Panda to the masses
ANCOATS is about to get yet another new restaurant, as Chinese enterprise the Blue Eyed Panda opens its doors next month.
The restaurant, on the corner of Henry Street and Jersey Street, is nearing completion and planning to officially launch in March.
It comes from Carolina Ho and her husband, who are the duo behind the popular Ancoats Panda Chinese takeaway (formerly known as Chop Chop) on Great Ancoats Street.
The decor has been kept simple inside the 50-cover restaurant, with large windows on two sides, brushed concrete floors, and wooden tables and chairs with colourful painted legs.
A series of brightly-coloured lampshades hang low from the ceiling, with a small bar area serving coffees and alcohol in one corner.
Owner Carolina said: “We’ll be keeping all the familiar Chinese dishes on the menu, so diners will be able to order things like salt and pepper chicken, crispy chilli beef, and sweet and sour dishes, but we also want to have specials based on the ingredients we can get on the day.”
The new menu will also include fresh Cantonese roast meats, and plenty of dumplings.
Her husband Miguel Hung will be managing the kitchen, with Mr Lai in the position of head chef.
The couple met in Venezuela after Carolina’s father emigrated to the South American country aged 15. They owned a food court restaurant before the collapse of the Venezuelan economy pushed them to move to the UK.
“There might be some influence from Venezuela in our cooking,” said Carolina. “A lot of the food there is quite fusion-style anyway.”
Most dishes on the menu will come in at around £10, with Carolina wanting to keep quality high but the prices affordable.