Akbar's Indian Restaurant
73-83 Liverpool Road, Castlefield
Manchester, M3 4NQ Tel: 0161 834 7222
Saturday 24th May 2008
Phil and I decided to get together for a meal - we'd left it far
too long since the last time. Linda and Marg joined us.
Akbars is situated in a trendy part of Manchester, opposite to
the Museum of Science and Industry. It is patronised by a younger
clientele (well - younger than us! I though I was the oldest person
there)
It was busy - I don't think they take reservations, so you turn
up and the concierge takes your name, and invites you to take a seat
in the bar - I ordered a Cobra and a Coke while Marg and I waited
for Phil and Linda. Quite expensive, so I wondered what the meal
would set us back.
There were lovely smells wafting through as we waited, but I'm
sad to report that those people who couldn't do without tobacco
didn't stand far enough away from the door to prevent "blow-back".
Not a big problem, but I personally find it tragic that these days
one has to go indoors to enjoy smoke-free air. Gripe
over.
When Phil and Linda arrived, I tipped the wink to the concierge
and he transferred our name from the pending to the waiting list. We
didn't have to wait long and were ushered to a table towards the
back, and near a window. This gave us a little more light and
the curtains helped to absorb some of the quite loud background
noise.
Our waiter introduced himself and handed out the menus.
The fare seems to consist of the standard Indian Menu items, but
pride of place was the "Handi" which was listed as the house special
and "real" indian style. I couldn't resist.
We agreed with the waiter that a single (large) Naan would
suffice for the four of us, along with two helpings of Pilau
rice.
I had seen a Gordon Ramsay program where he chastised an Indian
restaurant for serving Naans on a "tree". He may have had a point in
that particular restaurant, but we couldn't see how a normal-sized
dining table could accommodate such a large naan without suspending
it vertically. It didn't cause us any grief.
I started with Chicken Liver, Marg with Seekh kebab. The liver was
excellent, and Marg's kebab was larger than expected and quite
heavily loaded with herbs and spices - but not too much.
Marg's main was the Chicken Dopiaza and she was completely
satisfied with it - just right.
My Handi was good - with the spices and herbs again showing
through. The lamb was in parts melt-in-the-mouth and in parts more
steak-like. A nice contrast and a change from lamb which has no
decent texture at all.
All of us ended up struggling to finish - the helpings were more
than adequate. We couldn't even manage dessert or coffee.
Service was in general good - though a couple of minor lapses
occurred, we put this down to how busy the place was.
The bill, including drinks, came to £64 - quite reasonable, and a
relief after the concern the bar bill caused
me.
Recommended.
Sandro & Marg
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