Wishing you all a very Happy Chinese New Year for 2012 and thank you for your continued support and friendship.

1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000

People born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust. Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but they tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them. They are compatible with Rats, Snakes, Monkeys, and Roosters.

Please do book via our Book a Table page (below or click here) and we look forward to accomodating you.

Follow me on Twitter @sweetmandarin

Wishing you a very Happy Chinese New Year

All the best and see you soon.

Lisa, Helen and Janet
www.sweetmandarin.com

Thank God for Peter Kay. I love the Bolton born comic and man-of-a-thousand-faces who loves Chinese food.
Here’s my favourite joke (thanks Peter) ….. So I went to the Chinese restaurant and this duck came up to me with a red rose and says “Your eyes sparkle like diamonds”. I said, “Waiter, I asked for a-ROMATIC duck”.

Finally, Peter has returned to us in Manchester with his tour which has people in stitches as he turns the most trivial of daily nuisances in the world of the working class family, and turns them into comedy gold. Without this man, life would, quite simply, be a bit boring.

I’ll feed Peter and I’ll feed all you lovely people who are going to see Peter Kay’s show at the MEN. We are next door to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is a short 5-10 minute walk to the MEN Arena. Approximately 40 furry footsteps and you are door to door. Click HERE for the AA Routeplanner and Map.

OK, and I’ll get you revved up with that uber-annoying (because once heard you can’t get it out of your head) ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’ song that Peter forced upon us, Peter Kay at his exasperated best.

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Sweet Mandarin Address: 19 Copperas Street (off High Street), Manchester M4 1HS

The written character for mother love is composed of two elements: love and pain. I had always thought this emotion was felt by daughters for their mothers especially when I was growing up and often reluctantly had to help in the family catering business giving up my weekends, social life and teenage years, but looking at the sacrifices my mother made and her courage, I realised this emotion was for her. My mother suffered deeply to give birth and there are so many things in her life that I long to know.

People keep secrets from each other all the time. Mothers keep secrets from their daughters; daughters keep secrets from their mothers. We tell part truths. And it is these secrets – these stories that have a ripple effect throughout generations. I don’t know every single aspect of my mother’s life – but through her experiences and how she taught my sisters and I, these things have helped to turn us into the persons we have become as adults.

I’ve learnt that the cruelest words in the universe are if only. When I was away from Manchester – Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, the initial reaction was wow freedom – hurrah. Yet as soon as I landed, I missed the smells of jasmine tea, hungered for my mum’s congee and steamed chicken, missed the chatter with our customers in the shop and the laughter around the family table late at night. I missed having my mum as a confidant – and being able to pour out my failures to my mum. But what I missed most was my mum and my family.

During my stint away from home, I’d never admit I was homesick or that I loved my mum. It was this fear of being weak. Yet every day I’d try to re-enact the usual routine I’d been accustomed to at home – even the things I hated doing such as washing up reminded me of my mum and gave me some comfort as I waded through the soapy suds. I had the freedom in Australia to go out, meet whom I wanted and not hear the nagging of my parents. Yet, this fear of not seeing them again. The fear that I might be stuck here forever – scared me and when it was finally time to return home, I was a different person and grateful for my mum.

My mother has tried so hard to protect me as a child but sometimes mothers can’t protect their children even if they try with all their might. I guess we can only do our best in the moment. My relationship with my mother has changed, evolved, endured tension and been rejuvenated through love.

On Mother’s Day (3rd April), I just wanted to tell you, Mum, that I Love You and thank you for being the best Mum in the world.

To celebrate Mothers Day and to tell your mum that you love her, join us at Sweet Mandarin for a celebratory dinner (from the a la carte menu). I’ve also put together a Mother’s Day package which you are also welcome to opt for. Email lisa@sweetmandarin.com for more information and prices.

TO BOOK A TABLE click here

As we indulge in our two days of summer, I can finally use that bit of pavement opposite Sweet Mandarin to cavort in a bit of al fresco Chinese at Sweet Mandarin. I love sitting outdoors when the weather is warm and dry…it feels like I’m on holiday somewhere exotic. I just need the ocean to dip my toes in.

