http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19118 Walk or bike from Chorlton and cross the meadows.
Scrumptious.
Super for lunch.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19118 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18735 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18735 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18711 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18711 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17979 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17979 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17877 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17877 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17716
It was fairly quiet when we arrived and we were allocated (in my view) the best table which presented a 360 degree view of the wintry Manchester skyline, rotating big wheel and all. The decor was formal yet cosy, sophisticated but not intimidating - the dark solid wooden tables and chairs contrasting nicely with the floor-to-ceiling frosted windows, with a nice clear panel you could see out of to admire the view, thank you very much.

Being a huge soup fan, particularly in the winter months (and there's nothing I enjoy more than knocking my own up at home) for starter I opted for the Jerusalem artichoke and rosemary soup with chanterelles. It was delicious, smooth, creamy, satisfying and tasted surprisingly healthy too (although I'm sure it wasn't). My friend forwent the starter and straight on to the main course. Pollock, smoked haddock and Loch Duart salmon fish pie, with wilted spinach and of course a side order of fat chips. A suprisingly generous portion, (she struggled to finish) the pie was dominated to her delight by the salmon (all that omega 3) which was perfectly pink and a wonderful texture. I opted for grilled Goosnargh maize-fed chicken,
braised leeks and Cheshire smoked bacon & a grain mustard sauce.

The chicken was tender with a crunchy jacket, complemented wonderfully by the bacon and the mustard sauce gave it a bit of added va va voom. Resisted desert (but of course tried 'just a taste') of my friend's caramelised quince tart and vanilla ice cream, which outshone event the artichoke soup. A beautiful combination of sweet and sour, the caramel gave it an added twist that was very moreish. The ice cream tasted home-made - which I didn't expect - and had a creamy, custardy texture, which was perfect.

With two diet cokes each to wash it down (it was a 'working' lunch after all) it came to just over £30, astoundingly reasonable for something quite so thoroughly posh. Marks out of 10 - 8.9 and with the starter and desert both scoring a winning 9.9.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17716 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16810 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16810 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16774 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16774 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16290 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16290 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15838 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15838 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15722
I know people who travel miles to visit this place, as does Peter Crouch, apparently. I find it very difficult walking past on my way back from work, as the smells are to die for. Try the chicken makhanwala.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15722 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15492 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15492 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15457 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15457 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15453
I agree that curry mile isn't worth it unless you're very inebriated and after the experience of the location, rather than the taste of the curry.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15453 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15444 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15444 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15438 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15438 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13451 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13451 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13220
I've been right up and down Rusholme numerous times and have found some favourites - but if you want to avoid the generic 'curry' you've got to order the right thing as well as go to the right place - traditional Karahi Gosht at Darbar, for instance.

Most places have their cons too. (Some greatly outweigh their pros as mentioned by other reviewers). But I don't think the curry mile has had it's day in general. As for the northern quarter cafes: they are indeed great value - particularly for town centre but are they really the best places around as some claim? Probably not. Are they tasty, great value great additions to the town centre? Definitely. I'd agree that all those mentioned above are good places.

Shalimar (formerly Chandni) wasn't so great last time I went - however again it's ordering the right thing that counts. Play to a place's strengths and you'll invariably get better food. I always avoid exotic ingredients when trying out budget places because one of the reasons they're cheap is that they're not throwing out £100s worth of shellfish every evening that nobody ordered. So if you do have exotic items they may well have been recently frozen.

Similarly the 'made from base sauce' issue is usually there in all curry places - does one place's lamb bhuna, jalfrezi, karahi or balti really taste that different from the next dish? Or is it 90% base sauce and a few trimmings? In most cases it's the latter. I try to find traditional Pakistani and Indian cuisine but it's not that easy. Often you're better off going with the speciality of the house, whatever it may be. And really there's not much can beat lamb/chicken, lentils, naan and/rice in whatever fashion that comes most naturally to the chef.

I've tried various other places around and about -the Didsbury places mentioned by others, Asian fusian in Chorlton, EastZEast in the city centre. Every place seems to have somebody who thinks it's the best in the city but it's rare I find one that's really exceptional in anything other than presentation - maybe I'm looking for the wrong thing in traditional home cooking - meat on the bone etc.

They still all just serve meat or veg in a preprepared sauce tarted up with a few bits of this and that (pun not intended). Or marinaded and grilled (the quality and 'redness' of these marinades varies somewhat - I'm not a fan of food colouring). Unfortunately 'good' often means well presented these days and some people recommend curry places on matters such as décor or how loudly their plate's sizzling when it arrives.

I'd try anywhere at least once - and most places numerous times. Try and check out the menu - if they've got lamb on the bone it's a good sign. Off to Hhunter's for lunch tomorrow... See how we get on.

One more thing, outstanding value at £2.70 for a chicken kebab at Kashmir King in Whalley Range. Fresh meat, naan, good sauces - just don't bother with the lamb tikka - reheated in the back room.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13220 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12690
The upper restaurant is the main one with a huge menu and very friendly and efficient service to your table. The food quality is superb and the place is extremely popular with a wide range of customers. The downstairs restaurant is my personal favourite. Ever since they established the all you can eat oriental buffet there, I have been going on a regular basis.

The choice is huge, especially in the evenings (Monday to Saturday) and all day Sunday. The price level varies depending on what time you go. But if you want a good value buffet-style meal anytime before 4.45pm Monday to Saturday, then this place is very hard to beat. Currently the cheapest price is £4.95.

The more expensive times (after 5pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday) are also good value because the food variety expands with a lot more seafood options, for example. I tend to go there before concerts or theatre evenings, because you know you can just walk in and be seated straight away and start helping yourself as soon as you are shown to your table.

Its location near the Palace Theatre and also the Bridgewater Hall is extremely convenient for pre-event dining.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12690