LUNYA : SPANISH CUISINE (UK)

Spanish Cuisine isn't something I know very much about. I've only had it once in my life and this would be the second time trying spanish cuisine. I know about the cheeses, the cured meats and paella. I definitely have tried paella before. Anyway, we decided to head down to a renown famous restaurant by the name of Lunya. It is in a popular district for good food and great atmosphere.

The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated. They have many sculptures on sale there inside the restaurant. There is a bar at the bottom which has spanish ham hanging from the ceiling. We were seated upstairs near the window which has a very nice view. 

The place was already crowded and filled with noise and chatter. 

We decided to order jointly. All of us wanted to try the paella. I know typical, but we didn't know what else to eat. But the paella here in Lunya is well known, so we figured why not. We also had a platter of goat's cheese, with grapes and very thin crackers. We also had several cured meats. Different slices of pork, chorizo being one of them. We then were finally served paella which takes at least forty five minutes to cook. 

The cheese was absolutely delicious. Monte Enebro, which is made out of goat's milk and have won some awards. It had the usual sour taste from the goat's milk and was creamy. It paired well with crackers of which I had for the first time ever and grapes. 

The meat platter was delicious with several slices of different cured meats. It had the oily and nutty taste to it. The slices were thin as it was overpowering if eaten in large quantities since when cured, the flavour is concentrated like how dried fruits are especially sweet. 

Finally we had the paella, which is something almost like a risotto. It is rice cooked with some moisture still retained, like congee but with less watery substance and less thick. It is mixed with many different spices and ingredients like seafood or chorizo. It has this orange near red colour. The paella was really good, rice cooked well and not crunchy, as this is the mistake often made with paella and risotto. 

I have to say eating in Lunya was a good experience. The servers were friendly and the food and atmosphere was a delight. For the price of the food wasn't half bad. I really recommend coming here. It is a good experience. 

Location: Manchester M3 2BB Barton Square Manchester

Opening times:

Monday – Wednesday   10.00am – 9.30pm

Thursday                          10.00am – 10.00pm
Friday                               10.00am – 10.30pm
Saturday                           9.00am – 11.00pm
Sunday                             10.00am – 9.00pm

This is Sharon, signing off this week's post. Stay tune every week for more. 

ABEL HEYWOOD: PUB HANGOUTS (UK)

There's one thing that is in abundance in Mnachester, it is definitely pubs. There is always one watering hole somewhere in corner. Their food at times aren't amazing, they aren't actually known for that but at times some pubs serve delicious food. This pub in particular serve not only as a pub and a restaurant but also a boutique hotel. A boutique hotel are very popular at the moment, they are fashionable and they are in the popular part of the town.

Abel Heywood is located near Deansgate at the area famously known as Northern Quarter. It is this big red brick building, probably once a factory in the industrial age. The words Abel Heywood running across the middle of the tall building. It doesn't take very long to get there, and it is very near to Picadilly Station.

We were greeted by a large crowd as it was dinner time. The pub seemed to be a popular destination for many white collars who were socialising after work. The place was bustling with life and it was so crowded we had no idea how to get upstairs to where the restaurant was situated. Eventually we did find it and we were brought to our reserved places immediately.

There was a lovely bar at the front and we all ordered some cocktails. I had strawberry daiquiri and others were mojitos and cider. It was definitely spring with the festive feel from the drinks ordered.

We decided to share appetisers which were marinated fried chicken and fried cuttlefish. The fried chicken was very similar to the korean version which was sticky and sweet. There was some essence of ginger and lime, which some familiar asian spices.

 It was crunchy even though it was heavily marinated. The cuttlefish was delicious, salted properly and seasoned well. It wasn't so oily and actually was very light.

I had the lamb, harrisa rump of lamb with garlic and rosemary potatoes and grilled courgettes. It was delicious to say the least. It was done medium, still pink on the inside. It was marinated with harissa spices and it really went well with the potatoes and courgettes. I finished it really quickly. It has been awhile since I had such meat.

My friends ordered delicious meals and their meal were all wonderfully prepared. There was a seabass with vegetables and asian pork sliders on pieces of chinese white buns and some chili fries.

I would definitely recommend this place to whoever wishes to try good food with great atmosphere. The prices aren't exorbitant nor are they cheap but I think it's worth the meal.


Opening times:

Sunday	11am–11pm
Monday (Spring Bank Holiday)	11am–11pm Hours might differ
Tuesday	11am–11pm
Wednesday	11am–11pm
Thursday	11am–11pm
Friday	11am–12am
Saturday	11am–12am

Location: 38 Turner St, Manchester M4 1DZ 

This is Sharon, signing off this week's post. Stay tune every week for more posts. 

YUZU RESTAURANT: JAPANESE CUISINE (UK)

I've only been in Manchester a fair amount of time, and I still do not know the city as well but I luckily do have friends who do. I've been brought to lots of asian food places and one of them is this japanese restaurant called Yuzu. Literal translation sour mandarin. I think the hardest part is naming something and trying to get it what you want it to embody. Well to me it is, I'm pretty sure everyone else find it easy to name like their book or something. I'm always making things harder than it seems, I do not know why. I'm trying guys.

Okay, so we go down to Chinatown. It's very near chinatown and right after the japanese restaurant we went to an asian dessert place nearby.

So anyway, going to it. The restaurant is quite a high class place, but not very big place with seating but I think that is what they're trying for. Cause as I have read in manga, yes I read mangas, I know, I'm a huge nerd, I love comic heroes too by the way. Anyways, it is always to my knowledge that food places aren't so big, they have to maintain a specific size, not sure why, also have seating near to where the chef is cooking because, well I don't entirely know, maybe to get closer to cooking experience, the show of it? I can't seriously tell though.

