FIVE out of six isn’t bad going for pop-ups becoming permanencies. That’s the tally three and a half years on from The Kitchens Leftbank experiment launched by Spinningfields developers Allied London.
Time moves so quickly on the Manchester food and drink scene you may not remember all the six street food traders chosen from over 200 applicants. Each was given a custom-built unit for a period to make their case for further investment from the landlord. Only one could win.
As it was, out of the original six – Mumma Schnitzel, Wholesome and Raw, Yakumama, Chaat Cart, The Hip Hop Chip Shop and Bangers & Bacon – it was the latter who triumphed. They’re still there in two units made into one, trading as Beastro. ToM reviewed their Christmas menu last month.
Their capturing the big prize was a fitting reward for the energy and enterprise shown by co-owners James and Heather Taylor and Richard Brown (main image), who have run supper clubs, chef’s tables, even held their own culinary celebration of the Chinese New Year, while their Well-Hung steak sandwich Spinningfields spin-off has recently occupied a unit at Hatch (a similar street food opportunity without the competitive pressure).
That Kitchens Leftbank pressure (or a gathering disenchantment)led to three traders quitting early, leaving just Chaat Cart (South Indian street snacks) and The Hip Hop Chip Shop (deep-frying fish to a new level) to battle it out with the nascent Beastro. So what became of the Leftbank Six? A happy ending, mostly.
Just Wholesome & Raw, champion of all things, raw, superfood and juiced, is no more in any form, its creator now building an acting career in Australia, we are told. The rest have all put down bricks and mortar.
As have a second wave occupant (not eligible for the ultimate prize), Platzki, who are serving their excellent traditional Polish food at Deansgate Mews in the Great Northern Warehouse…
YAKUMAMA
As a long-time fan of these purveyors of South American food, ToM has been happy to plug their recent successful crowdfunding campaign to open a restaurant/bar in the Old Co-op in Yorkshire/Lancashire border town Todmorden. The menu will be exclusively vegan/veggie because of terms applied by the landlords at this former wholefood store.
Which is a shame because beef empanadas are a speciality of Marcelo Sandoval (Leeds-born but with Chilean roots), but the plant-based food he produces with partner Hannah Lovett is well worth the trip over. They’ll be cooking vegan at their final Manchester street food appearance – GRUB's ExtraVEGANza at Fairfield Social Club (Jan25-27) – before opening their new place in early March.
Hannah promises us a relaxed vibe in their new 30-cover Tod venue with a no-booking policy and more emphasis on bar snacking from an open kitchen. Initially, they will be open Thursday-Saturday with hours still to be arranged. No regrets about abandoning The Kitchens Left Bank (for Australia for a while)? “No, it all seems so long ago.”
That year 2015 Yakumama won Street Food Trader of the Year in the Manchester Food and Drink Awards. The following year that category was won by Left Bank neighbours Chaat Cart…
CHAAT CART
It was inevitable the ebullient Aarti Ormsby would progress beyond street trucks and her debut restaurant inner home town of Marple, has won widespread acclaim since opening in spring 2017. Quite tiny (25 covers with a few more in the ‘gin garden’), it’s quirkily smart with dark turquoise walls, ceramic monkeys holding up the wall lights and red garlands draping from the ceiling.
The leap has obviously given scope for Aarti’s culinary imagination to blossom way beyond what was on offer in Spinningfields. Deanna Thomas, reviewing for Manchester Confidential summed it up nicely: “The flavours were intense, the level of detail in the food and the garnishes was monumental and felt pretty much like visiting a talented Indian auntie who loves to cook and loves to feed.” We worship her gunpowder potatoes and onion and kale bhajia.
THE HIP HOP CHIP SHOP
Ozzie Osborne and Luke Stocks’ revitalisation of fish and chips with a soundtrack straight outa Compton and beyond completed the Left Bank Manchester Food and Drink Awards hat-trick by scooping the Street Food gong in 2017. A regular truck presence in Media City and a residency at Kosmonaut bar in the Northern Quarter kept Feastie Boys and other signature dishes in the spotlight while they began the tortuous task of creating a permanent home in Sawmill Court, Ancoats, alongside Sugo, Elnecot and Mana. Well, they’re up and running now in a narrow, welcoming space adorned with hip hop memorabilia, naturally, and Luke’s deep-frying skills a cause for joy as we found on an early visit.
MUMMA SCHNITZEL
Our final ‘where are they now?’ trader has morphed into several identities, taking it beyond the original breaded chicken-based ‘schnitzel love in a bun” remit down by the Irwell. Martin Walsh and Hollie Scrancher now run a mini empire straddling Altrincham Market House and the Mackie Mayor that encompasses Tender Cow (both sites), fish-led Fin and Rotisserie NQ (Mackie), all terrific food offerings.
WHOLESOME & RAW
RIP smoothie operators. Never again will ToM get to tackle a bubbly blend of pineapple, spinach, kale, banana, lemon, organic spirulina (no, me neither) and raw organic hemp protein. Unexpectedly yummy, as we recall.