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Sleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to print. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @Sleuth
Oast House Food Shock
Sleuth's buddy rang the other day. "Pint?" said his buddy. "Ok, but I'm hungry too, let's try the Oast House menu in Spinningfields," said Sleuth. There was silence on the phone. "What's wrong?" said Sleuth. "I overheard two people talking on tram about the Oast House, they said the kebabs were 'angin'," said Sleuth's chum. Sleuth thought for a minute, and said, "I'll send you some pictures." He sent the pictures of nice kebabs complete with garlic butter dripping down from the top. The kebabs are always hanging. But not mingin'.
Sleuth's Pictures Of The Week
Well technically the picture of last week. This is a view of Fletcher Moss Gardens in Didsbury and the enchanting rockery. The red, autumnally blessed, plant in the middle - according to the Green Badge Guide with the green fingers, Anne Beswick - "is an acer, a maple, from the Japonica group, it's proper name is Acer palmatum Dissectum." "Are you sure? It looks more like a muppet trying to hide among the plants," said Sleuth's friend.
Incidentially Sleuth asked the council whether Fletcher Moss, the city's best kept garden, was in danger from the council's budget problems. Sleuth's been assurred that current levels of maintenance are going to be continued. They should be thinks Sleuth.
Sleuth's Other Big Red Thing Of The Week
Sleuth's had a good couple of weeks for big red things. He was at the autumn menu launch of the new Cicchetti menu with Gordo (click here) when he was presented with this. Turned out to be a tomato soaked in sweet things. It was a little marvel. It was a pudding tomato. A dessert pomodoro.
Sleuth's Shooting Chefs And Restaurateurs Of The Week....And Shaun Ryder
Sleuth got talking to Marcello Di Stefano who owns Cicchetti. Marcello was proud to announce that he'd shot the pheasant Sleuth was about to eat, in Cheshire fields close to Macc. "Jeez," said Sleuth, "first Robert Owen Brown of the Mark Addy and now you, shooting your own menu. Is there a coach that pulls up in Albert Square every Saturday afternoon to pick up armed chefs and restaurateurs for a day's carnage?" "That might be an idea," said Marcello, "at least that's proper locally sourcing." Sleuth nodded and looked across the road just as Shaun Ryder wandered past being filmed.
Sleuth's Dreams Of Angry Dogs
Sleuth was walking through Seymour Park in Old Trafford. He sat on a bench and had a dream he was being chased by the mad dog below. Police investigations have subsequently tracked the dog down and the dog claims that it (the dog) was in fact being chased by Sleuth.
Sleuth's Dip Of The Week
Sleuth nipped into the excellent tiled underground boozer on Bridge Street, The Gaslamp, this week. Something was up. "What's that smell -is it chlorine?" asked Sleuth. "It's our pot-washing machine," said the lad behind the bar, "it makes the smell everytime we use it and the extractor fans annoy the customers with the noise they make so we don't turn them on." "It's horrible," said Sleuth. "It'll fade soon," said the lad before adding, "some people come in and ask whether, with the smell and the tiles, we used to be a swimming pool?" Sleuth could see why, so he bought himself some pints and jumped in at the deep end.
Sleuth's German Tuition
Sleuth's been enjoying the Manchester Pub Guide (click here). He likes the beer styles glossary. This reads, 'Lager: a beer style from Europe which is bottom fermented and then stored in tanks to mature (known as 'lagering' - lager being German for 'to lay down')'. That makes sense thinks Sleuth, recalling the good old days of Peter Street when lagering would make the customers of Brannigans, Squares, Bar 38 and the rest lay down their stomach contents all over the pavement.
Sleuth Recalls That Old Fashioned Thing - The Property Boom
Sleuth was sent the picture below by a reader who lives in the CHIPS building in New Islington, Ancoats. It's one of the boards used as part of a display by developer, Urban Splash, to describe their 'Millennium Community'. Maybe they should get rid of these boards thinks Sleuth.
'Things are moving fast,' the panel reads. 'In Spring 2006...' the panel reads. 'In March 2007...' panel reads.
"And then it doesn't really go any further," said the CHIPS resident, "Or rather, in 2009 everything stopped apart from some work on the canal and then in 2011 the Ancoats Dispensary they promised to save started to be demolished. It's like a wasteland around here."
"That's a bit harsh," said Sleuth, "there's loads in New Islington ready to take off when the next boom comes."
"Boom," said the reader, "I don't think Sleuth's been following the news."
