Al-Faisal

Thomas St
July'10
After a cracking performance around Easter Al-faisal was a little disappointing today. The food was OK but short on quantity - so roti and a samosa were necessary (or deemed so by hungry people) to supplement the rice & 3 – (lamb, channa and chicken). This brought the price up to £6.80 - which for an average meal of this sort is a wee bit too strong.  Shame.  In other matters the staff (the 'boss' in particular) were very welcoming, up for a bit of a laugh and generally on the ball. We'll be back, it was just a shame that we now think of Al-Faisal as back in the 'slightly inconsistent' bracket, rather than consolidating the high ranking from last time.


April '10
Excellent grill and daal - Al Faisal really pulled it out of the bag this time and we only went because Kabana was shut!  Just shows you.  £3.80 for lamb tikka turned out to be a bargain as it was delicious and there was loads of it. Total price for lamb tikka, chana daal and chappati was £7.20 which is obvsiouly quite a lot by the standards of this blog (we're usually looking at £5). In fairness you could add another chappatti and the meal would have served two people with reasonable appetites for less than £4 each - I'm just a glutton.


Most recent trip Jan '10  - The pretty old review below is still accurate, which gives us a bit of faith in this blog. And, back slapping aside, the price £5.40 is still a wee bit over the top for a not very generous portion. However, having more places on the map now that are even more expensive puts this into a bit of perspective.  The curries were good and the place fine if still not inspiring. Some folk seem to love it - but that can be the case with anywhere. We'd heard tell of the Tuesday special of kofta and egg and duly ordered it.  It was fine but not something to get massivle excited about other than the novelty. As koftas go it was tasty enough but not worth missing the standard lamb curry for - which has always been a bit of a winner. Al faisal is not somewhere that really drags us back time and again but neither is it somewhere to avoid - it was an enjoyable meal in decent surroundings.  Another aspect to the place is that it seems to be a slightly more 'professional' establishment than some, as clean as anywhere around, the table service - with water being brought to diners and most importantly clear and relaible opening hours.  Being clean and 'respectable' and open until 8pm during the week and 7pm at weekends opens Al-Faisal up as a possible venue for trips other than lunchtime curry and a few pints. And once you are on the 'evening shift' so to speak Al-faisal certainly reverts to being a very cheap and tasty option as compared with the more mainstream equivalents.


Original Review
Al Faisal is more formal than the other cafes. Diners are treated to a kind of semi table service, with orders made at the counter then brought to the table. The food quality is pretty high, with the meat consisting of nice lean cuts in rich, tasty sauces. So rich in fact that they are more reminiscent of Indian Restaurant food – whether this is good or bad is a matter of personal preference.  Al Faisal strikes a good balance of having only a few dishes available on any one day but adds to this with a few weekly changing specials – and an active grill. It’s a good place, the food’s good, there’s ample room and it has that classic café situation of being on a busy corner, with lots of light and activity outside. Al Faisal perhaps lacks a little of the character of some of the others cafes, but maybe this will come with time. Unfortunately the overall value for money suffers somewhat due to the slightly high prices.

Key Ingredients 16.5 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.5 (out of 10)
Service Setting 8 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.0 (out of 5)
Range 4.0 (out of 5)
Average Rating 8.2 (out of 10)

Hunter's BBQ

High St

 Pre and Post refurb, bottom picture July 2010

Another go.... Dec '09 - for previous trip/blurb see below

We were hoping for Hunter's to prove us wrong this time - it was better, but only just.  The rice wasn't right  - either dried out in the hot container or undercooked in the first place. Our best guess was dried out as it was the end of the batch and there wasn't the tell tale pool of additional moisture caused by undercooking - which at noon on a Monday makes one wonder when this batch was first cooked. Worrying!  In fairness the place was fine and the service was helpful and polite. The range of curries was impressive too, however the potions were not very large and the cuts of meat somewhat fatty. A highlight was the slightly odd kofta - which consisted of seekh kebabs in a curry sauce, a bit unconventional but tasty. The different daals got mixed reviews and the whole meal was rather unsatisfying. At £3.95 is it fair to quibble?  People spending £4.60 at This & That round the corner would probably argue yes.

