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And it's apparently the retailer's "most luxurious" lineup yet.
Emily Sergeant -1st February 2024
M&S has just unveiled the menu for this year’s edition of its mega popular Valentine’s ‘Dine In for Two’ meal deal.
And it’s sounding tastier than ever.
Last year, more than a million Brits headed on down to their nearest M&S to make the most of the retailer‘s now-legendary Valentine’s dining deal and celebrate the international day of love in a more low-key way from the comfort of their own home.
But this year, says it wants to top that success, and is hoping that its “most luxurious” menu yet will do just the trick.
For the first time ever, the retailer has added lobster to the main courses lineup on this year’s ‘Dine In’ menu after it proved so popular with shoppers and flew off the shelves over the Christmas season, with some of the other options sitting alongside that including steak, lamb shanks, and beef wellington, as well as mushroom stroganoff pies for plant-based foodies.
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Just some of the starters and sides on the menu this year include king prawns, breaded camembert, tempura veg fritters, a leek and cheddar souffle tart, truffle mash, smashed potatoes, a cheesy green veg bake, and so much more.
To satisfy those sweet tooths at the end of an indulgent meal, triple chocolate brownies, a melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding, tiramisu mousse cake, salted caramel profiteroles, white chocolate and raspberry mousse hearts, and even a mini cheese board are among the delights you can choose from.
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Then, to wash it all down with, you can pick from a wide range of different wines and proseccos, or even a four-pack of M&S’s social media sensation Passionstar Martini co*cktail tinnies instead.
Lobster isn’t the only newbie this year either, as 2024 also marks the first time the Valentine’s ‘Dine In for Two’ deal has a fully gluten free menu, as well as a brand-new vegan menu too, so no lovers need be left out.
“This year’s menu is sure to set hearts racing,” an M&S spokesperson said.
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“Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than hump day at home with the most delicious food, because after all, the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, right?”
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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the limited-edition ‘Dine In for Two’ deal will be available to pick up at M&S stores from Friday 9 – Wednesday 14 February, and will set you back an affordable £25 – which works out at just £12.50 per person.
Featured Image – M&S
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You can win a £2,500 shopping voucher at this one-of-a-kind bingo exhibition in ManchesterDaisy Jackson
BINGO! It’s back, it’s retro and it comes with a twist at Gala Bingo’s “All The Calls Galary” event this weekend.
Art and entertainment collide in a delightful and unique manner as Gala Bingo presents the “All The Calls Galary”, set to grace Manchester on February 17th and 18th, 2024 at Smolensky Gallery in the Spinningfields area.
This one-of-a-kind pop-up exhibition promises an immersive experience that seamlessly blends the world of art with the excitement of bingo, offering attendees a chance to win big while indulging in a sensory playground of creativity.
This ingenious twist on classic bingo will have attendees tasked with matching 90 bingo calls to corresponding pieces of artwork, ranging from traditional paintings to avant-garde sculptures and performance art. It’s an interactive experience that not only celebrates the game we all know and love, but will get you laughing and smiling in a playground of art, from paintings to sculptures.
Image – supplied
It’s free to enter for curious passersby or you can sign up via the Eventbrite page, the Galary invites everyone to participate in the fun. We want to see a “Full House”!
Picture this: you stroll into the Galary, greeted by the sight of eager attendees armed with bingo cards and pencils, ready to embark on an artistic adventure like no other.
As you peruse the gallery, attempting to match 90 bingo calls to their corresponding artworks, you can’t help but chuckle at the sheer absurdity of it all. Who knew that “Two Fat Ladies” could inspire such imaginative interpretations?
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Afterwards, pop your cards into the ballot box for a chance to win a £2,500 gift card in the draw. Everyone can leave as a winner, as smaller prizes will be up for grabs too for those who can’t commit to the full challenge.
As Manchester continues to evolve as a cultural hub, events like the All The Calls Galary serve as a testament to the city’s creative spirit and its ability to merge tradition with innovation. Beyond the allure of prizes and games, the Galary symbolizes something deeper—a celebration of Manchester’s cultural vibrancy and the spirit of inclusivity.
