Akbar's Indian Restaurant

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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