Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
ZaxxFried
We ventured down to Chorlton this week to check out a new fried chicken shop – ZaxxFried – right across from Morrisons. The owner Mustafa has a serious fried chicken pedigree, with his dad owning a chicken shop in Liverpool for over 30 years. It’s his turn now and the menu is full of some terrific offerings, all coated in his secret sauces and blends which Mustafa won’t even tell his wife about. We had A LOT and it was all excellent, but if you have to choose something – go for the Nashville Hot Sandwich.
Pulled Lamb Nihari Calzone
Zouk
An inspired mash-up of Indian and Italian cuisines, this Calzone at Zouk was a huge treat in a week of big treats, and features easily one of the greatest curries in the world – the infamous Lamb Nihari. It’s not uncommon for people to judge the quality of an Indian restaurant by their Lamb Nihari alone, and if this was the case here in Manchester – Zouk would be right up there at the top of the table. Slowly cooked for 8 hours, it’s then stuffed into a naan bread, folded over and served with fresh lime and yoghurt.
Vegan Soft Serve
What The Pitta
10 years ago if you told someone that we could create a vegan soft serve ice cream – nobody would have believed it. Well, advances in technology, down in part to a tireless collaboration between Mr Whippy and NASA has created the technology needed to get soft ice cream into the gobs of vegans across the land. First up to offer it in the city is What The Pitta in the NQ and it’s really, really good. Next time it’s hot – it’s a must.
Curried Goat
Kim’s Kitchen
Now fully open, inside and out, a visit to Kim’s in Hulme was a big necessity, and between trying to chat to Bez and Terry Christian we tucked into some truly massive dishes – proper homemade style like your mam used to do before she got lazy. Clear stand out was their signature Curried Goat, an absolutely wonderful dish, with tender spicy goat, rice and peas and the always welcome fried plantains. It was enough to fill the bellies of two grown humans – and was proper fit. Perfection all round.
‘Captain Don’
The Lost Cat
If I told you that this cocktail tastes EXACTLY like Werther’s Originals – would you want it? Even though it seems that only old people and their grand kids eat ’em, I actually think that everyone in the world loves a Werther’s, especially when on a long car journey or in the bath. This cocktail was a revelation on my lips this week – a combination of rum, banana, miso caramel and bitter which manages to re-create this classic toffee.
Ox Cheek Eggs Benedict
Blanchflower
Top contender for the best brunch in Manchester, Blanchflower in Altrincham is a VERY impressive place, with everything on their menu made from scratch in their kitchen and bakery. You’re always assured a selection of seasonal dishes which are a huge step above anything you’ll have had recently – and with a new range of Eggs Benedict on the menu – we HAD to try ’em out. This isn’t your usual boring brunch – this Ox Cheek is testament to that. It was absolutely sublime – the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had.
Personal Cheesus
Slap & Pickle @ Society
A trip to Society and of course – a little bit of the old Slap & Pickle. Obviously. Their signature double cheeseburger was ordered – the Personal Cheesus – with two 40-day dry-aged Yorkshire beef smash patties topped with American cheese, dressed with shredded lettuce, pickles and S&P burger sauce. Simple but done exceptionally well by true burger masters. Get some Vegan Duck Fries too. Oh and a pint of Life & Death from Vocation.
2x Rice & 3 for £10
Yadgar Cafe
It was a big week for Yadgars on Thomas Street this week, as they offered up our readers a special 2 for a tenner deal on our Instagram and pretty much sold out of everything. The simple fact is that most of the Finest team are a little bit obsessed with the place – popping round for a Rice & 3 around 3 or 4 times a week. It’s all because of the quality of the curries, which is top notch. If you’ve never been – perhaps now is the time to take the plunge?