Oh, is it Pimms O’Clock already?

Dear Twitterati, Twitterers of Manchester, @Ev

The Times Newspapers have said women are bad networkers and even mentioned me in the article! (click here to read the article) . Come on Women of Manchester and beyond, I want to prove them wrong. Ok, I’ve got to admit that in the past five Tweetups held @sweetmandarin the ratio has been 80% men 20% women (and that’s including me and my team of female staff!) but I’m confident we can improve that ratio.

I’d love to invite you to the Mega Tweet Up to celebrate the Queen’s coronation.
My dream: To meet Twitterers who are in Manchester or who are visiting Manchester and Twitpic with you.
My wildest dream: To see #sweetmandarin trending as a top 10 (see below – I am a Twitterholic)
Date: Wednesday 2nd June 2010
Time: 6-8pm
Dress: Dress to Tweet, Twitpic’s welcome
Cost: Free
Food: Ok, I’ll bring the dim sum
Drinks: Pay as you go
About me: I’m a Twitterholic (follow me @sweetmandarin and my twin @helentse), the Head Chef of Sweet Mandarin Restaurant and I brought the F Word Trophy home to Manchester (COME ON MANCHESTER!!!) by winning Gordon Ramsay’s Best Local Chinese Restaurant Award 2009-2010. To watch the blood, sweat and tears click here.
Book your place: Please follow and tweet me or email me lisa@sweetmandarin to confirm your place.

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, Sweet Mandarin has an exclusive offer – the Mabel’s Tofu Claypot is available at a discounted price of £7.00 – oh and you don’t have to be vegetarian to order it! Sweet Mandarin has a lot of choice for vegetarians and can even cook up the most amazing Vegetarian Banquet. To book a table click here.

Veggie myth-busters for 2010.

There are a few myths that do the rounds about veggies – the Vegetarian Society would like to kick them into touch during National Vegetarian Week.

Poor protein – wrong!
Protein is available in all foods (apart from refined white sugar and some oils) and your protein needs are automatically met by a balanced, varied diet. Meat does provide protein, however it is only one source. Nuts, beans, eggs, soya products, pulses and dairy products are all excellent sources of protein.

Veggies eat fish –wrong!
Vegetarians do not eat fish or shellfish. Fish are cold-blooded animals living wholly in water. Vegetarians don’t eat animals.

Weak and feeble, lacking in iron –wrong!
A lack of iron is one of the most common problems in a typical British diet. It is just as much a nutritional problem for meat eaters as it is for veggies and research shows that veggies are no more prone to iron deficiency than meat eaters! Even meat eaters get 86% of their iron from vegetarian sources.

Being veggie is unnatural – who says?
Arguing that an action is natural can be quite problematic. A common argument used by meat-eaters is that because we have canine teeth this is evidence that we have been ‘designed’ to eat meat. Meat eating animals have sharp claws and, since they have to kill mainly with their teeth, possess powerful jaws and pointed, elongated, “canine” teeth to pierce tough skin and to spear and tear flesh. They do NOT have flat, back teeth like us which vegetarian animals need for grinding their food. As for our sharp teeth, gorillas are entirely vegetarian – as are almost all primates – and yet have far longer and sharper canine teeth than human beings!

Vegetarianism is a fad – don’t think so!
Some people do change diets as they change fashions. However vegetarianism has been around for literally thousands of years. For example, the Greek philosopher, Plato (427 – 347 BC), and his teacher Socrates (470 – 399 BC) were both vegetarians.
In the UK the first vegetarian cookbook was written in 1812. The oldest Vegetarian Society in the world was formed in 1847 in the UK.