Key Ingredients 13.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 6 (out of 10)
Service Setting 7 (out of 10)
Value for Money 3.5 (out of 5)
Range 5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 6.9 (out of 10)

Like This & That, Hunter’s BBQ is a bit of an institution, which makes it difficult to say anything negative about it without provoking reaction. Some people love it like an old spicy friend and take great offence at anything other than glowing praise and ‘best kept secret’ or ‘for those in the know’ type phrases being thrown around – well to those people, sorry, but in our experience the curries are pretty poor. To put this in context: we pick a day to review and get what we get on the day and judge on those merits. We do eventually revisist and review but not for a while and on our last visit the curries were bland and lukewarm and the rice was badly cooked. Enquiries about the game dishes and specials led to confusion and vague mumblings and we were given the usual stuff from the pots at the front – no problem there if it had been good. It was the usual stuff – chicken, keema, lamb, chickpeas etc. Just pretty poor examples of it – the chilli, coriander and ginger garnishes/seasonings available elsewhere may have helped a bit but they were not on offer. There wasn’t even any water freely available. On the plus side the location of this place is excellent, being situated at the main crossroads near the end of Thomas Street – so there’s plenty look at as you sit and eat and the chapattis are very good. People who are familiar with, and like, the place may well cite the kebabs or game curries or whatever – or that it opens late and is great after a few pints, which is all fair enough but we have to go on what we got the day we reviewed and it wasn’t good, perhaps a revisit will change our minds.  As a side point the kebabs are fine if not amazing – though there’s far less competition for decent kebabs in this part of town, which may help please Hunter’s late night crowd.

Key Ingredients 12.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 5.5 (out of 10)
Service Setting 5 (out of 10)
Value for Money 3.5 (out of 5)
Range 5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 6.2 (out of 10)

L'al Quila Express

Pakistani/North Indian style - Wilmslow Road, Rusholme

June '10 -
The lamb tikka is still the standout dish, nicely cooked and seemingly quite high quality meat, certainly by comparison with most other places - L'al Quila Express is worth a visit just for this. £3.50 is a good price for an excellent kebab. Although for most other dishes I'd probably head elsewhere - not because the rest of the food is bad, but it isn't good enough to outweigh it being a bit grim here. There's usually a delivery truck outside blocking the window and chugging fumes in - which is loud and a bit stifling, the customers can be a mixed bag - though this can be the case anywhere and the staff aren't as friendly as some others. These factors may spoil the atmosphere a little, though for lamb tikka (and chops) this good it's worth it every now and again. For some it may even add to the charm as we hardly go to places like this for creature comforts and 'Starbucks' style service.


Feb ’10 – see below for previous.
This was an interesting trip. L’al Quila is not a regular haunt of ours and as usual we left wondering why – yet again… The lamb tikka is the big attraction here, so far as the kebabs go at least. Frankly, it’s streets ahead of its competitors. The chunks are large, excellently and interestingly marinaded and cooked to juicy perfection.  Many curry fans cite the lamb chops as their favourite part of an Indian meal – this kebab delivered that delicious sensation with fresh, salad sauces and naan for £3.30. Is there any point banging on about anything else?
….Oh go on then.  It wasn’t all perfect – the bread was hot and fresh though it broke rather easily with almost a slightly scone-like texture and lack of glutinous stretchiness. No complaints on the salad – finely sliced and a good array.  The sauces remain a slight issue as the chilli is essentially yoghurt with some flavouring in – which if added liberally along with the genuine ‘yoghurt’ sauce creates a gooey mess – although getting sauces separately will solve this minor issue.  The place is still gloomy (though there has been a bit of a refurb - making it one of the cleanest and bright-reddest places around) and the staff are not really friendly – barely registering the orders with slight nods of the head.  However that’s not a big issue – we were served promptly and efficiently, which is much more important. There’s no getting away from the side-street location and basically no window to look out of. – Are you bothered when getting possibly the best lamb kebab you’ve ever eaten? (seekh kebabs were also excellent)– You might be, as secretly I think that’s the reason we don’t go there very often –  quick kebab trips are about more than the food, though if I were taking this food away we’d be a much more regular customers.
Scores out of 10
Meat 9.5
Bread 8.0
Salad/Sauces 8.0
Service/Setting 8.0
Value/Range 8.5
Average 8.4

