Exciting new Mediterranean and Middle East restaurant is due to open in early-March
SOMETIME in late-2015, folk were getting very excited about a food and drink lead revival of Manchester’s ailing King Street.
New openings such as El Gato Negro and Quill promised to usher in a new golden era of European café culture for the street once dubbed the ‘Bond Street of the North’.
El Gato opened very successfully. Quill closed with a whimper. A few shops have opened (Kiehl’s, Jigsaw), and a few have moved on (Whistles, Tommy Hilfiger). And that was about that.
Now it seems the street’s food and drink renaissance could be back on, as plans for a new King Street restaurant (first revelealed here in November) launching in the empty Quill site begin to flesh out.
Suri (meaning ‘red rose’ in Farsi… or ‘pickpocket’ in Japanese… let’s go with rose) is billed as a modern new restaurant and bar offering a happy tangle of Mediterranean and Middle East flavours.
Suri is billed as a modern new restaurant and bar offering a happy tangle of Mediterranean and Middle East flavours
The restaurant is the brainchild of former Allied London commercial director, Andrea George, who left a role luring bar and restaurant brands to the city to take a punt opening her own.
“For many years I have wanted to open a Manchester restaurant of my own, having worked closely with other operators coming into the city.
"I have been waiting for the right site and location to deliver this concept and I’m extremely excited to finally be announcing the arrival of Suri. King Street is the ideal destination for us, located in the heart of the city’s business and leisure district.”
“The name Suri is taken from the Persian word meaning Red Rose, representing the restaurant’s ethos that beauty extends through our entire dining experience, from the aesthetics to dishes.”
George, alongside business partners James Coubrough and Fazenda co-founder, Terence Langley, have installed Chef Guy Callister on the pans, who arrives at Suri with an impressive CV including stints at The Savoy, the London Hilton on Park Lane and as UK Ops Chef for Jamie Oliver’s restaurant group.
“The menu offers a diverse selection of plates, using local suppliers and served in a relaxed and informal style to encourage a sharing culture,” says George, “along with a carefully crafted drinks list for people to enjoy at the bar or while dining.”
And there's yet more movement on King Street, this time up the steep end, where Living Ventures continue work to convert the old Grade II-listed Reform Club at 81 King Street into Grand Pacific - due to open in Spring 2017.
Suri is due to open at No.22 King Street in early-March - to find out more visit surirestaurant.co.uk
