Michael Wan’s Wok Inn Seaside Noodle Bar

Michael Wan’s Wok Inn

Seaside Noodle Bar

Please forget any negatives you’ve heard about Blackpool, it is a lovely little seaside town with beautifully clean beaches, nearly two miles of promenade, three piers, the Tower and Pleasure Beach amongst a whole host of other attractions... BUT WHAT IT DIDN’T HAVE A WAS A NOODLE BAR!

The Wok Inn is run by the same family team who run the Mandarin in Blackpool’s town centre but they decided to expand on the Chinese theme and branch out to open a pan-asian style noodle bar.

The idea was to incorporate dishes from around the world, which they have fallen in love with during their travels, dishes that instantly take you back to the spot where you first tasted them. The dishes they serve come from; Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and China amongst other places.

The decor is also an eclectic mix, taking cues from their travels and their two favourite places being Budapest and Penang. They’ve mixed the European ruin bar style with Malaysian hawker market street style - they even have an Indonesian themed bar, complete with full size rickshaw! The booth area includes reclaimed 1940’s cinema seats and is designed to remind the diner of Bollywood, a homage to the Indian influence into some of the Malaysian dishes. They also get a lot of comments on their toilets and the phallic shrines!

Their menu is as eclectic as the decor, they’ve been adventurous, including dishes like salt & chili duck’s tongue, Chinese century egg and fermented bean curd, The duck’s tongue has proven really popular - people just want to try something new!

Other popular dishes include the Beef Rendang, such an intense flavour of herbs and spices with that chilli kick at the end; BBQ ribs, sweet, sticky and moreish and of course the favourite Pad Thai, easy to cook but very difficult to get right, with so many people coming back for more it looks like the Wok Inn has got theirs right!

The building has a lot of history, most recently it was another Chinese, the new owners said that the interior was all plain white plasterboard and they were curious to know what was behind... they discovered beautiful original steelwork, ceramic tiles, old signs from when it was Nutbrown Kitchens in the 1920’s, they left as much visible as possible and it really adds to the feel of the place. In addition they knocked out the front wall and replaced it with floor to ceiling windows, this now gives a beautiful view of North Pier and the sea, where you can watch the sun set.

Since opening Wok Inn has received a lot of interest from local press, being the first restaurant of its kind in Blackpool. They’re very grateful to have received the first ever 10/10 review from Blackpool Gazette newspaper! www.blackpoolgazette. co.uk/lifestyle/dining-outmichael-wan-s-wok-innblackpool-1-9378757

A couple of months later the Wok team were amazed and honoured that food critic Jay Rayner visited them. He came in with fellow Kitchen Cabinet panellists Andi Oliver, Dr Barry Smith and Paula McIntyre, they tried most of the menu as you would expect and, judging by Jay’s review, were impressed.

Owners Gareth and Pauline had been to the recording of the Kitchen Cabinet radio show earlier and approached him at the end to ask if he’d seen an email they’d sent a month earlier inviting him to dine with them, he replied with a curt smile “Be careful what you wish for Gareth, we have a taxi booked to yours in 20 minutes”. That was their cue to exit and get back to the restaurant sharpish!

The most torturous weeks were to follow waiting for the review to be published in the Guardian’s Observer magazine, as he’d given nothing away on the evening but apparently the feeling of elation when they read the article was well worth the wait. www.theguardian.com/food/2018/nov/18/ wok-inn-seaside-noodle-bar-blackpoolutterly-beguiling-restaurant-review www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Reviewg186332-d14181611-Reviews-Michael_Wan_s_ Wok_Inn-Blackpool_Lancashire_England.html

Michael Wan’s Wok Inn M 118 Promenade,

Blackpool FY1 1RA N 01253 627368 F @WokInnBlackpool I wokinnblackpool www.michaelwanswokinn.co.uk

The Spice Capital of the Caribbean

By Sharmen Frith-Hemmings

National Flag 

Dubbed the Spice Island, Grenada produces a wide variety of spices from the land. In fact, Nutmeg and mace have been part of Grenada’s history for over 100 years.

