Living sustainably is not just a ‘nice to do’ thing anymore, it is a need to do. It is clear that our planet is deteriorating quicker than we can make a difference and every little helps. If you are a beer drinker or foodie around Manchester, Surplus have just the event for you.
Every Friday, you can head down to Beer Nouveau near Piccadilly train station to enjoy beers made using ingredients that would otherwise go in the bin. Not only that, there is a range of street food available from Open Kitchen Manchester, made using food that the supermarkets and markets would otherwise have binned. It means the food is seasonal and will change each week, but is beautifully fresh and you will absolutely be doing your bit for the planet in reducing waste. What is not to love?
When we visited the menu included pumpkin gnocchi with okra, a vegan dish that included the best gnocchi I have ever eaten. Every time I have had gnocchi before it is a little soft and watery, but not this one. It was dumping like and lightly fried, I could have happily eaten several plates worth. There was also beef karahi, which is my order whenever I visit an Indian restaurant. It was light and gently spiced so not too much heat and just enough to warm the mouth. Again, something I would happily order in regular restaurant except at Surplus, I am in the knowledge that I am saving a load of food from going to waste.
We also enjoyed a plate of poutine, a food I have craved ever since visiting Canada a few years ago yet here the chips still have their skins to give them more of an earthy flavour. They also featured shredded chicken and a side of slaw which was a touch bitter to balance out the rich flavours.
Never want to say no to dessert, finally we devoured a chocolate brownie topped with cacao nibs and a light fruit sauce. It was seriously delicious and better than most of the brownies I have tasted in the decent restaurants of Manchester.
It would be wrong to visit Beer Nouveau and not try their wares but I am not a beer fan so the beers were totally lost on me. The Surplus beer was made with chilis which, I did try. It had a light heat so would be perfect for those of you who like a beer with some chilli added. It wasn’t for me but I did enjoy a tasting of the Dunham Press Ciders on offer, with the Dabbler being my favourite. It is a cider that I always order when I visit my local beer tap bar Petersgate Tap in Stockport. I hadn’t tried the others though and Steve who owns Beer Nouveau knows his cider! I had a lovely few hours discussing real cider with him over several plates of street food that would normally have gone to waste.
