Food & Drink
The discontinued retro crisps that need to be brought back
You don’t get crisps like these anymore…
While us Brits take our love of crisps very seriously, far too many iconic variations have been quietly disappearing from the shelves over the years.
Walkers recently sent the country into a frenzy with the relaunch of its prawn cocktail flavoured Wotsits but, sadly, other crisp variations have failed to stand the test of time.
One Reddit user recently decided to ask the British public which crisps they miss the most and, let’s just say, it was a real nostalgia hit. Here are some of the most missed crisps from over the years…
Walkers
Wotsits Wafflers
Who remembers these? Wotsits Wafflers featured the same corn puff texture as your standard Wotsits, but were instead shaped like waffles and covered in a tasty bacon dusting.
Wafflers eventually became part of the Smiths range in 2013, but were sadly discontinued just two years later in 2015.
Walkers
BBQ Rib flavoured Walkers
These came up a lot – Walkers’ BBQ Rib flavour was a massive hit across the country, mainly because they tasted uncannily alike to an actual BBQ rib, a real feat in the world of crisp flavours.
For reasons unbeknown to most of us, however, Walkers quietly discontinued the flavour a couple of years back. And, while it was recently resurrected for the Walkers Flavours of the Decades collection, it just didn’t hit the same as it did back in the day.
Amazon
KP Beef Crisps
Remarkably, KP (the brand known best for its peanuts) sold beef flavoured crisps once upon a time and, according to one Redditor, ‘no other beef crisps have ever tasted anywhere near as beefy’.
Not much is known about the KP crisps, though the company did own Brannigans crisps, whose entire production line was discontinued in 2020 as a result of declining sales.
Smiths
Ready Salted Chipsticks
Once upon a time, the iconic salt and vinegar flavoured Chipsticks we all know and love once came in a ready salted flavour, complete with a very disorientating red and white striped packet.
Countless petitions have been set up to see the return of the blander flavour since it was discontinued a couple of years back, with a spokesperson for Walkers saying: “It’s great to see so much love for one of our old school Chipsticks flavours… We can’t promise they’re coming back, I’m afraid.”
Walkers
Lamb and Mint flavoured Walkers
Much like the BBQ Rib flavour, Walkers’ roast lamb and mint flavour was elite and on a whole new crisp flavour level.
Much like it’s BBQ Rib cousin, however, the roast lamb flavour was discontinued some years ago and hasn’t seen the light of day since. It’s an unfair world.
Smiths
Cheese Flavoured Moments
Cheese Flavoured Moments were a huge hit back in the day and were definitely one of the more unique crisp options on the shelves.
While they were discontinued some years ago, however, Walkers recently revealed plans to bring them back, with a spokesperson telling Leicestershire Live: “It’s great to see so much love for our old favourites, Cheese Moments. While we can’t promise a comeback at this stage, our teams certainly share the petitioners’ enthusiasm for this classic flavour!”
Walkers
Blue Monster Munch
Yep, pickled onion flavoured Monster Munch with the ability to turn the eaters’ tongue blue. Very chaotic and wonderfully ’00s.
However, the blue Monster Munch wasn’t to be, and it was discontinued after a short period (probably because pickled onions aren’t blue). As you can imagine, there haven’t been overwhelming calls for the return of this flavour with Brits instead settling with the non-colour changing alternative.
Doritos
Doritos 3D
Okay, not everybody wants to see the return of Doritos 3D, but they’re got a fair few mentions and are definitely a cultural phenomenon in their own right.
They originally debuted in 1998 and were discontinued just a few years in the early 2000s because, as it turns out, people prefer their tortilla chips to be 2D. Though they did come with some mint flavours, including jalapeño cheddar, nacho cheese and zesty ranch.
Burton’s
Burton’s Fish n Chips
Now this is a real blast from the past – the iconic Burton’s salt and vinegar flavoured Fish n Chips crips were a snack staple throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
They were sadly discontinued over ten years ago, but rumour has it you can still get your hands on some in selected stores across the country after a vigorous rebranding campaign in 2014. Hallelujah!