So we have like a few dishes to order. It was kind of pricey, but I really didn't mind. I had my favorite like order when I eat Japanese food, Udon with tempura platter, but there was like a different type of noodles, it's called Kishimen. It's flat and broad like a fettucine pasta. It of course does not have the same texture as a pasta, less sticky and more slippery since it's soaked in the broth. I love soup noodles, because of the flavorsome and wholesome taste you get because it's boiled with lots of ingredients and it's brought into the very spoon in which you drink it from. Oh the shivers of delight.

I have a love for tempura, it's meant to be not oily, and crunchy to the taste. Usually good restaurants do it very well, while others make it kind of heavy and oily. This one is really good, light, and definitely crunchy. It was an array of sliced eggplant, sweet potato and beans with giant shrimps. So there's always an extra plate of a type of dipping broth for tempura, well for some restaurants, not this one though.

I did not try the miso soup in the restaurant, not going to lie, dislike miso soup. I think there was a trauma when I was kid that brought me to dislike it so much but I can't remember what it is, and has cause me to hate it forever.

Overall, the meal was good, though I don't know if it was worth 16 pounds but they did use quality products from the taste of it.

They do not serve sushi just meals. So if you wanna eat that you could go to one of those rotation types of sushi places.

You could check out their website. This place is quite well known, and has a good reputation in Manchester. I, however had the best udon ever in Brighton, and ever since it cannot compare to anything else.

WEBSITE: http://www.yuzumanchester.co.uk/

Open: Tuesday — Saturday
Lunch: 12pm — 2pm(Last order 2pm, 2:30 on Saturday)
Dinner: 5.30pm — 10pm(Last order 9:30pm)

This is Sharon signing off this week's episode on The Makan Post. Stay tuned for more episodes coming your way.

The Makan Post brings to you weekly food adventures, so be sure to catch us every week for new episodes and dont forget to subscribe to us. Just click on the Follow button below. Also, check out our instagram page @themakanpost. Cheers.

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MANCHESTER FOOD HUNTING- SEOUL KIMCHI: KOREAN FOOD (UK)

It's been raining for awhile in Manchester, since it's the start of the winter season. Malaysia's weather is usually tropical so I'm used to the rain, but it's mixed in with the cold air, making it so much worse. So I love how conveniently located this particular restaurant was. It's like a ten minute walk from my dorm to Seoul Kimchi, and not to mention the food is really good.

 They sell mostly Korean dishes, as well as Japanese ones. It was really good comparatively to other Korean places. From what I've been told, it is the most authentic and delicious Korean meal to every other Korean restaurant in Manchester. But it has westernised a bit, seeing as some ingredients can't be found here in the UK.

We ordered a set meal, consisting of Jeon (korean pancake), salad, korean miso soup, galbi (a beef stew) and matcha ice-cream. As well as being very well represented, there were also some side dishes. Traditionally served with a meal, like kimchi, kongjorim (marinated soy beans), marinated sliced potatoes( I'm not sure what the name is).

The korean pancake traditionally consists of sliced vegetables mixed in a savory batter and fried like a pancake. It's really delicious if done well, but if the batter is too thick, it would have this doughy consistency which isn't very good. Usual good pancakes will be crispy and not too oily. Korean pancakes would have kimchi usually in them, it is optional though. But others would have sliced vegetables, like in our's, spring onions, some capsicums, both red and green. It was seasoned well, and was crispy. The salad was just a typical leafy salad, with lettuce, rocket, and some sprouts, and capsicum, with a light caesar dressing.

Galbi was a braised beef stew, with carrots and onions and capsicum. It was a nice consistency of sweet and salty, delicious to the taste, with the meat so easily broken apart and therefore melting in my mouth. All the vegetables were boiled properly and not hard at all, and you'll be able to bite easily into it.

The miso soup, something I don't usually like drinking, is as salty as I remember. I have a biased view towards it but it taste like a normal miso soup, though with cabbages, and tofu in it. Miso soup has soy bean base and I don't know why I dislike the taste so much but my friend drank it finish so I assume it was quite good.

 I have to say, matcha ice cream is my Achilles heel. Actually anything matcha just have me sinking on my knees. I absolutely adore eating match base products, and this was delicious. There wasn't any over powering taste of matcha, or under powering that you can't even taste the matcha. This was jsut right. I love the dusty green colour of it, and I'll always be able to eat, even in a cold weather.

This place is a must visit in Manchester if you're looking for good korean food. But I have to say, that the food there is quite expensive, I assume because of the ingredients they have to procure from Korea. The price range well above six to eight pounds for a meal. That's like forty something ringgit or more, including extra dishes. 

They have a facebook page, where you can come and check it out : https://www.facebook.com/seoulkimchimanchester/

Address:

• 275 Upper Brook Street, M13 0HR Manchester, United Kingdom
• The opening times : 
  

  Mon-Sat:	11:30 am-3:30 pm 5:00 pm-9:30 pm
  Sun:	12:00 pm-8:00 pm

THIS IS SHARON. SIGNING OFF FROM THIS WEEK'S BLOG. LOG IN NEXT WEEK FOR JOLYNN'S TURN. 

The Makan Post brings to you weekly food adventures, so be sure to catch us every week for new episodes and dont forget to subscribe to us. Just click on the Follow button below. Also, check out our instagram page @themakanpost. Cheers.

themakanpost@gmail.com