Walking around Rusholme and picking a venue is part of the fun and L’al Quila Express, being situated on the invisible side of the restaurant of the same name, is immediately at a disadvantage. In addition, the premises themselves are pretty gloomy and what little light there is, is often blocked by delivery trucks. However that is pretty much where the negatives end.  The service here is excellent, and the people who work here really know what they’re doing. The meat is beautifully done, with the impeccable lamb being the best we’ve found in Rusholme. (Incidentally the grilled meats were by the far the best thing eaten in a recent and much more highly priced meal at the ‘big’ restaurant part of the business – and were the same as found here) The chicken is very good but the marinade was not quite subtle or interesting enough to match the lamb. Other foods here are excellent too - the freshly fried fish tikka being a favourite. The chilli sauce slightly lets the kebabs down: it is yoghurt based which means it does not offer a tangy contrast to the minted yoghurt sauce - which was only a minor fault. The bread was good without breaking records – chapatti is often a good bet if the quality of naan is variable.

Scores out of 10
Meat 9.5
Bread 8.5
Salad/Sauces 8.0
Service/Setting 8.0
Value/Range 8.5
Average 8.5

Little Aladdin

High St

Most recent visit Jan ’10 – (see below for general blurb)
The short review is: same as before – but a bit better.  Again 5 curries available, again slightly tepid, again with a distinct stock (or something) aroma. However on the plus side, the meat was better quality and better cooked. The distinct flavour was subtler and came as a welcome change from more generic tasting curries. Like last time there were dark specs in the food – possibly indicating greater usage of pepper than other places. It was hard to tell exactly what or why but the food here is a bit different – both in look and taste. The rice was well cooked and properly flavoured and the chappati was crisp, fresh and steaming. As in some other places, diners can add chillies and coriander as they see fit too. Prices have been rising a bit lately so a straight £4 for a decent Rice & 3 was a pleasant surprise. Being small can be a slight advantage to less busy places - as they never seem empty. Every so often I could imagine Little Aladdin tempting us away from the longer queues and bustle of This & That or Yadgar - though it'd be more likely if the food were a fraction hotter.

Key Ingredients 14 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.5 (out of 10)
Service Setting 7.5 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4 (out of 5)
Range 3.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 7.5 (out of 10)

This very small corner café was the previous site of ‘Green Chilli Café’. It’s quite nicely appointed, featuring a surprising amount of seating, a charcoal grill and extra cooking activities in the cellar.  The menu is slightly more extensive than some, with pizzas and kebabs in evidence. Five curries were available for the “rice & three” combination and they were OK. The negatives were the mixed vegetable was a little too cool, the lamb a tad fatty and the chicken over-boiled and beginning to disseminate into its fibres – this might sound disastrous but the food was, in general, tasty with a rich stock flavour coming from either the rice or curries or both. It was a bit too strong to tell the precise source – but Curry Café’s can be like this.  Wholesome enough stuff, and for £4, good value. There were chillis available to add to the meal, but no coriander. Little Aladdin is fine but not of the same calibre as the best of the others.

Key Ingredients 10.5 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 7.5 (out of 10)
Value for Money 3.5 (out of 5)
Range 3.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 6.6 (out of 10)

Kashmiri Spice

CLOSED (05/11/09) - Has become Spice Kitchens.


Pakistani/North Indian style - Wilmslow Rd, Rusholme
On the occasion of our visit the service here was shambolic. Orders were taken and seemingly ignored, and things took a long time to arrive. The meat was overcooked - especially the lamb - and the bread was suspiciously very crisp – possibly cooked once and then put back under the grill. The whole operation just did not seem up to scratch – an example being a half eaten plate of food in the fridge with the drinks. This isn’t to imply the food was inedible – it wasn’t and many would argue the rough edges add to the charm in a Kebab House. The pluses were the price and good chilli sauce. Given the other options this hasn’t been enough to warrant a return.