Grenada is the second major international exporter of nutmeg. Nutmeg is of significant cultural importance that it has been infused into the Island culture in many ways. Firstly, it has been given an importance of the highest nature, depicted on the national flag. Furthermore, the importance of nutmeg as part of the culture is reflected in the nutmeg spice festival. Nutmeg is a symbol of national pride and can be seen not only on the flag but on many promotional materials emanating from Grenada. The spice itself is one of the main reasons that Grenada has become known as the Spice Isle.

So, what is Nutmeg I hear you ask? The best way to explain it is, that it is the seed of an evergreen tree known as Myristica Fragrans the nutmeg tree. It is a unique species, in that the tree produces two very different tasting spices from the one fruit. The inner nut, encased in a hard shell (nutmeg) and a red lace-like covering on the shell (Mace). What are the uses for nutmeg? It is used in many sweet dishes in the Caribbean, cakes including rum cakes, Christmas cakes and regular cakes; it is used in ice cream, porridge, drinks e.g., eggnog, Irish Moss and even cosmetics and herbal remedies including soaps and creams.

Mace in itself is a very important spice. Mace is used as a preservative in many dishes including pickles and sauces. It can be used to season soups, stews, and other dishes. One of the lesser-known uses of mace is as a flavour enhancer used to bring out

Grenada Spices 

Annadale Waterfall 

Grenada Nutmeg and Mace 

National Bird - The Magnificent Frigate 

Grenada Masquerade 

the natural flavour of meats. During my formative years learning from my grandmother and family and in my experimentation with spices have discovered that a little mace in cooking goes a long way towards enhancing the flavour of the dish. Mace for me eliminates the need for reliance on artificial flavour enhancers such as Monosodium Glutamate. Furthermore, it is a very natural and organic product.

The richness of this Caribbean Island does not end with nutmeg but includes the production of other spices, such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and pimento to name a few more. The Spice Markets in Grenada are a sight to behold an array of colours and smells are not to be missed when visiting.

Grenada’s national dish is called Oil Down. Do not be deceived by the name, it is a delicious one-pot meal made with local vegetables such as breadfruit, Taro (spinach/dasheen leaves) and salted meat and saltfish cooked to perfection in coconut milk and a selection of local herbs spices All combined to give your tongue that ‘Ah Ha!’ moment.

Like many islands in the Caribbean, Grenada has its own festival season and this is called ‘Spice Mas’ incorporating their love of spice and their love for playing mas into one massive array of culture and colour. This takes place in the second week of August every year and is the premier cultural event in Grenada. From J’Ouvert morning to Last Lap the celebration takes over the weeks bringing together all the island to celebrate the richness of their own culture. From the traditional Masquerade dancers dressed as devils locally called jab jab to the modern carnival costumes, they parade through the streets in celebration. There is a part to play for everyone from the children to the elderly.

One unique feature of the island that can only be explored by scuba diving is the underwater sculpture park. The underwater sculpture park of Grenada is the first of its kind in the world, and one of the most popular snorkelling sites in the Caribbean. Situated in 800 square metres of protected conservation area just off the island’s western coast.

The park was created by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. It is of 26 Grenadian children positioned in a circle. There are different interpretations of what they mean Some say it represents the circle of life, others say that the children represent slaves thrown off ships so many years ago. However, the true intent and the purpose were to help conservation efforts. Some damage had been done to the reefs and the statues were put in to help protect the reefs and help maintain the ecosystem with the aim of eventually, restoring underwater life in that area.

This beautiful island has a culture so rich it emanates from the pores of the people. From spices to celebrations to history there is a oneness in spirit, this island has produced not only spices but Olympic medallists. It has some truly iconic and unique features to be explored. From spice factories to waterfalls, Grenada is a truly special place and one that must not be missed on any tour of the Caribbean. M 5 Brennand Street,

Burnley BB10 1SU E info@mamashars.com N 07988 890974 F @mamashars I @mamashars