I visited the Northern Restaurant and Bar Show at the GMEX last week and bumped into Clive and Adam from Sugarvine. It was great to see them because we go back five years, when Sweet Mandarin started and it was Clive who helped us make a 360 panoramic video of Sweet Mandarin and introduced us to google and online marketing. Sugarvine has grown to an impressive 20 regional sites so not only are locals reading about your restaurant and menu, but their million or so visitors around the country are too.  I’m often asked what tips I can give to budding restauranteurs. One of them is speak to Cliver or Adam at Sugarvine 0844 277 9858 for your promotions and marketing and just to understand your market and competition.  They are affordable, effective, have their finger on the pulse and are very pleasant people to work with – oh and they are a fellow Twitterer too (follow them http://twitter.com/sugarvine) .

To celebrate my forthcoming appearance on Iron Chef on Channel 4 in April/May (5pm- 6pm daily), I’ve teamed up with Sugarvine to launch a fantastic competition worth £180 (the Chinese believe 8 is a lucky number because it sounds like the word ‘rich’. Putting together 1 and 8 symbolises ‘always rich’).  Enrich yourself and win a three course banquet for 2 (with a bottle of wine) and a cookery school place at Sweet Mandarin.  To enter click  here  on the Sugarvine website and best of luck! Remember you have to be in it to win it.

Its been 5 days since the F Word aired and the phone has been ringing off the hook. I’ve had 100+ missed calls in 1 hour! Sorry if I’ve not managed to answer or respond to your voice message. The best way to contact me is email with your booking enquiries and I will endeavour to get back to you as quickly as I can.  Please note that if we are very busy in the restaurant, then we cannot accept your takeaway or delivery orders.

To all the regulars, in response to your questions, I promise you I’m not putting the prices up.  We will continue to serve you our good food at reasonable prices..

To my Twitter and Flickr friends, I’ll find a date in January 2010 for our Tweet / Flickr Up.

Best wishes and thank you for your continued support and patience.

Lisa (feeling like she’s cooking for the whole of Great Britain at the moment!)

Email: lisa@sweetmandarin.com

I’ve often been asked what is the secret ingredients in making Sweet Mandarin dishes so tasty…..let me divulge to you now that there is only one secret ingredient that I rely on and that’s science!

So when the Manchester Science Festival asked whether I could feature at this prestigious show, I cleared my diary and said a resounding yes. I want more people to understand the science behind food – and be able to apply it to their own home cooking. During my cookery school, I love it when students get excited about combustions and reactions from various ingredients when mixed together – and most importantly learn that a healthy meal is far more delicious that any fast food craving.

Wanna meet me? Make it a date to remember.

Date: Wednesday 28th October

Time: 2.30pm – 3.15pm

Cost and booking info: Free . Go to http://msffood.eventbrite.com to book your place now.

As I was serving these wonderful folk, my heart twinged with sadness and longing. Unlike my grandma’s and mum’s businesses who have loyal regulars every single week – on the same day, at the same time – ordering the same dishes (‘Usual please’) for the last 50 years – being located in the Manchester city centre area – the population is far more transient.

Nonetheless, I value my regular customers and corporate clients and set myself a personal challenge to get to know my regulars with a view to build a lasting legacy for Sweet Mandarin and future generations. Helen, Janet and I want to invite you to my very exciting events for September (see below). Who knows, maybe after my 50 years, our grandchildren can invite you, our regular customers to a wonderful event like the above.

September Events

If you want to make new friends in Manchester, pop to Sweet Mandarin for our September Events.

16th September 6-8pm Rich Dad Poor Dad Cashflow Game (free)

20th September 3-5pm Flickr Meet Up (free)

30th September 6-8pm Mega Tweet Up (Twitter)(free)

HUGE THANKS

I want to thank Lisa Chan Brown whom I met on Flickr and Twitter (@yattyimages) who tirelessly over 2 hours took photos every ten seconds BY HAND to make the above video.

Thank you also to Alkrington Library for organising the event and encouraging all Middletonian book clubs to read Sweet Mandarin.

Best wishes and sweet dishes

Lisa, Helen and Janet
p.s. A Sweet Treat for you regulars – get a free bottle of wine with your Christmas lunch/dinner booking (made by 31st October 2009) Email me on sweetmandarin@gmail.com or call 0161 832 8848