Scores out of 10
Meat 6.0
Bread 6.0
Salad/Sauces 8.0
Service/Setting 3.5
Average 5.9

Tastemaster's

Oldham St

Most recent - 13/06/10
A late night curry was required and this was the only place open in the vicinity. We asked if they had anything decent on and the welcome answer was 'lamb chop karahi'. The meat was slightly tough but it was flavoursome if not exceptional, rice was of the tasty and ridiculously multi-coloured variety and the chapatti was fine - how could it not be? I can't help but slightly admire Tastemaster's - even the name brings a smile to my face. Perhaps my expectations are so low that they always pleasantly surprise me. If any of the Thomas Street big hitters were open late I'd probably never go here. But they shut early and Tastemaster's doesn't.

Curry
What Tastemaster's can do is deliver a hot plate of reasonably tasty food - relatively quickly - at a good price, which sounds alright. But perhaps this place's low scores shows how much more there can be to a good Curry Cafe experience. The communication and setting were poor: after attending to his fat fryer for a significant length of time the sole staff member found it very difficult to accurately communicate what was on offer. There were allegedly 4 curries and rice for £3.50: this translated into 4 ingredients rather than different dishes. Just three were requested, to follow the usual format, and they all arrived in one mixed curry sauce. This was a pretty strange concoction leading to the conclusion that if you’re in the Northern Quarter you have to at least offer ‘Rice and Three’ and worry about providing later. The food was acceptable and the sauce was tasty (if generic). The rice was quite well spiced, and the whole dish was extremely (microwavedly) hot. The chapati was good and fresh and, to be fair, the samosa, pakora and other starters were up to a decent standard. Differentiation between dishes, and condiments and garnishes seem a closed book to Tastemaster's, which seems to be favouring the late-night chicken burger and doner kebab market over the day-time curry. Perhaps this is due to the level of competition around from more established Cafes.

Key Ingredients 13.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 4.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.0 (out of 5)
Range 3.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 6.5 (out of 10)

Return visit...
Rice and 3 has not been re-attempted here as they don't seem to do it. It's a little bit difficult getting to the bottom of their lunchtime offer - though it seems like 1/2 a container of rice with 1/2 a container of curry for £3.50 - or possibly half of 2-4 different curries.  £4 for daal and a chapatti seemed a bit expensive, but then possibly £3.50 for a meat curry and rice was an option - who knows? £3.20 chicken kebab looks a decent option although daal and chapatti were very good, as it happens.  This place can be handy, it's usually pretty quiet, it's open late, they've got reasonably priced hot food and there's no faff.  It's quite good in its own way, although no daytime curry fan will make this a 'destination' with Yadgar thirty seconds walk away. However if you're having a few pints in the Oldham Street vicinity and want something hot, fast and pretty cheap - particularly after 7-8pm Tastemaster's appeal becomes a bit more apparent.

...and again. OK 3.50 for a container of half curry/half rice is definitely available - though whether that's lunchtime only is hard to tell as it's on the offical board above the counter which doesn't say a thing about times.  Anyway - it's OK, the lamb and chicken dishes weren't really different but £7 for lunch for two, in town, is pretty good in anyone's book. Add a chapatti for 50p and you've got a reasonably substantial meal.

Kebab Trip
There’s an unwritten rule with places like Tastemaster’s – don’t rely on the menu, if you can’t see it up front you’re probably better off not doing.  And so it was with the kebabs. Chicken was all that was visible so chicken was ordered.  Lamb is a less popular choice anyway so therefore deemed uneconomic to make fresh in some places. There was no way lamb was going to be ordered and possibly microwaved up or whatever… I digress….
The chicken tikka kebab was absolutely fine. Everything was fresh and decent, if unremarkable. The bread was pretty thick - which is a matter of preference, in this instance it made for a hearty meal on a cold day. The meat was properly cooked and the marinade quite tasty.  The salad and sauces were pretty ‘regulation’ but also fine.  There’s no stand out kebab venue in the Northern Quarter and this was certainly no worse than the others. £3.20 is pretty good too. As for the place, it never seems the same twice. To be fair it’s best when empty – the passing trade form Gulliver’s doesn’t particularly help although the staff have always been polite if not necessarily helpful.
Scores out of 10
Meat 7.5
Bread 7.0
Salad/Sauces 6.5
Service/Setting 6.0
Average 6.75