So mark your calendars, Manchester residents, because the All The Calls Galary is not to be missed. Whether you’re vying for the chance to win a £2,500 gift card or simply looking to immerse yourself in a world of creativity and fun, this weekend promises to be a memorable one.
Please note, the event is only for people over the age of 18.
The All The Calls Galary will be free to enter for curious passersby for one weekend only, and visitors can also sign up HERE.
Where: Smolensky Gallery, Building 21, 23 Quay St, Manchester M3 4AE
Opening Times: Saturday 17th 11am – 6pm, Sunday 18th 11am – 5pm
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Rick Stein raves about Higher Ground in Manchester in new BBC series as he tucks into heart pastaDaisy Jackson
Celebrity chef Rick Stein has paid a visit to Greater Manchester and fallen head-over-heels in love with one of the city’s newest restaurants, Higher Ground.
The legendary chef and food writer had already named Higher Ground as one of his favourite places to eat in the entire UK, but with the premiere of his new BBC series Rick Stein’s Food Stories, we can finally see him fawn over it with our own eyes.
Rick’s Manchester episode has aired on BBC Two on Friday 16 February, and also includes a visit to Bury Market.
Meeting with Higher Ground head chef Joseph Otway for lunch, Rick praised him for ‘using every part of the beast’.
Joseph had chosen to cook him a portion of homemade pasta made with a pork offal ragu, which had been a surprise hit and has become one of Higher Ground’s best-selling recipes.
He said: “We needed a pasta dish for that evening, and we always cook with what we have available. We put the offal ragu on and I was pretty nervous about it, but it sold very well, and people loved it.”
The dish is made with pig’s heart, lung, kidney and liver, which is minced on site before being cooked in lashings of red wine and beef stock.
Rick said of Higher Ground: “Walking into this restaurant, it’s really cutting edge. It could be in any city in the world really.”
He also told Joseph: “You’re on the money, and I’ve been in the business for a while!”
Since the episode of Rick Stein’s Food Stories dropped on iPlayer, Higher Ground has shared a statement about meeting with a ‘culinary hero’.
They wrote: “Last year we had the pleasure of welcoming Rick Stein, one of my culinary heroes, to Higher Ground. I cooked a recipe with Rick and talked at length about how exciting it is to be based in Manchester and creating a restaurant that works with whole animal butchery and produce from our own farm, @cinderwoodmarketgarden.
“The series focuses on artisanal food producers around the British Isles and some forgotten food items. In this episode I made a ragu from all of the offal of one of the pigs we took from @janesfarmuk – a dish we had on the menu at the time.
“We’re taking a pig at the end of this week so it might be back on the menu soon!”
Higher Ground started life as a pop-up at Kampus but has since put down roots on New York Street.
It’s a modern space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows on two sides, and a whole wine room where diners can pick out a bottle to take home.
Also behind the restaurant is front-of-house man Richard Cossins and wine expert Daniel Craig-Martin. Rick said they are ‘young and just wonderful’.
And it’s not just Rick who approves of it – Higher Ground has already been added to the Michelin Guide and placed in the top 100 in the UK within months of opening.
Speaking of Higher Ground to Conde Nast Traveller, Rick said: “This is in a really trendy part of Manchester, but I love it because Joe is one of those chefs who won’t cook anything that isn’t local.
“Of course, it’s not one of those places that won’t use olive oil because it’s not local, but the main ingredients are strictly local. I really liked it, but it’s so unlike the sort of place that you would expect me to like.”
The legendary chef said he first visited when in Manchester for the cricket, and says Higher Ground ‘really shows how much food is improving in Manchester’.
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Rick said of the food: “I had the most delicious homemade pasta, a pappardelle with heart, liver and lungs of lamb made into a Ragu. You wouldn’t know it was made of heart, lungs and liver if you didn’t know; it was really, really tasty.
“They do organic wine, which is unusual for me, but currently trendy and apparently gives you less of a hangover.”
Rick Stein has travelled the length and breadth of the UK filming a new series Food Stories, where he’ll ‘meet the pioneers of the twenty-first century British food scene’.
And the Higher Ground team certainly fit that description.
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Featured image: The Manc Group