Jacob’s
Branston Pickle Mini Cheddars
While Jacob’s Mini Cheddars are in a whole league of their own, the Branston Pickle flavour catapulted them to whole new levels.
For reasons unbeknown to us, Jacob’s discontinued the flavour, along with the equally as tasty ham and spring onion flavours, too. (Though if you look hard enough online, some Branston Pickle flavoured bags are still knocking about).
Food & Drink
Zouk’s bottomless curry buffet is back for Ramadan with an entire stuffed lamb
It will be available for everyone throughout the entirety of Ramadan — Zouk have it covered!
Zouk is bringing back its epic bottomless buffet, available throughout the whole of Ramadan, consisting of their best-loved dishes — including a whole stuffed lamb.
Every evening starting from Wednesday March 22nd, the colossal all-you-can-eat buffet will be open for everyone to feast on — the perfect way for families to celebrate Iftar and break their fast.
Guests will be greeted with a gift of stuffed dates on arrival plus fruit chaat, dates and water on the table. Once seated, customers can go up to the buffet and enjoy the daily selection of food which will include salads, starters, curries, lamb raan and a selection of accompaniments.
Zouk have created two sittings this year, so the Ramadan buffet is available for a longer period of time each evening — with a rotating menu in case you want to come back for more.
There will be one sitting at Iftar with a second sitting an hour earlier or later, depending on BST. All you have to do is simply select the time that best suits you and your fellow diners when booking.
The Ramadan buffet is £25 per person for adults, £12.50 per child (under 12s) and free for children under five. Throughout the month, Zouk will also be supporting a number of local charities by donating both meals and money to help with the homelessness crisis across Manchester.
While walk-ins are welcome, it is advised to make a reservation to avoid disappointment. Get booked in here.
The rotating menu is as follows:
Salads (a choice of three every day including)
Mango
Kachumber
Tabbouleh
Mint & Cucumber
Starters (a choice of five every day)
Vegetable Samosas
Mixed Vegetable Pakora
Dhai Balahi (yoghurt based dish served chilled)
Chicken Tikka
Seekh Kebab
Chicken 65
Live Carvey
Whole Stuffed Lamb Raan (weekends)
Leg Lamb Raan (weekdays)
Curry (a choice of four every day)
Chicken Sindhi Biryani
Chicken & Spinach
Lamb & Potatoes
Dall Makhani
Tarka Dall
Accompaniments
Assorted Naan breads
Roti
Basmati Rice
Desserts
Mango Mumbai Mess
Raspberry Mumbai Mess
Gulab Jamon
Chocolate Brownies
Fresh Fruit
Food & Drink
This Manchester food hall has been named best in entire UK
Three Manchester food halls made it into the top 10 list
A food hall in Manchester has been named as the best in the UK for its ‘exceptional’ food.
Mackie Mayor, based in the Northern Quarter, beat competition from London, Liverpool and Sheffield as it was voted best in the whole of the UK. Two other Greater Manchester food halls also made it to the top 10; Altrincham Market House and Society food hall, coming in fourth and eighth respectively.
Mackie Mayor scooped the top spot and was praised for the ‘exceptional’ food from its many food and drink operators, while second place went to Italian-inspired concept Eataly in London.
The news was announced by global travel site Big 7 Travel and hospitality specialists Enjoy Travel, who teamed up to find the best food halls in the UK. Venues were ranked on several factors including range of cuisines, selection of vendors, unique and special events and overall atmosphere.
Mackie Mayor food hall is located inside an 1858 Grade II-listed market building that was once Smithfield Market Hall. The site reopened as Mackie Mayor following a huge refurbishment in 2017.
The Swan Street plot was given a total revamp by the same team behind Altrincham Market — led by Nick Johnson — after lying empty for years. The team behind both food halls also run the Picturedrome food hall in Macclesfield.
Featuring a range of food and drink operators, all under its huge glass roof, Mackie Mayor holds the capacity for almost 500 people. The current line-up of vendors includes Tender Cow, Eagle Street Coffee, Honest Crust, Pico’s, New Wave Ramen, Mumma’s, Chilli B and BlackJack Brewtap.
