Food and Drink Round-up 05/05/2011

(Coffee) Steam power

How sweet to see MOSI's (Museum of Science and Industry) Coffee Shop open these sunlit days. The broad pavement outside the Lower Byrom Street entrance is now covered wiith tables, chairs and people. It was 8.30am.

Apparently the Coffee Shop, an east facing morning suntrap opens at 8am during the week and at 9am on the weekends. Danishes, coffee, bacon barms and mugs of tea all round. Tis a good idea, and a pleasant spot - pictured here above and right.

Southport food fest

Southport food and drink festival is upon us (click here). It takes place from takes place from 12 –15 May in the town centre. Highlights include celebrity and local chef demos including a Jean Christophe Novelli presentation, chocolate festival, fiery chilli festival, English wine day, kids’ food fest, regional ale festival, whisky festival and markets.

Confidential once chaired Novelli for a Q&A session. Q1) “Tell us a little Monsieur Novelli about....” A) “I will tell you about my experience with...” Novelli then talked about himself for about three hours. Bit of a bore,very conceited. Good job that the other events in Southport look the part.

Bolton food fest

Bolton has announced its line-up for its own (and sixth) Food and Drink Festival. Michael Caines, the two Michelin-starred chef at the Gidleigh Park restaurant in Devon and executive chef of Abode Hotels, will open this year’s foodie extravaganza.

The festival, which last year pulled in an estimated 75,000 visitors, will take place from Friday, August 26 to Monday, August 29. Alongside Caines during the event there’ll be the ubiquitous Gino D’Acampo, and the Hairy Bikers, Si King and Dave Myers. There’ll be local, regional, and specialist traders and a cookery theatre. You can register interest in the festival by clicking here. 

Spinningfields Green once more

The Alchemist, the unofficial Confidential house bar, is running an outdoor cocktail kiosk on Spinningfields Green about twenty metres from their front door. This will open from Thursday to Sunday for lovely summer cocktails including  a Mojito £6.50, a Strawberry Daiquiri £5 and a Margarita £5– including their own playful take on the typical Pimms during Wimbledon. 

Strada...works

Strada (4a Left Bank, City, M3 3AN. 0161 819 5691) was a surprise the other day. The Royal Family of Confidential went down there for a sunny river terrace meal, largely it must be said to enjoy 25% off on the Confidential Heroes card. This is a chain after all, nowt to write home about. But lo! The scales fell from the family’s eyes as all that was produced was spot on, the gamberoni were a hit, the seafood risotto was rich with the sea and so forth; but best of all was the Carpaccio di Manzo, simply delivered with rocket, parmesan shavings, olive oil and lemon for £5.95. Delicious. Chains are usually functional at best. This was much better than that. 

Egg love on a cliff

Editor Schofield and his buddy Mr Moustache dropped into the Mark Addy (Stanley St, City, M3 5EJ, 0161 832 4080) on the River Irwell for a pint and a snack. Four hours later they’d eaten a three course meal and drunk a bottle and a half of Cahors wine each – at least.

Schofield also had gull’s eggs, expensive blighters at £5.50 each, but a rare delicacy. Schofield asked the boss why the menu-described them as ‘hand-picked’. Boss, who’d enjoyed several cohorts of Cahors as well, said, “There are only four or five people licensed to pick them direct from nests of a cliff face in the south of England, they have to get the timing just right.” Must be mobbed by the birds too. Brave men. Strange job though. By the way the eggs take longer to cook due to their greater density and have a glorious depth and richness of flavour. Eaten with celery salt they’re a triumph.

Vimto love

Meanwhile the aforementioned Schofield is conducting the bizarrely named 'Art & Sex & Music & Vimto' tour on Thursday 12 May 2011 – 6pm. He's taking in an unregarded area of Manchester packed with interest – including all the elements in the title, together with the best ‘dark’ view of Manchester.

It takes in Sackville Gardens, proceeds through Granby Row to Oxford Road and beyond: it’s Manchester's Mister Diversity District. Walk starts at 6pm from the Manchester Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Portland Street and Parker Street. Price £6. And we'll finish in a pub for a drink too, which sadly guests will have to pay for. But he's promising free Vimto. Book on jgschofield@btinternet.com or call 07876235638



Hey Prezzo

Food chain Prezzo, have signed a deal with The Peel Group to open a new restaurant at MediaCityUK; their first restaurant in Greater Manchester. Prezzo, have a total of 165 restaurants across the UK and will be located on the ground floor of Orange Tower - overlooking the landscaped gardens and piazza. The tower will also house a new campus for the University of Salford and office accommodation for ITV.

Prezzo should be ok, but is nothing special. What with Costa Coffee already in place - yawn - it's time the MediaCity people started thinking about some individuality. Let's hope that's happening. Still they sent us a lovely aerial picture to support this Prezzo story.