chattering Italians (a good sign), with a huge open kitchen. The pasta is fresh, made in-house, and the service merry and grateful. Sleuth ate a wonderful gnocchi dish (around £10), delicate, soft, pillowy, with pancetta and a rich, creamy mushroom sauce. Lovely it was. Sleuth's going back this weekend, you should too.
The Pasta Factory, Shudehill
Sleuth's lovely gnocchi dishSLEUTH'S FAVOURITE SIGN OF THE WEEK
This A-Board at Teacup on Thomas Street always makes Sleuth smile. A-board wit is uplifting.
Lionel Rich Tea makes a comebackSLEUTH'S PROGRESSIVE CHIPPY OF THE WEEK
Sleuth likes the Kingfisher chippy on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter. He likes a digital fish supper, it makes him very Appy.
Wired fish and chips SLEUTH'S SIGN OF THE TIMES
Sleuth was stopped in St Ann's Square by a pair of people from outside the city and asked where St Ann's Square was. "It's here," he said. "No, it's not," said a lady of advanced years, "this map says it's somewhere else." Sleuth's brow furrowed at this existential sleight of hand. "It's here I tell you. Been here for years. Never gone for walk or anything," he said. The lady pointed at the markets map they were stood next to. "Ah that's the wrong map, that should be in Albert Square, the council workers have put it in the wrong place," said Sleuth. "Are you sure?" said the old lady. "How do we know you're right?" Sleuth didn't know how to answer that and fled.
Mapping madness: definitely in the wrong placeZIZZI: SLEUTH'S MINI-REVIEW
Sleuth went to Zizzi this week and drank all their wine. This Italian-by-numbers chain occupies the mightily impressive space of the former Lloyd's Bank, 53 King Street. This is very elaborate and includes lots of Manc references such as coats of arms and bees. Oddly there are the signs of the zodiac in plaster in the centre of the barrel-vaulted main room. Bit odd that for a bank, surely banks are all about certainty not fortune and flights of fancy. The building was finished during WW1 in 1915. It was designed by Charles Heathcote. Shortly after completion architectural academic CR Reilly wrote: 'Although bankers do not come down to their buildings in fancy dress it appears they have, apparently, no similar code for their buildings.' Sleuth found it a very, very pleasant place to sit all the same.
The food was less extravagant than the interior and was guilty of mimicry. Anybody seen this Zizzi Spiedini before: ah yes the Oast House and the Botanist. Bit bland this salmon and prawn dish too and at £14.25 far too expensive. Sleuth's of the opinion that salmon is never really restaurant food anyway, certainly not farmed salmon. No character to the thing, unlike Heathcote's splendid banking hall with its weird signs of the zodiac.
Looking strangely familiar
Lovely interior
Proud to be part of the citySLEUTH'S ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK
Sleuth was on Tib Street recently when he was approached by a man with copies of Bitten and Opening Times in his arms. "Want a magazine for £2?" he asked Sleuth. Sleuth said, "You've just picked those up from a bar, they're free magazines." The man winked at Sleuth, "I just want to get some money really. Don't tell anybody," he said and sauntered off towards a group of people approaching along Thomas Street.
SLEUTH'S HEADLINE OF THE WEEK
The answer... between £4 and £4.50. Glad we sorted that out, now back to ISIS...
...speaking of ISIS, Sleuth's about to get serious. Sleuth's told a building in Manchester city centre was nearly evacuated this week when somebody spotted a half-finished can of coke in a toilet (ISIS had earlier claimed that the bomb used to down a Russian jetliner, killing 224 people, had been disguised as a drinks can). Sleuth also overheard this week someone stated they wouldn't visit Manchester Christmas Markets this year, or indeed do any Christmas shopping in town, because of a perceived terror threat.
Sleuth says come on now folks, the events that have unfolded in Paris and over Sinai and Beirut and Baghdad and Dhaka and Ankara and numerous other towns and cities across the world are atrocious, of course they are, and yes we must stay vigilant, but the only way this bunch of lunatics can succeed is through fear. Let's not let that happen...
SLEUTH'S NAUGHTY BIBLE BIG BILL
Last week Sleuth featured the 'Wicked Bible' one of which is in John Ryland's Library. The printer of this 1600's bible forgot to put the word 'not' in Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery hence the moniker 'wicked'. As most were destroyed there's value in these racy religious texts so when one (as reported here) came up for auction at Bonhams it was expected to make £15,000. It made £31,000. That's a lot of money for a missing word.
AND FINALLY, SLEUTH'S WORST DRIVER OF THE WEEK...
Certainly one way to avoid the jams.
