Spanning a little over 12 acres, Chinatown certainly punches above its weight.
There are countless excellent restaurants, karaoke bars, bakeries, and even a pagoda within the boundaries of the grid nestled behind Piccadilly Gardens. All of those businesses are cheek-by-jowl to one another, helping create a feeling that it is a buzzing centre inside a bustling city centre.
One of the area’s best-known and most-loved restaurants is Little Yang Sing. It’s now owned by Warren Yeung, who is 65.
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It initially opened in 1977, and quickly expanded. By 1985, it moved out of its current premises to a larger building on nearby Princess Street.
“It was run by my two cousins Harry and Gerry and their father, my uncle,” Warren recalled, who got involved because he 'didn’t do well in my A Levels' and 'came here to learn some skills' when he was 20.
“Gerry and Harry moved to Princess St and this place shut down for two years," he added. "Then my cousins gave me the opportunity to reopen this as Little Yang Sing in 1987. In September, it will be 36 years.”
It was a shrewd decision to open a Little Yang Sing, which now could easily drop the ‘little’, such is its footprint. Still overseen by Warren, here’s what the man behind the kitchen thinks of his city…
Where’s your favourite hidden gem?
What I like to visit is a big hall with a few individual shops, with a gallery on the first floor in the Northern Quarter — the Manchester Craft and Design Centre. I like it, because sometimes I take a walk and they have a tea shop.
I get a cup of tea and walk upstairs to see the artwork. I think that’s a nice place.
What’s your favourite view of the city or in the city?
I think city-living-wise, the nicest environment is Piccadilly Basin. Along the canal there’s apartments, it’s quite nice there.
Where’s best to go for your dinner in town?
Obviously I don’t have many chances to go for lunch because I’m usually serving people’s lunches here! On that question, if I say my place, it’s a biased view.
Where would you take someone to show them the real Manchester?
Most would say Manchester United, wouldn’t they? Scenery-wise, to showcase Manchester I think Castlefield and Spinningfields are two good areas.
What’s your favourite Mancunian neighbourhood?
I’d say where I live! That’s Bridgewater Bank. It has the best car park in Manchester.
The majority of new builds are much higher now, but Bridgewater Bank was built in 1989 and you couldn’t build so high, it’s only six storeys. The car park is tree-lined, beside the car park and open-air. The majority of new car parks are underground, so I think we have the best-looking car park in Manchester.
What are the five words that best describe the city?
As a city, Manchester is compact. As a city, now, it’s thriving because there are a lot more people living in it. You can get to where you want — like shops, eating out, and drinking — within 10 minutes.
I think compactness is a strength. It’s not like London, which is massive.
Manchester City Council have been helpful during the pandemic for the hospitality industry. We did get a lot of help from them. In that aspect, I think the city council has been fantastic, without its help we may not be here.
City or United?
When I first came, I lived in Salford. The United ground was just behind me!
Liam or Noel?
To be honest, they’re too young for me. Mine is Rod Stewart, or Elton John, I’m afraid.
What’s the one thing you’d add to Manchester if you could…
Let’s put the public toilets back in use. They shut down all the public loos everywhere.
They said people were abusing it and using drugs inside — but every major city has a drug problem. I don’t see other cities shutting down all the public toilets.
People are now p***ing all over the street, which is not nice.
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