‘Beautifully balanced with a fiery flair’: Taiko by New Wave Ramen, Mackie Mayor, reviewed

Designed to be a 2024 summer pop-up from the brains behind New Wave Ramen, Taiko, located in Mackie Mayor, has become so popular that it’s stayed put well into Autumn and doesn’t show signs of moving on any time soon. 

The kitchen takeover has left the focus on banging bowls of ramen up to their standalone Manchester restaurant on Tib Lane, and instead introduced a kick to their food hall menu with Karashibi spicy miso ramen, steamed buns, sandos and snacks like edamame, kimchi and cucumber.

Visiting Mackie Mayor on the opening weekend of the Christmas markets and whilst the MTV EMAs were in town, I expected it to be hot, stuffy and full to the rafters. Instead, it was pleasantly busy and had a nice buzz to it without too much of the ‘Oh god, it’s almost Christmas. Quick, let's contact those people we haven’t seen all year and meet up for lunch,’ kind of noise you might expect a few weeks from now. 

My partner Dave and I pulled up a pew on one of the benches overlooking Taiko, nicely situated by award-winning real ale and cider bar Jack in the Box which did a good job of quenching our thirst. Dave opted for a pint of house pilsner while I chose the less alcoholic - but equally exciting - Wild Juice Chase (0.5%) from Below Brew Co. 

Standing by Taiko’s kitchen, inspecting the menu as the umami flavours wafted around my nostrils, I took the very professional and well-calculated ip-dip-do approach to ordering, picking out karaage chicken (£8), pork gyoza (£8), and the wok miso (£15) which is described as ‘not spicy’ but full of all those great elements you could want from a ramen; pork belly, bean sprouts, ajitama egg and, of course, a bloody good broth.

All three dishes arrived swiftly, smelling absolutely divine and presented in a beautiful fashion - especially the pork gyoza, which had been seared on the underside to prevent a soggy bottom (oo-er), sitting on a bed of chilli oil and ponzu sauce and topped with seaweed flakes and sesame seeds. 

Salty and sweet with a perfectly portioned amount of expertly seasoned pork so as not to spill out the sides, these gorgeously fluffy little dumplings are served in a portion of six, meaning there’s no fighting over the last one if you’re sharing with a partner - which, trust me, I would have been if it came down to it - these were a delight. 

The karaage was served as a hefty portion of evenly-battered fried chicken chunks with a good sized dollop of Kosho mayo on the side for a zesty little kick. Sprinkled with just a dash of seasoning as not to overdo it, this hearty snack spoke for itself. 

The batter was almost buttery in flavour and mouthfeel whilst still remaining crisp and giving that bite you’d expect from a solid piece of fried chicken - I honestly don’t know how they manage it, but bravo to them for doing so. I’d come back time and time again for this dish alone. 

Dave, a self-professed ramen fanatic, was already a few mouthfuls deep in the wok miso and hadn’t made a peep - a good sign, as you normally can’t keep him quiet. While he wasn’t looking, I took a ladle full of the broth and gave it a good slurp. My god, these guys know what they’re doing when it comes to ramen. Full to the brim with complimenting toppings and oodles of noodles, this bowl of brothy goodness is well worth £15.

It’s no wonder New Wave Ramen were able to open their own city centre venue after securing such a loyal fanbase here in Mackie Mayor. I’m glad they’ve kept their foodhall spot and evolved it into something a little more fiery and unique, appealing to the masses with more of a streetfood style whilst still keeping the same quality and edge they’re known and loved for.

Taiko by New Wave Ramen, Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU

Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young