Pan-Asian restaurant Vermilion is not somewhere you’d stumble across by accident, but between its eye-poppingly large prawns, dramatic decor and quirky robot waiters it’s definitely worth a visit.
Sitting on the outskirts of the city centre, this opulent three-story party palace is only a short walk from Manchester City’s grounds – still, it continues to fly under the radar despite being one of the city’s most dazzling dining destinations.
Well worth seeking out, an exclusive hidden gem. If it’s glitz and glamour you’re after when you’re out to dinner then it’s safe to say that Vermilion delivers in spades.
A popular choice for extravagant weddings and big parties, Vermilion is jam-packed with grand event spaces, an exclusive cocktail bar, and – most exciting of all – an opulent Asian fusion restaurant.
Its interiors combine lavish design with sumptuous fusion dishes, whilst its connections with parent company Seamark give it access to the biggest, juiciest prawns in the UK.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
And as for the plates coming out of its kitchen, expect a mixture of Thai, Japanese, Indian, Korean and Chinese dishes, with big flavours from the Asian continent being the order of the day.
Think fresh, plump exquisite scallops in shells dressed in lychee and longan fruit, roasted exclusive black cod, and grilled ‘Choo Chee’ prawns in a spicy red curry and coconut milk sauce, served alongside the likes of smoked Wagyu sushi rolls, unique Thai inspired Sushi Makis and delicately marbled Wagyu rib eye steak.
Elsewhere, you’ll find everything from beef green curry with Thai roti, to slow-cooked lamb shank massaman and super-refreshing bowls of Tom Yam noodle soup rich with aromatic lemongrass, lime and coriander.
Plus a host of delicious homemade desserts from warm chocolate fondant with peanut butter cream and traditional Khanom Pandam pudding, to homemade exotic ice-cream with flavours such as Thai Milk Tea to Pandan ice cream.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Fans of fine seafood are well-catered to Vermillion, which boasts exclusive access to wild giant ocean tiger prawns.
These beauties are served as part of its pad Thai dish, accompanied by tangy tamarind Sen Jan wok-fried noodles, with Thai herbs and spices, beansprouts, eggs, carrot and tofu, and are hands down the largest we’ve ever seen.
As well as a place for seafood lovers, there’s still plenty more on the menu at Vermillion to pique your interest.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
From Korean fried chicken buttermilk bao buns topped with Kewpie mayo and a fermented chilli sauce, to colourful rainbow dim sums, chicken satay dumplings, spiced prawn koftas and Khao Sai, a northern Thai / Loas curry noodle dish that is taking the noodle soup craze by storm.
For fans of East, South and South East Asian cuisine and culture, there’s so much to choose from at Vermillion.
To find out more and view the full menu, visit the website here.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
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Hit theatre production set at a house party to visit Manchester on UK tour
Daisy Jackson
Alright then, 24 hour party people, we’ve found a theatre production you might like the sound of – it’s called The House Party, and it’s set in (you guessed it) a house party.
This smash hit production by pioneering theatre company Headlong is set to land at HOME in March as part of the arts venue’s 2025 theatre season.
It tells the tale of a wild 18th birthday party, where Christine is trying to pick up the pieces of her best friend, a newly-dumped Julie (who happens to be the birthday girl).
Themes of class, power and privilege are all explored with a raw intensity as the cast on stage plough through shots and dive head-first into a night that will change everything they know.
The House Party, which has received glowing reviews from previous showings, is filled with ‘privilege, desire and destruction’.
When it stops off in Manchester, its cast will include Bridgerton’s Sesley Hope as Christine, Synnøve Karlsen (Miss Austen, Last Night in Soho) as Julie, and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack, Patience) as Jon.
The ensemble of Frantic Assembly performers includes Ines Aresti, Oliver Baines, Cal Connor, Micah Corbin-Powell, Rachael Leonce, Jaheem Pinder and Jamie Randall.
The House Party is written by Laura Lomas and is a reimagining of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie for today’s generation.
It’s directed by Headlong’s artistic director Holly Race Roughan, who directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere of David Edgar’s major new political play The New Real.
The House Party. Credit: Ikin YumThe production will be at HOME. Credit: Supplied
Movement direction will come from Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham.
Prior to the UK tour of The House Party, Headlong celebrated its 50 year anniversary, including the hit production of A Raisin in the Sun which played nationwide.
The House Party will be at HOME in Manchester between 25 and 29 March, 2025 – you can get your tickets HERE.
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff
Daisy Jackson
If you’re not a handy person, when something breaks, the temptation is often to abandon or bin it straight away.
But that’s just not how we’re gonna do it here in Greater Manchester any more, with the return of the annual Repair Week to help you learn valuable repair skills and save money at the same time.
Whether it’s tinkering with your bicycle, fixing up your small tech items, or having your furniture re-varnished and upcycled, there are so many places and people who are on a mission to help you fall back in love with your belongings.
There are even workshops to help you put flat-pack furniture together.
Taking place between 3 and 9 March, Repair Week will be the chance to learn skills, fix your stuff, gain repair confidence and find local fixers.
Events throughout the week (and beyond) will be hosted by community groups, businesses and plenty more.
You can sharpen knives, fix zips, and un-wobble chairs with a little hand from local repair heroes.
JillyGDesign Jewellery in Heaton Moor will fix up your sentimental and special jewellery items, while Rag Revival will help you turn unusable textiles into new creations with basic sewing skills.
There are repair cafes popping up all over Greater Manchester where you can take your belongings.
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff. Credit: Supplied
Repair Week will highlight schemes like the Manchester Library of Things, where you can borrow the tools and equipment you need for those repair jobs at home.
During the week you’ll also be able to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the incredible Renew Hub, the UK’s biggest reuse hub, where donated items are brought back to life.
Similarly, you’ll be able to get inside the textile recycling centre run by homelessness charity Emmaus Bolton, where you can choose your own fabric from the scrap store and turn it into a very handy draught excluder to keep costs down and your heat in.
Recycle for Greater Manchester’s Repair Week will take place between 3 and 9 March, with workshops, events and resources to help you revive your belongings.
The Manc -
22nd May 2023 