Taking top position above Eataly in London and Cutlery Works in Sheffield, the description for Mackie Mayor said it was ‘crammed full of top-notch food and drink vendors’ and one of Manchester’s ‘most popular spots’.
It added: “Honest Crust serves exceptional seasonal sourdough pizzas, FIN Fish Bar is beloved for its sustainable day-boat fish cooked whole over a chargrill and Baohouse serves up the steamiest little Taiwanese buns. At Tender Cow, punters can tuck into lesser-known cuts of beef from some of the best producers and farms in Britain. Groups of 10 or more people can book a table too.”
The other Manchester food hall making the top ten was Society, located in the long-vacated bar site next to Bridgewater Hall on Barbirolli Square, serving up a range of street food, craft beers and cocktails.
Current traders at the food hall include Chaat Cart, Yoki Social Table and Vocation brewery.
Food & Drink
A massive Hong Kong food festival is coming to the award-winning Bury Market
‘I believe food can connect people from different cultures’
A Hong Kong food and crafts festival is coming to the award-winning Bury Market this month.
The event will feature over 30 stalls dedicated to the region’s cuisine and crafts taking place from Friday 17th – Saturday 18th March. Greater Manchester’s favourite market will host over 30 stalls serving traditional Hong Kong cuisine and handicrafts for visitors to immerse themselves in its culture.
The two-day market – named So Hong Kong – is not only a celebration of Greater Manchester’s Hong Kong community, but an introduction to the region’s food, which includes homegrown Cantonese cooking as well as Japanese, Korean and other South Asian dishes.
Hong Kong cuisine is characterised by rice dishes, roasted meats, soups and dim sum, amongst others — all of which will be available to sample in Bury next week. Cammie Liu, owner of Moliuliu’s Store in Bury Market and one of the organisers behind the event, said: “The main purpose of the market is to introduce Hong Kong street food to the local people, as I believe food can connect people from different cultures.
“It will make use of the empty stalls, attract more young people to explore the lovely Bury Market, and also allow Hong Kong people to have the chance to set up their businesses.”
Already confirmed for the event are contestants from Bake Off: The Professionals 2022, A Little Sweet, a Sale-based bakery and the brainchild of Jeffrey Koo Ka Chun — who made his name in the five-star Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
One of Koo’s staples is the Red Bean Bun, a popular Japanese steamed bun featuring an azuki bean paste filling, said to taste sweet and earthy. Another business joining A Little Sweet is Pan.dora Meal Box, a popular Bury restaurant bringing Hainanese chicken rice, Cantonese thin pancakes, peanuts mochi, rice balls and more to their stall next week.
Alongside these traders, there’ll also be bubble tea from Shining Rainbow Dream Tea & Snacks Hong Kong hot pots from Ardwick’s Fat Tat, traditional Asian teas from Bang Bang Brands and Yunnan rice noodles from Derek Leung.
And it’s not just taste buds that will be satisfied next week, as So Hong Kong is also inviting a number of traders offering Hong Kong arts and crafts, with everything from handmade jade stone accessories, stationary, pearl jewellery, handcrafted slippers, candles and aromatherapy products available to browse.
The festival has been organised in collaboration with Hong Kong March and Moliuliu’s Store, a Hong Kong grocery store based in the market. It’s part of a month-long, UK-wide festival promoting, celebrating and introducing Hong Kong culture to different communities, with events taking place across 16 cities exploring everything from film and music to history, food and more.
If successful, the organisers behind the food market are hoping to make it a permanent fixture every three months. Visitors would be able to enjoy around 30 businesses offering a taste of Hong Kong’s very best street food throughout the year, alongside craft pop-ups and Bury Market’s beloved resident traders.
One of the North West’s most notable last standing authentic markets, with everything from butchers to fishmongers, fruit and vegetable stalls, haberdashery and DVD collectors, Bury Market has a special place in the heart of its local community.
Voted Best Market In Britain, the indoor and outdoor market hall is a destination for shoppers wanting to step back in time to the packed out markets of 1960s Britain.
So Hong Kong will take place from 9am–4.30pm on Friday 17th March and 9am–5pm on Saturday 18th March. The event is free to attend.
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