SleuthSleuth is a sideways glance at the city every week, it's the truth, but Sleuth's truth. He's several people all at once. We give £25 for every story/rumour and piece of absurdity you find for us to publish. Sleuth sometimes even gets serious. We ask for the money back if any legal action follows. Follow Sleuth on twitter @mcrsleuth
Aubaine Closes San Carlo Opens
Breaking news Sleuth here.
One of Sleuth’s favourite London imports has closed. Aubaine in Selfridges has been taken over by the San Carlo Group - the most popular proper Italian restaurant in the NW. San Carlo also run the excellent Cicchetti as well (plus eleven other UK restaurants and outlets in Kuwait, Beirut and Bangkok).
Opening at the end of October, San Carlo Bottega restaurant, champagne and cocktail bar will be located on the second floor. It will be more in tune with Cicchetti serving 'expertly crafted small plate dishes, influenced by Italy and Southern France'. Maybe a nod to Aubaine's French inflected menu there.
Then down in the basement (or 'lower ground floor') Pharmacia Del Dolce, a patisserie, ice cream parlour and café will open in November. This will serve freshly baked cakes, pastries and its own gelato. The Chemist of Sweetness (to translate the title - sounds a bit sinister to Sleuth) will offer take out and eat in indulgences.
Sleuth wonders if the much mooted project to give the second floor restaurant with its stunning views (main picture at the top of the page) a second external entrance to enable it to open in the evening will get off the ground - so to speak.
Pretty flowers in Aubaine soon to be San Carlo
The Political Fountains Of Manchester
Sleuth has been staring at the dead fountain in the canal basin below the Bridgewater Hall all year. It's a bit of a rubbish, garden centre fountain for the scale of the space but it's better than nothing. Suddenly hey presto and the fountain is working again. As a trade show insider said to Sleuth, "Just as the Conservative Party arrives for its conference the fountain starts to function". The cuts that the Conservatives imposed following Labour excesses presumably caused the fountain to be turned off in the first place. Now for Manchester to look better during the Tory conference it's been turned back on. Sleuth approves - always try and impress the guests. And once the guests have gone let's keep it going to impress the locals too.
It's a true blue fountain
Most Use Of The Word ‘Yorkshire’ In An Evening
Sleuth was at the launch of James Martin’s restaurant in Manchester 235 on Tuesday night. Lovely decor, lovely food, lovely man as well our James Martin, the chef and TV personality from YORKSHIRE. IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Sleuth being a Lancastrian couldn’t help but notice the number of times Jimmy M said the word ‘Yorkshire’. It was something like 22 times. Funny lot over those hills - Sleuth doesn’t know whether he should call a psychiatrist. Still full report and pictures on Monday from this latest happy edition to Manchester.
Unconfirmed reports are that James Martin is from Yorkshire, that's YORKSHIRE
Mancs Overrun The Garden
MPA is the new and very quaffable ale from one of those fabulous and large family brewers in Greater Manchester, JW Lees. MPA stands for Manchester Pale Ale. Sleuth loves this silly strutting flash mob promo for the beer in Covent Garden. Shoulders back lads, swim dance at the ready.
Sleuth Eats Large
Sleuth has been looking to buy a tent, he feels the outdoor life might work for him. He was in Smoak the other day, the Malmaison eatery with the big meat appeal. He saw the menu. It was big – the size of a TV. He stole about twenty, stitched them together and spent a lovely night underneath the stars in the back garden talking to foxes and gnomes while being bombed by apples from the fruity trees above. The menu is so big that it thoroughly shocked a nun in the Confidential offices.
Shocked nun on the big menu
Sleuth’s Pointless Sign Of The Week
Sleuth is a massive fan of utterly pointless signs. This one on Deansgate opposite Beetham Tower is a real favourite.
Do we need to be warned that this isn't an entrance?
Sleuth’s Favourite Overheard Conversation Of The Week
Sleuth is a massive fan of eavesdropping as well as pointless signs. Just off John Dalton Street on Thursday he was idling around when two men talking loudly passed by. “But would you marry an atheist?” asked one. “I couldn’t do that but…” said the other. “But what?” said the first. “But I’d marry a churchgoing prostitute,” said the other. Life is interesting, thought Sleuth. And weird.
Sleuth's Jaw-Dropping Moment Of The Week
Every seven days or so Sleuth is stopped in the street and asked by policemen, concierges, atheists, Tory fountains, meaningless signs, shocked nuns, James Martin and all the people in Yorkshire: "If we're looking for the bust of a man about to be so surprised that he's preparing to catch his chin in his right hand, where could we find that in Manchester."
"Why," says Sleuth, "that'd be the bust of the genius Halle Orchestra conductor Sir John Barbirolli by Bryron Howard outside the Bridgewater Hall."
And to prove it he showed the policemen, concierges, atheists, Tory fountains, meaningless signs, shocked nuns, James Martin and all the people in Yorkshire these photos.
Sir John is ready to receive his dropped chin
'Listen and praise' is inscribed on the statue - that's what readers should do to Sleuth
