Barolw Moor Rd, Chorlton.
This is a nice little Italian restaurant. The food is a bit more interesting than the standard pizza and pasta dishes, although some of these are available. There is an emphasis on red meat and fish dishes, and for this trip the fillet steak was excellent and the lamb ragu was one of the best Italian meals I've eaten. The place does get very busy, and they have a tendency to cram people in a tiny bit more than is necessary. The staff are friendly and attentive, but the service was a little slow. The prices are not too high - three courses, two bottles of wine and two coffees came to £85. The decor is nice and simple, with plain wooden tables large windows at the front and lots of wood around the bar. Leo's is well worth a visit.
Sunday 25 April 2010
Monday 19 April 2010
The Wheatsheaf
Oak St., Manchester
A minor refurb and the addition of two hand pumps has breathed a bit of life back into The Wheatsheaf. It’s always been alright for a quiet game of pool and a pint of Guinness but the addition of the ale and a bit of a (sympathetic) spruce up has just tipped it over the edge into somewhere worth going, rather than just ending up. The Wheatsheaf stands out in the area as a place which is neither too young and trendy nor too rough or dodgy. Places like the Bay Horse are too far one way and Gulliver’s too far the other (don’t get them mixed up). It’s in the Smithfield bracket of a decent boozer, but is still not one to go to for a particularly lively night. Which suits at least one of the reviewers here very well.
A minor refurb and the addition of two hand pumps has breathed a bit of life back into The Wheatsheaf. It’s always been alright for a quiet game of pool and a pint of Guinness but the addition of the ale and a bit of a (sympathetic) spruce up has just tipped it over the edge into somewhere worth going, rather than just ending up. The Wheatsheaf stands out in the area as a place which is neither too young and trendy nor too rough or dodgy. Places like the Bay Horse are too far one way and Gulliver’s too far the other (don’t get them mixed up). It’s in the Smithfield bracket of a decent boozer, but is still not one to go to for a particularly lively night. Which suits at least one of the reviewers here very well.
Sunday 18 April 2010
Duffy's Bar
Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton.
Duffy's is an unusual bar. This used to be Uluru, and we suppose it's now an 'Irish themed' Lees pub - although there isn't much that's Irish about it beyond the name - certainly not the landlord. It seems a little strange to us to have a 'tied house' themed - as to an extent the brewery already is the theme. Normally themed pubs are either independant venture like O'Shea's or 'standard pubs' which happen to have a landlord or lady of a particular nationaility. Perhaps there's more to this than we can tell at first glance. Anyway... There are four handpumps offering real ale, including one guest beer - which was Timothy Taylor on both occaisions. The place has polished wooden floors and a lot of football related memorabilia on the walls - both United and City, which again implies brewery rather than personal influences. The decor is a throwback to the 70s, with white plaster alcoves and artexing on the walls and ceiling. The small space outside is on the main road, and it is not a particularly pleasant place to sit. It doesn't feel like a new bar at all, and it's a slightly odd addition to the drinking scene in Chorlton given the usual offerings. However, if we're lucky it'll remain a good solid boozer and a nice change from the trendier more youth orientated bars.
Duffy's is an unusual bar. This used to be Uluru, and we suppose it's now an 'Irish themed' Lees pub - although there isn't much that's Irish about it beyond the name - certainly not the landlord. It seems a little strange to us to have a 'tied house' themed - as to an extent the brewery already is the theme. Normally themed pubs are either independant venture like O'Shea's or 'standard pubs' which happen to have a landlord or lady of a particular nationaility. Perhaps there's more to this than we can tell at first glance. Anyway... There are four handpumps offering real ale, including one guest beer - which was Timothy Taylor on both occaisions. The place has polished wooden floors and a lot of football related memorabilia on the walls - both United and City, which again implies brewery rather than personal influences. The decor is a throwback to the 70s, with white plaster alcoves and artexing on the walls and ceiling. The small space outside is on the main road, and it is not a particularly pleasant place to sit. It doesn't feel like a new bar at all, and it's a slightly odd addition to the drinking scene in Chorlton given the usual offerings. However, if we're lucky it'll remain a good solid boozer and a nice change from the trendier more youth orientated bars.
