TWO men on a mission to convert Manchester to the joys of combining cutting edge craft beer with acclaimed Gujarati vegetarian grub in one spot stand in their cavernous basement site and tell us their plans over the sound of much hammering.
Stripping away the decorative legacy of the buffet days has revealed acres of white tiling and dark wood
Yes, the embryo Manchester Bundobust is starting to take shape in the bowels of the former Metro Chinese buffet – a sentence that already may be upsetting more sensitive veggies. All going to plan for Marko Husak and Mayur Patel, Bundobust Manchester will open its doors in Piccadilly Gardens late September/early October. The front entrance neighbours onto a Subway, the back entrance is a door into the Northern Quarter and the sheer footfall of the area has obviously been a magnet as they aim to recreate the phenomenal success of the Leeds original.
That is on a small scale with a cramped kitchen. The new venture is twice the size with 140 covers and the kitchen will mirror this, but the basic formula stays the same. Marko’s beer nous, honed in his Sparrow bar in Bradford, joins forces with Mayur’s small plate (tub actually) adaptations of dishes from his family’s acclaimed Prashad Indian restaurant in Drighlington.
Bundobust's Mayur Patel and Marko Husak (credit: Ben Bentley)Simple, authentic stuff like okra fries, classic chaat, idli sambhar steamed dumplings and the only veggie burger you’ll ever want to eat – Mumbai speciality vada pav, deep-fried gram flour-coated mash, served in a brioche bun with fiery chillies and chutneys. “Our secret is the best ingredients cooked to order to create the most authentic tastes we can. We won’t compromise on that,” Marko tells me.
The new place is essentially a restaurant, not a bar with food, so you’ll have to order such spicy treats to get stuck into the liquid treats. There’ll be an array of keg lines and a couple of cask pumps dispensing the likes of Magic Rock and Kirkstall from across The Pennines plus Cloudwater and other Manc hop heroes, as well as a world-hopping selection of bottled beers. Northern Monk brewery, a fellow Leeds indie stalwart, have created a complex wheat beer with coriander and other flavourings to match the Bundobust style of food.
The setting will make much of original features. Stripping away the decorative legacy of the buffet days has revealed acres of white tiling and dark wood, while stained glass skylights will bring in some natural light.
I suggest to Mayur that he should create a special ‘Manchester signature dish’ for the launch. How about an Indian take on Eccles Cakes. ”Not a bad idea,” he retorts. ”Our flaky samosa pastry is not dissimilar. With fruit and spices, who knows, it might just work.”
Bundobust, 61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AP. Follow the Manchester opening on Twitter @BundobustMCR
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