Friday Food Fight

It’s been a few weeks since I last blogged – blame a hectic few weeks of work, man flu and having too many hobbies! But, with Christmas coming up, it’s time for the foodie in me to kick into full swing. And what better way to do that than with a trip to Manchester’s Friday Food Fight – or should we be calling it that after the organisers decided to extend it to Saturdays as well in the run up to Christmas?

The venture, which launched earlier in the year at Upper Campfield Market, is back for another ten-week stint (finishing on 19^th December) with a cavalcade of pop-up vendors from around the city and beyond. Following on from the popularity of its first incarnation, the event has moved venue to the Great Northern Warehouse above some of my personal favourites: burger shack, Almost Famous and bowling alley, All Star Lanes. With Revs de Cuba and Taps just across the road, there’s no excuse not to have a decent night out.

I dropped in on Hallowe’en (I said I hadn’t posted in a while) to see what was on offer, and wasn’t disappointed. A few of the vendors I hadn’t spotted before included Coq ‘o’ The North, who served up some of the hottest piri-piri wings I’ve ever tasted for starters, and La Dolce Dolls (over from Liverpool) whose desserts included a melt-in-your-mouth brownie *salivates*.

Sandwich in between that a special hallowe’en Ghost Burger from Viet Shack (juicy pork patty, murdered chicken, chilli sauce and cheese) and Diamond Dogs’ Ham Jam 3000 dog (jerk-spiced ham, three cheese sauce, black onion jam and chives) and you have a foodie bonanza – plus gas you could catch in a mitt.

The new venue is arguably more intimate than Upper Campfield market but holds up to 500 people and can spill out further if necessary. The organisers, B.Eat Street, have also disposed of cash vending in favour of a token system, so it’s worth figuring out exactly what your stomach desires before committing. With a reasonably extensive bar for a pop-up party, it’s a great post-work visit or a pre-theatre/post-shopping bite to eat. The vendors vary each week so check out @beatstreetmcr on Twitter to see who’s on!