Taste

Al-Madina

Pakistani/North Indian style - Wilmslow Rd, Rusholme 
Most recent 27/05/10
After the great trip late last year Al-Madina is back to good - but not great. The chicken was fine but chopped up into small pieces on the grill, which dries it out a bit. The seekhs good but not outstanding - the lamb was avoided because it looked a bit old and tired under the glass and the chapattis appeared to have been hanging around a bit and were a little cold.  Having said that it was all fine, the marinades good, salad fine, sauces good etc etc. Just not quite what we'd hoped for after last time. Back to a good, if straight-forward, experience, but one that isn't better than or different enough to Saajan just over the road. It's still one of the bettter places of this type, just not the best in this area.
Scores out of 10
Meat 8.0
Bread 7.5
Salad/Sauces 7.5
Service/Setting 8.0
Average 7.8

Dec '09
Well, after a few mediocre trips Al Madina is right back in the zone. Excellent keababs - meat, salad, sauces and bread were all of the highest order. Lamb possibly a tad over cooked if being picky, but still flavoursome and moist, the chicken excellent and the bread finally up to scratch.  The other dishes here are good too - the entire grill selection is tempting, as are the cold dishes such as papri chaat and a bowl of curry that passed by for another diner.  The samosa was one of the best to date - if eaten fresh, rather than mirowaved, it would have been incredible, however it was still great thanks to an interesting herby filling. Al-Madina is one of the very few places of this ilk in which the advice to stick to what they do best would be difficult to follow, as it all genuinely looks good. Perhaps this is because they stick to Asian food - not a pizza box in sight.  We will return and hope they're keeping the standards up.
Scores out of 10
Meat 9
Bread 8.5
Salad/Sauces 8
Service/Setting 8
Average 8.4

The first visit to Al Madina was quite a bit better than the subsequent ones, which is a shame as at first it seemed that this relaxed and somehow 'authentic' place would be a real contender for top spot and a regular stop off point. However, the last few visits have been rather disappointing. The bread was too spongy and doughy, and the salad and sauces were bland. But the meat is still of a high standard, with the seekh kebab being particularly tasty – unfortunately this wasn’t enough to pull round an otherwise uninspiring kebab. But the starters were good, with meat samosas a strong point. The service was slightly strange with the slower cooking chicken being put on the grill after the seekhs, which meant that the meals arrived a significant time apart - creating the knock on effect of cold naan for the second diner. However, cold or not, the bread was not up to scratch and let this establishment down. We've not quite given up on the place yet and to be fair these are OK kebabs, nothing terrible - just not quite as good as they could be.
Scores out of 10
Meat 8.5
Bread 6.0
Salad/Sauces 6.0
Service/Setting 8.0
Average 7.1

Al Madina

The first visit to Al Madina was quite a bit better than the subsequent ones, which is a shame as at first it seemed that this relaxed and somehow 'authentic' place would be a real contender for top spot and a regular stop off point. However the last few visits have been rather disappointing

Zam Zam Tandoori

Pakistani/North Indian style - Wilbraham Road, Chorlton

April '10
Zam Zam Special - £4 for lamb curry, chicken curry, veg curry or chicken kofta curry with a rice or naan. This is about as near to a Curry Cafe experience you can get on this side of town. It's a good deal and the chicken kofta, pictured bottom left was good, however, future visits have found the chicken and lamb curries to be pretty much generic 'takeaway' type stuff and not all that inspiring.

Only open a month at the time of our first visit Zam Zam found its feet pretty quickly, producing some of the best Pakistani kebabs (and curries) around these parts. Tadoori Naan, freshly and well grilled meat, good salad and sauces and pleasant service make this place hard to beat. There are a number of freshly cooked curry dishes and starters availble - which are excellent also - nihari, karahi gosht (on the bone) and the tarka daal stand out. Zam Zam is a welcome addition to centre of Chorlton. However, numerous visits since our first haven't completely settled our minds, when it's great it's great - when it's not great it's only alright. This usually depends on whether the main man, Taz, is at the tandoor or not - which makes scoring quite difficult, however we'll go with our initial good impressions.

