Who's behind it? Back in 1997 Tampopo co-founder David 'Foxy' Fox packed-in a safe accountancy gig in London to start a pan-Asian restaurant in Manchester... the loon. Nearly two decades later Fox, alongside business partner Nick Jeffrey, has four Tampopos; three in Manchester and one in London.

Depending on the occasion and whether or not you'd like to feel your legs, Tampopo are also serving Sangsom

So what's new? Though Tampopo is a relative codger of the Manchester restaurant scene, the rejig and relaunch of this Manc bastion of pan-Asian food is enough to warrant a 'New Opening' tag, of sorts. So what's new? Well, aside from the twelve new (mostly big chain) venues surrounding diddy Tampopo within the Corn Exchange (Manchester's new £30m street food supermarket), they've done away with communal benches, added a bar, bought some cushions, ramped up the small plates and appear to have filched a stack of luminous street ads from Bangkok's Khaosan Road - yes 'Cabbages & Condoms' is a real restaurant, not a vigilant Chlorophilia porno.

Tampopo, Corn Exchange
 
Tampopo, Corn ExchangeTampopo, Corn Exchange

The blurb: "The world’s most exciting cuisines come from East Asia, where food is fresh, healthy and delicious. In Asia people believe that good eating is essential to good living. Our restaurants reflect that. We want our customers to join us on a taste tour and explore the fantastic food of this region. Our menu is made up of the best street food and signature dishes from across East Asia with an incredible variety of flavours and textures that we found in the cuisines of the countries that we visited and fell in love with." - David Fox, Tampopo co-owner

What to order: Whilst all the old favourites are still present and correct: Pad Thai, Ramen, Thai Red/Green curry, Nasi Goreng (Foxy's favourite), Tampopo have recently drafted in Masterchef finalist and local supper club darling Jackie Kearney (aka The Hungry Gecko) to examine the menu. The outcome of which is seven new dishes, including crisp and punchy Japanese sticky wings (£4.95) and an equally lively Laksa (£4.50); a bright golden spicy, sweet, creamy coconut broth with a beguiling waxy texture courtesy of a handful of candlenuts. Order them both, follow with a six-hour cooked thick, dark and rich Beef Rendang (£12.95), and you won't go far wrong.

Japanese sticky wingsJapanese sticky wings
Beef rendangBeef rendang

And booze... Beers come via Asahi, Tiger and Laos, whilst the wine, thankfully, comes from beyond Asia and starts at fifteen quid a bottle. Depending on the occasion and whether or not you'd like to feel your legs, Tampopo is also probably the only place in the North serving Thai rum Sangsom, which, as Anthony Burgess would say, induces a 'somewhat metaphysical elation'.

What Else? Having asked over 50,000 punters what they'd like to see on the new menu, the overwhelming response was for a Thai Massaman curry. So to break-in the new look gaff and test run the dish, Tampopo are giving away free Massaman-chester curries to the first 100 folks who turn up in Exchange Square between 1-2pm on Thursday 10 December.

Where Is It? Corn Exchange, M4 3TR - opposite Next on Exchange Square.

Find Out More: tampopo.co.uk, @tampopoeats

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Laksa soupLaksa soup