Thursday 15 April 2010
Atlantic Fish Bar
Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton.
This is probably the best chippy in Chorlton. The portions are huge, with the fish being particularly large. The fish and chips are well cooked. The cod and haddock are coated in a crispy batter and the chips are nice and firm. The place is very clean and bright, and the staff are helpful. The massive servings are not very expensive, and we would be happy to recommend this place to anyone with a big appetite.
This is probably the best chippy in Chorlton. The portions are huge, with the fish being particularly large. The fish and chips are well cooked. The cod and haddock are coated in a crispy batter and the chips are nice and firm. The place is very clean and bright, and the staff are helpful. The massive servings are not very expensive, and we would be happy to recommend this place to anyone with a big appetite.
The White Lion
Liverpool St.
Difficult one this, it’s not trendy (loads of silly haircuts and tight jeans), which is a plus – and not rough (feels like a fight will break out any second) - that’s another plus. So has it become the promised land of just a decent, normal boozer? Well, not quite as the beer’s pricey and there are fruit machines and big teles. I think you could analyse yourself in knots about this place (which is also a Chinese takeaway, to add to the confuciun). Best not to bother. It’s a decent old style boozer with a few hand pumps, tellies, fruit machines – nice old big bar, massive beer garden and two menus – English and Chinese. To explain a bit, the couple who run the place are English and Chinese, hence the mix of cultures, not that that’s a bad thing in this case. Also the Landlady is a vociferous and friendly character. We wouldn’t go miles out of our way to come here, but if you’re around and about it’s another decent boozer on the list.
Difficult one this, it’s not trendy (loads of silly haircuts and tight jeans), which is a plus – and not rough (feels like a fight will break out any second) - that’s another plus. So has it become the promised land of just a decent, normal boozer? Well, not quite as the beer’s pricey and there are fruit machines and big teles. I think you could analyse yourself in knots about this place (which is also a Chinese takeaway, to add to the confuciun). Best not to bother. It’s a decent old style boozer with a few hand pumps, tellies, fruit machines – nice old big bar, massive beer garden and two menus – English and Chinese. To explain a bit, the couple who run the place are English and Chinese, hence the mix of cultures, not that that’s a bad thing in this case. Also the Landlady is a vociferous and friendly character. We wouldn’t go miles out of our way to come here, but if you’re around and about it’s another decent boozer on the list.
Monday 12 April 2010
Cask
Cask has been around a few years - it's a pretty decent place really, managing to straddle the gap between lively and too trendy reasonably well. Ironically, given the name, there's no real ale - which in our view is a bit cheeky. However there's a decent range of continental lagers on tap and in bottles. Not a regular venue for us, due to the lack of the bitter, but certainly one of the better places of its type - along with The Temple.
City Arms
Kennedy Street, Manchester
The City Arms is a welcome oasis in the city centre desert of decent real-ale pubs. It's one of the few old pubs that's managed to retain its identity, keep real ale and not become gimmicky. There's not tons of seating and it's (unsurprisingly) pretty popular - so don't expect a table. However, if you're in that part of town it's the only decent old style boozer and well worth a visit. A real gem and the best pub for quite a distance around it.
The City Arms is a welcome oasis in the city centre desert of decent real-ale pubs. It's one of the few old pubs that's managed to retain its identity, keep real ale and not become gimmicky. There's not tons of seating and it's (unsurprisingly) pretty popular - so don't expect a table. However, if you're in that part of town it's the only decent old style boozer and well worth a visit. A real gem and the best pub for quite a distance around it.
Gulliver's
Oldham St.
Gulliver's is an old stlye pub which is very differnt from the more modern and trendy bars in the Northern Quarter. There's no real ale but on the plus side there's loads of Karaoke. It's OK when nobody's there but when it's busy Karaoke and scuffling seem to be the major pursuits. If you want a change from the more expensive trendy bars this might be somewhere to visit but that's about the only recommendation we can make.