Scores out of 10
Meat 9.0
Bread 9.5
Salad/Sauces 8.0
Service/Setting 8.0
Average 8.6

Caspian

Middle Eastern style - Wilmslow Road, Rusholme
Caspian is described as Persian, and is one of the more unusual kebab places in Rusholme - perhaps because it does not follow many of the accepted conventions. Meat, salad and sauces are all served seperately on one plate and the bread or rice in a basket or additional plate. Every item is of a high standard. In keeping with other Middle Eastern places the flavourings are more subtle than their Pakistani/Indian counterparts. The range of other dishes and large portions make this a place to look out for. However its lack of similarity to the usual keabab experience (i.e. all ingredients here are not combined into a huge sandwich with lots of chilli sauce and yoghurt) might put some people off. You leave here feeling you've eaten a proper meal. The interior is clean and light, making this a welcome and genuinely different addition to Rusholme kebab scene - though they offer much more than that.

Scores out of 10
Meat 9.0
Bread 9.0
Salad/Sauces 8.5
Service/Setting 8.5
Average 8.8

This & That 2

Butter Lane - outside Northern Quarter

 Keema with peas, chicken Masala and lamb with okra - next to a bowl of chillies

Most Recent Visit 29/04/10
The gap between this place and the original has closed to 'wafer' thin. There isn't the same range of food available but it's good, has very little competition this side of town and is apparently open late at weekends.  With nothing of the sort in this vicinity This & That 2 (as we call it) is a real winner.

Key Ingredients 17.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.5 (out of 10)
Service Setting 8.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.0 (out of 5)
Range 3.0 (out of 5)
Average Rating 8.1 (out of 10)

Original Blurb
This is a new venture for This & That, and it is housed in the old Let's Eat café, which is a real bonus for that side of town as there is very little in the way of Curry Cafés or Kebab Houses. In all honesty the curry was very good - on a par of with the original establishment – which is high praise indeed. So why hasn’t it scored as highly? Well, this all depends on your criteria – all we can do is to point out what wasn’t as good. Firstly, one of the highlights, and main draws of the Soap Street branch, is the menu - which changes on a daily basis. There was no evidence of that here. In fact there was no menu at all. Perhaps it is to come. It was easy enough to order from sight, however somebody was served a chicken tikka kebab at one point and there was absolutely no indication that they were available. In terms of the other food, the rice was a little disappointing by comparison but the chapati was very tasty. There were no free jugs of water. No obviously free yoghurt sauce – although thankfully the chillies, onions and coriander are available. The interior is bland and modern, which lets the place down and seating is pretty limited. Perhaps when it’s a bit more lived in and with a few minor niggles ironed out the new This & That will rival the old. However, if you’re new to Curry Cafés or are based on that side of town or don’t go regularly enough to need menu changes or don’t really care about lived in décor or atmosphere – basically just want a good plate of no nonsense curry, you may well be very happy here.

Key Ingredients 17.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.5 (out of 10)
Service Setting 7.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.0 (out of 5)
Range 3.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 8.0 (out of 10)

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Saajan Halal

Pakistani/North Indian style - Wilmslow Road, Rusholme

Pictured: Chicken Tikka on Chapatti and Chicken Doner on Naan

12/07/10
Good, as ever. 

07/06/10 - Great trip, which we won't bother going into - how different can it be from the numerous others or one last week we didn't record?!? - not much.  However a bit of information came to light - the opening hours of 11AM to 6AM. If you're stuck you know where to go.   

19/05/10 - very good, like a few other regulars places we won't keep re-reviewing unless something momentus occurs. It's good - go!  

March ‘10 - see below for previous review
Saajan has a good reputation with the regular kebab goer as it’s so infrequently off its game.  And predictable as it may sound it was, yet again, just what the doctor ordered.  You might complain about a few things – maybe the salad won’t be to your taste (there’s a fair bit of cabbage and carrot in there – it’s finely shredded and personally I like the fresh crunch). The lack of tandoor bread isn’t ideal, though the chapattis are top drawer and the naan fine. You might not agree that the chicken tikka’s the best around  - but time after time we’ve left thinking it’s pretty much as good as it gets – certainly if consistency is to be taken into account. In short £3.30 for a really good kebab, in a decent place, with friendly service can not be complained about – well, not by us anyway.

