I CAN wax lyrical about a few stalwart Manchester Caribbean joints: Chicken Run in Moss Side, Kool Runnings takeaway, Buzzrocks in Hulme - all of which have managed two-decade stretches in the city.
Only a few days into business and The Yard already has queues snaking out the door
I can point you in the direction of the best ‘chicken split’, as well as some place where the curry goat has more meat than bone, and which places can outshine Levi Roots for flavour.
But then many of our readers will be familiar with these veteran establishments and think of them fondly – both for the good and the bad bits.
But there's always room for new blood.
With the likes of Caribbean chain restaurant Turtle Bay moving into two big, bustling spaces in the city centre, there’s been calls for more smaller, independent Caribbean restaurants to step up, refine and polish up their offering and take it to the big-hitters.
And now jerk chicken has become as much a staple of hip and modern spots as the dangling filament lightbulb (although not as ubiquitous as sweet potato and smashed avocado), there’s certainly room for a wider variety of Caribbean grub amongst the city's growing gastronomic scene.
Good news then that there's plans afoot for not one, but two new Caribbean joints in the city centre - both run by young, fresh-faced entrepreneurs with an eye for flavour and a nose for business.
Here's what we know so far...
THE YARD - THE KITCHENS, LEFTBANK
Full of energy and bright ideas, 22-year-old Maximilian Thomas means serious business with his first venture, The Yard. He’s taken up a prime spot in Spinningfield’s casual street food space, The Kitchens, and only a few days into business already has queues snaking out the door (though their £2 introductory meal deal might have something to do with that). The Yard’s sudden popularity is unsurprising considering it caters to the area’s heaving grab-n-go lunchtime market, offering a healthy soul food alternative to the mundanity of the nearby Pret, Bagel Nash and Greggs.
The opening menu is, well, brief, although there are plans to add much more in the near future. For now though, The Yard is serving up jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, ackee and saltfish, with the option of white rice, rice and peas and/or salad.
On first taste it definitely has all the expected heart and heat of Caribbean food. The jerk chicken is a given winner, though we recommend you try Jamaican national dish, ackee and saltfish, instead. As with the rest of the food, they've given this a lot of love, with strong, noble flavours.
Thomas launched his new business after examining current Caribbean models and employing Manchester University's tasting labs to help refine his main dishes. The young vendor tells us he aims to retain some island authenticity while having universal appeal – a difficult task, but one he’s keen to achieve.
The Yard recently opened at The Kitchen, Leftbank
THE DROP - SWAN STREET, NORTHERN QUARTER
When we first announced that Chorlton had welcomed a new Caribbean restaurant to Barlow Moor Road, foodies immediately hot tailed it down to the suburb for a cool, young take on authentic island grub. The Drop's popularity built up continuously over the year that followed and tplace is usually packed to the rafters on Sundays for its Jamaican-meets-British take on a roast dinner, the ‘Reggae Roast’.
Delivered with a laid-back Caribbean cool set to a modern beat, The Drop has always seemed primed for a move into the city centre. Now word on the street is that restaurateurs, Ezrick Saunders and James Gill, have been eyeing up a building on Swan Street, in the Northern Quarter (near Band on the Wall). Although a very decent location (particularly considering ambitious plans for the Mackie Mayor), it will put them in direct competition with nearby chain rivals, Turtle Bay. A bold move, but we reckon they're up to the fight.
The duo have kept pretty schtum on plans for now, but have hinted at a different direction for the new venture.
The Drop, Chorlton
Owners Ezrick Saunders and James Gill
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