Favourite place to eat out in Manchester… Hispi in Didsbury. I know it’s not in the city centre, although their latest venture is Kala on King Street. I'm sure the food will be just as stunning. I love the un-fussy approach to the restaurant and they just leave the food to speak for itself. They serve a great Charles Heidseick champagne by the glass to start the evening, too.
The best Dish I've eaten in Manchester recently is… a dim sum selection at The Yang Sing – the menu has a fantastic choice of meat and vegetarian / vegan options. They've also put a lot of work into their wine list. It can be tricky to find the right match with aromatic and Asian food, but they've made it super-easy with selections of what wines to pair with particular dishes. Top marks.
My favourite dining room in Manchester… Not so much a dining room but dining hall, Mackie Mayor in the Northern Quarter. It is such a fabulous building and there is a fantastic buzz about the place. Perfect if you are dining with a friend who fancies something completely different from you. I also love the wine selection at Reserve Wines and great help and advice from Jason Sheldon (the manager). I tried a stunning new Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc last time and they have great wines 'on tap' too.
Favourite lunch spot… I don't normally eat much lunch, especially if I’m working from home (I tend to have whatever is in the fridge, leftovers or I might make a soup). However, I love going to Fig & Sparrow cafe. As well as fabulous coffee and great breakfast/brunch/lunch options, it is a cool place with a lovely creative vibe. My favourite dish on their menu is baked beans on sourdough toast, topped with cheese… what more could you ask for?
If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life… Probably tuna. Great fresh from the fishmonger and seared but also gorgeous submerged in olive oil from jars (not cans!!) – they stock some lovely ones at Booths and who doesn't love a tuna sandwich? Also, depending on what it was cooked with, I might just be able to get away with a light red as well as white wines – very versatile.
Janet Harrison is the founder of the People's Choice Wine Awards – an exciting new national wine competition, which involves wine consumers in the judging process. There are lots of unique categories and features to these awards, including that the ceremony is held in Manchester at The Comedy Store. Running her own wine tasting business, Cracking Wine, for the last five years, Janet set up the awards in 2017 to take the stuffiness out of the awards process and appeal to the average wine drinker.
The competition to find new judges for the 2020 awards is open with a deadline of August 31 2019. If you love your wine and would like to become a judge, you can apply via the following link.