First things first – which of the four ‘Saajan’s do we mean? Well, even though their signs may not make it obvious Saajan Halal is in Rusholme on the corner of Wilmslow Road and Thurloe Street, Saajan Halal Café is a couple of doors down and no relation. Saajan Original is in Fallowfield and is part of the same company, with a very similar set-up and finally Saajan Express is in Chorlton – again being a separate business.
Saajan Halal is one of the busiest lunchtime venues in Rusholme – and for good reason, they’re reliable, well priced and always ready to go. The food is usually very good with the chicken tikka and seekh kebabs being some of the best around due to interesting spice blends and excellent cooking. Other items can be more variable depending on who’s cooking them – often in kebab places lamb tikka is over cooked and this has happened here but is not a regular occurrence. There are a good range of salad and sauces and the bread is of a pretty high standard - though the large iranian/persian tandoor naan is not an option. There are plenty of other dishes offer – chops, starters (pakora, samosa etc), fish, chicken and lamb doner and a full range of curries. There are a few minor negative points: the lack of a tandoor means that great naan is impossible, but their excellent chapattis make a good substitute – on occasion inexperienced staff members have made a few mistakes, particularly if they are really busy, but these errors are rare. The service is generally excellent and friendly and the large glass windows and corner location add to the bustling atmosphere. The high turnover means that the food is not left hanging around too long before cooking, which can be a problem in less successful places. Saajan Halal has been well visited for good reason – there’s very little to complain about and it sets the standard for kebab houses of its type - i.e. Pakistani/North Indian.

Scores out of 10
Meat 9.0
Bread 8.5
Salad/Sauces 9.0
Service/Setting 9.5
Average 9.0

Yadgar Café

Top Right: Lamb, Chicken and Potato & Aubergine
Bottom Right: Spinach & Potato, Chicken and Channa
Left side, slight refurb - Top 2009, Bottom 2010

High St
July '10
Another great trip, the non-meat dishes really stood out today, channa, spinach & potato and aubergine & potato were all excellent. The meat dishes were up to the usual high standards and the portion sizes were fine due to a slight change in staff responsibilities behind the counter.

May '10
Excellent trip - back on form. £4.70 for rice & 3 is still decent.


March '10
Not as good as last time - the bald headed miserable bloke was the only fella serving - extremely slowly and only giving small portions, as usual. This might sound ridiculous but the mere sight of him is enough to make us consider turning round and clearing off to Kabana. What was not his fault was that the bread was not great either. However, there's no getting away from the quality of the curries here - they're just very good.


December 09
Fantastic trip today, six different dishes sampled, some of the more interesting being: lamb on the bone, yoghurt curry with pakora dumplings and lentils with gourd - all six were excellent.  The older guy with the bald head and the beard was not behind the counter so the portions were of a decent size. Best ever visit and one to remember.  The rice was interestgly spiced and very pleasnat - with 3 very good curries (by any standards) for £4.50 is one of the best value meals available in the city. Yadgar's very much back near the top of the tree (health warnings or not).

Key Ingredients 19.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 9.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 8.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.5 (out of 5)
Range 5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 9.1 (out of 10)

- 2008
Yadgar is highly rated by many amongst the 'rice and three' community. However, the portions here are often smaller than the other cafes. There is not a huge amount of food, but it is of a very high standard. The curries are richer, and closer to restaurant style dishes - being slightly oilier, having more pronounced flavours and being more distinctly different from one another - than in other cafes. The service is efficient, but can be unhelpful (depending on which member of staff is serving) - with a slight reluctance to discuss the curries available on the day - this seems a bit odd as the advertised dishes are inaccurate and the food is not on show like in This & That - so how are we supposed to know? Chillies, coriander and ginger have to be requested rather than being freely available. The setting is good and there is sufficient space for the numbers who dine here. Being one of the cafes with a charcoal grill, also makes Yadgar a good option for kebabs, with 50p seekhs and 40p chapattis looking as good value as the curries: £4.30 (now £4.70 - July 2010) for 2 meat, 1 veg. Part of the function of the Curry Cafe is providing a decent feed for realtively little money, so to be slightly short on portion size is a little irritating - thought the quality of food is arguably the best around. Big eaters are recommended to get additional roti or side dishes. Those with smaller appetites may well have found their ideal venue.

