MasterChef: The Professionals 2024 winner Daniel Merriman is the culinary mind behind a new restaurant brand serving dishes ‘guided by the twelve moons,’ the latest opening at the new Medlock Square development, right by the Co-op Live arena and the Etihad stadium.
Little Beast is the newest arrival at the Eastlands development, which includes Radisson Blu’s newly opened 401-room Medlock Hotel, is a new £300m entertainment destination that aims to strengthen the Etihad Campus as a destination all year round, not just during event and match days.
Over the coming months, joining Co-op Live’s Canalside bar and coffee shop, which opened last year, the destination will gain a range of restaurants and bars, as well as the eagerly awaited, ABBA-themed Mamma Mia immersive space.
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Little Beast, developed by director and former Sexy Fish creator Laura Montana and chef Merriman, opened its doors at the weekend.
Offering a seasonally-changing set menu, the restaurant is ‘inspired by rhythms of the moon and rooted in the seasonal changes they bring’, and celebrates the freshest local produce and British ingredients at their peak.
As part of its launch offering, this week will be 50% off food for all advanced bookings at Little Beast made here on September 16, 18 and 19. The venue, designed by Manchester’s WANT Studio, who previously worked on venues including Albert’s Schloss, Ramona and Diecast and featuring handmade sculptures from artists Helen Baker and Ronan Bouroulli. will be open from Wednesday to Sunday between 12pm to 3.30pm for lunch and then from 5pm to 9.30pm in the evening.
Next up, 258-cover ‘flagship’ pan-Asian restaurant and bar, also from Montana, has announced it will open its doors on Wednesday, September 23, promising panoramic views of the South Pennines through its vast windows, luxurious banquette seating, and a central bar. Its menu, created by former Lucky Cat and Zuma chef Paolo Bianchi, will honour the Japanese tradition of Itameshi which combines umami rich ingredients with Italian techniques and presentation.
This space was designed in collaboration with international hospitality studio Gorgeous Group, led by Manchester-born Robbie Bargh. The group is responsible for dining and hotel concepts, and collaborations with operators including Dishoom and Six Senses.
As part of a partnership with Manchester-based artist and curator Meg Saoirse Williams, the walls of Zadie’s will feature work from a number of breakthrough artists in the UK, with pieces at the launch from the likes of Trackie McLeod, Fern O’Carolan, Sondra Meszaros, Magdalena Wysocka and Claudio Pogo, and Williams herself.
Image: Medlock Square/Little Beast
