New Century Kitchen
Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Sure, everyone knows New Century Hall. It’s the grand new gig venue in the NOMA bit of town, right by Victoria Train Station and Skof. But the ground-level dining section deserves some love, too. Taking advantage of the recent out-of-character sun, we took a trip over to feast on the treats from new trader Wilson’s.
The hall itself is a wide, open space, with high ceilings and a big stage at one end for low-key jam sessions and background live music. The staff are the best of modern Manchester: smart, friendly and witty, not to mention happy to help, and rightly proud of their workplace.
But the outdoor terrace is what’s set to make New Century Hall a top-level destination in the coming months. Designed, as if by magic, to soak up all the sun’s rays, there’s currently a few highly-prized tables to eat at, but rumour has it by summer, this will expand all over Sadlers Yard, sharing the space with other NOMA businesses.
Right, right, enough about municipal zoning regulations, let’s talk chow. New Century Kitchen hosts a handful of carefully selected independent traders: Fricken, Ply Pizza Loves You, Banh Vi and Koi Fusion.
You might remember Ply from their Northern Quarter base, where they dominated the city’s pizza scene in the 2010s. We’re pleased to say they’ve kept up the quality after their move to New Century.
But today it’s about Wilson’s. Here, it’s all about speciality sandwiches, juicy burgers, fiery tacos and inventive small plates. It’s ideal for pre-gig eating, or if you want to spend a lazy day slowly working your way through the menu with some mates, while getting lightly sozzled.
When it comes to the sharing plates, the deep-fried roast potatoes are pretty special. The whole plate is a glorious mishmash of colour, texture, and zingy South American flavours – salty chorizo, feta, roquito pepper pearls, and a zig-zag of garlic aioli.
Wilson’s signature dish is the birria tacos, and deservedly so. These are ultra-slow-cooked beef tacos, with short rib and brisket packed into lightly crisped tortillas with some melted mozzarella. On the side, a rich consommé for dipping, topped off with fresh onion and coriander, then some pico de gallo and a dollop of soured cream to keep things bright and balanced.
As good as they are, the corn is today’s standout dish, partly aided by the sunny weather. Cooked on the cob with charred kernels ready to burst, they’re smothered – and we mean smothered – with sour cream and feta. Plus some chili and lime for sharpness. A summertastic small plate.
New Century Kitchen could be Manchester’s most underrated food hall, due, in no small part, to its marvellous outdoor space. It looks great, especially with the sun blazing down, and the selection of in-house indie traders is a good few steps above some of its more pedestrian rivals on the food hall circuit.