Key Ingredients 18.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 9.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 8.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 4.5 (out of 5)
Range 4.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 8.8 (out of 10)

Saajan Halal

(Pakistani/North Indian style)
First things first – which of the four ‘Saajan’s do we mean? Well, even though their signs may not make it obvious Saajan Halal is in Rusholme on the corner of Wilmslow Road and Thurloe Street, Saajan Halal Café is a couple of doors down and no relation. Saajan Original is in fallowfield and is part of the same company, with a very similar set-up and finally Saajan Express is in Chorlton – again being a separate business.
Saajan Halal is one of the busiest lunchtime venues in Rusholme – and for good reason, they’re reliable, well priced and always ready to go. The food is usually very good with the chicken tikka and seekh kebabs being some of the best around due to interesting spice blends and excellent cooking. Other items can be more variable depending on who’s cooking them – so often in kebab places lamb tikka is over cooked and this has happened here but is not a regular occurrence. There are a good range of salad and sauces and the bread is of a high standard. There are plenty of other dishes offer – chops, starters (pakora, samosa etc), fish, chicken and lamb doner and a full range of curries. There are a few minor negative points: the lack of a tandoor means that great naan is impossible, but their excellent chapattis make a good substitute – on occasion inexperienced staff members have made a few mistakes, particularly if they are really busy, but these errors are rare. The service is generally excellent and friendly and the large glass windows and corner location add to the bustling atmosphere. The high turnover means that the food is not left hanging around too long before cooking, which can be a problem in less successful places. Saajan Halal has been well visited for good reason – there’s very little to complain about and it sets the standard for kebab houses of its type.
Scores out of 10
Meat: 9.0
Bread 9.0
Salad/Sauces 9.0
Service/Setting 9.5
Average 9.1

This & That (Original)

Soap St

25/06/10
After a couple of mediocre visits This & That was back on form and we were really pleased.  After recent trips elsewhere it was really nice to come here, relax and enjoy the lesser spiced more wholesome and home-cooked food - it's just a bit more 'real' and a lot less oily. When it's on form we understand what that fuss about. 

26/05/10
A bit better than last time, enjoyable but nothing massively exciting. Perhaps that's the point here, the food is not all that flavoursome, which actaully can be a welcome change form the over salty, over greasy, artifically coloured stuff served elsewhere. Kidney and liver was pretty tough but the lamb steak was good - chicken a tad dry but fine - mixed veg excellent. 

04/03/10
It's a shame to say it but This & That is getting pretty average. It's still a great place to go and remains the archetypal curry cafe, but the food today was only OK. There was a big pool of water under the rice after we finished, the chicken was bland and tasted as if it had been (over)cooked separately from the sauce and chucked in at the end. The lamb and chana were good. We're hoping they'll recover. Still £4.60 for 2 meat one veg, which is good too.

General blurb
This place sets the standard for all Curry Cafés. It is a long standing favourite with many loyal customers and is the prime example of what these places should be. The décor and seating are basic, and the place has a rough and ready feel to it. On a cold and miserable day the steamy and warm interior are perfect for eating a hot and wholesome meal. The staff are excellent, with the operation being efficient and homely. The food is very good, with most dishes being in a rustic, 'home-cooked' style. The curries are not brightly coloured or heavily spiced, generally consisting of meat, vegetables and a subtly flavoured gravy. There are a small range of free sundries on offer - coriander, chillies, onions and yoghurt sauce. The menu is reasonably extensive, with a range of 9 or 10 freshly cooked curries that change daily. The additional items (roti, pakora etc) are limited, but perfectly judged and done well. The value for money is excellent (currently £4.60 for two meat curries, one vegetable curry and rice) and the portions are generous. This & That has the winning formula for Curry Cafés. Any changes could easily upset the delicate balance found in this near perfect place. On their day, the best of the rest are equal or even better for food but This & That has very few off days and therefore many satisfied customers.

Key Ingredients 17.0 (out of 20)
Other Food 8.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 9.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 5.0 (out of 5)
Range 4.5 (out of 5)
Average Rating 8.7 (out of 10)

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