If every stall in Manchester's Christmas Markets were placed on top of one another they would stretch to the moon. And back. And then back again.
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29 comments so far, continue the conversation, write a comment.
Looks like Daisy Mill in Longsight is for the chop too. This time MCC own the building and are…
Read moreThe initial plan, by all concerned, was always to save & redevelop Ancoats Dispensary though wasn't…
Read moreThat's perfectly true, but for various reasons not relevant to the original point. I'm happy to…
Read moreI'll try again..of course it won't, it's not listed so it will go. The fact that it is elegant,…
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Anyone shed any light at what's happening at Lounge 10? Wanted to book a table but 'phone not working and website down......
looks like it's having a refurb, lots of workmen in there.
We'll be investigating....today
Also, La Chocolatier..
"we will be closed today as the coffee machine is broken"
look closer and the counter has been ripped out and there are no table and chairs? Also, I noticed the sign over a week ago.......
Hate that smell in the Gaslamp - thats why I don't like going there.
They really need to sort it out, it's disgusting. I went in for the first time the other week and won't be going back any time soon. Such a shame as it should be a really nice place.
Yep. It's awful. Won't be going back til it's been sorted
Suprised by the tittle "Oast House's 'angin' food" I read on.... not at all humoured by the slant on scallys on the metro is that really worthy of and article? I ate at the the Oast house last sunday and it is Fabulous! Food and service are impecable!! Remove this nonsence that could be miss contrued as a bad review on what is a great new addtion to the City!
Ha, it worked. Granted - the reverse meaning is not perhaps massively innovative in journalism.
Ancoats Dispensary was recently the subject of an Order by the Council to make it safe so the very top bits have been removed and stored....There is a FB group "Save ancoats hospital" and a link to a petion (not putting the link here as I'm not sure it's allowed....). The decision is as far as we know still pending and a whole host of Heritage groups are now involved. Might check out the Oast House .......
Reading about lager and The Oast House has just reminded me about something. Why go to all the trouble of building something as beautiful as The Oast House, going to all the trouble of sourcing ales and great food and then serve Budweiser as the only lager on tap. It really is the devils piss.
Although I thought the" 'angin food" article was only mildly amusing, I wouldn't go as far to call it "tittle" Andrew.....
who's the 'angin chap in the picture?
paid his sub too
tee hee...
Anon. The answer is simple don't drink lager in the Oast House. Do drink lager in any bar with big screen sports, i.e. Wankabout
Sorry if my taste in drinks doesn't fit in with The Oast House, but I feel that if you're going to sell lager at all then you may as well sell a decent version of it.
Drink snobbery? If you drink lager it doesn't automatically make you a lout or a football hooligan! Similarly, if you drink bitter it's not always through a crumb-filled beard whilst wearing a musty smelling Barbour!
I love real ale but it makes me fart like crazy so I tend to stick with lager. I wouldn't touch budweiser given a choice though... how about a classy german or czech brew?
Hee hee hee, inane giggle - you typed a naughty word Sleuth
Lies to tell to tourists. In 310 AD The Roman Emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus declared Mamucium to be the birth place of the Sun God Sol Invictus (and thus the centre of the earth) and had an altar commissioned on the site of the present day steeple at St Ann's Church. A small cross (which many thought was a masons mark until the 1970s) is all that remains of the altar.
Just because a person prefers a decent lager, it does not mean they are in to places like Walkabout. Ridiculous comment Sleuth.
agreed. You sound ignorant, Sleuth. Perhaps you need to think before you type, as you are starting to sound more Stupid that Sleuth
Too right on the Bud thing. I can only assume they're being directly funded by Anheuser-Busch. Or they're insane.
Truths to tell tourists, I had a rib eye steak at Grill on the Alley on Sunday night with a little twist, a cockroach crawled from under the steak and crawled across my plate,now I'd not ordered it but it was making it's way towards the bernaise sauce, I attracted the managers attention ,I got up and left ,I won't be returning , quite frankly I'm disgusted I'm onto the envireonmental health this morning ! Be warned this place is not the shining light it's cracked up to be.
We're following this up and should have a reply later.
Yuk. Hairs, bits of plastic, the odd fly. But a cockroach for fucks sake? That's put me off for ever - cockroaches live off rotten food.....
David - let us know what the EHO says
I hear you David, I too had an unpleasant experience at Grill On The Alley with the sea bass which was quite obviously off. We left after not having finished our main course never to return. There can only be one reason Manchester Confidential keep plugging this venue; it is getting paid for it.