Gulliver's is an old stlye pub which is very differnt from the more modern and trendy bars in the Northern Quarter. There's no real ale but on the plus side there's loads of Karaoke. It's OK when nobody's there but when it's busy Karaoke and scuffling seem to be the major pursuits. If you want a change from the more expensive trendy bars this might be somewhere to visit but that's about the only recommendation we can make.
Buffet City
Portland Street, Manchester
This place does pretty mediocre, standard chinese takeaway type stuff. It's kind of like being in a MacDonald's too - big, bright and noisy. So why go? Well, you eat as much as you want for £5.50 a head. Like the other all-you-can-eat-buffet type deals the emphasis is on quantity and price being high and low (in that order) - which is undeniably attractive to those with big appetites and not a lot of cash. After 6PM the price hikes up to £8.90 and more expensive items, such as duck, become available for the evening trade. There's not much to say about the place other than the obvious - if you want better food go elsewhere and pay more. If you've not booked anywhere, you're starving, aren't that bothered about quality and want feeding quickly this is not a bad option and certainly preferable to most fast food outlets.
This place does pretty mediocre, standard chinese takeaway type stuff. It's kind of like being in a MacDonald's too - big, bright and noisy. So why go? Well, you eat as much as you want for £5.50 a head. Like the other all-you-can-eat-buffet type deals the emphasis is on quantity and price being high and low (in that order) - which is undeniably attractive to those with big appetites and not a lot of cash. After 6PM the price hikes up to £8.90 and more expensive items, such as duck, become available for the evening trade. There's not much to say about the place other than the obvious - if you want better food go elsewhere and pay more. If you've not booked anywhere, you're starving, aren't that bothered about quality and want feeding quickly this is not a bad option and certainly preferable to most fast food outlets.
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Saturday 3 April 2010
Charango
Barolw Moor Road, Chorlton.
Third time lucky May 2010
Saturday night and this time it makes sense - good food, plenty of 'atmosphere', the staff were efficient and friendly, the place very busy and even the lone ale was OK - this time Wainwrights. It's never going to a favourite of ours but that presumably isn't their intention - if you're into this sort of place or just like new things you may well have a good evening here. - That's quite enough Charango-ing for us for a while.
Revisit April 2010
After ‘Anonymous’ below praised the place so highly we decided to go back to check – a younger member of the team dragged ‘Grandad’ back to Charango on a Wednesday evening – long after he should have been in bed. It was much quieter than the Friday, unsurprisingly – though there were a few tables of people chattering away. In fairness the menu looked pretty decent though the beer situation was poor. Down to one ale which was actually bad – freezing cold with a coagulating head, vaguely sour and poorly kept, which at £3 is a bit daft. It was the Dulcimer beer, Blonde on Blonde.
Clearly this isn’t a place for the beer drinker so there’s no point going on about it. It seems the sort of place for dressing up a bit, sipping cocktails with ‘the girls’, sharing tapassy-type nibbles and having salsa lessons – none of which is our bag. Though being on the side of the road that gets sun in the evenings and having the large outdoor area means this place will almost certainly be rammed all summer.
Assuming it's one group of people (or person) in charge of both Dulcimer and Charango, their differences make more sense - presumably Dulcimer's covering the 'folky beery' end of things and they're hoping Charango is seen as a bit more dressed up and cosmopolitan. If the naming convention is stuck with I'm looking forward to their third venture - 'Banjo', in which toothless red-necks drink burbon all day. Perhaps Chorlton's not ready for that one.
Original blurb...
This was, until recently, Ostara. It is now a Latin themed bar named after a small South American instrument. The place is noisy due to the loud music playing, and it was very busy when we were there. There is a large outside terrace, which was also well used.
On the plus side, the lighting in the place is subtle and low - which works well with the red painted walls. There is also one real ale on handpump, which is unusual in bars like this. The place is more set up for drinkers than Ostara, which was much more of a restaurant (serving seasonal British food) than a bar. The outside space will also be a bonus in the summer.
I'm not sure such a bar is necessary in Chorlton. It feels gimmicky because of the theme, and it is certainly far from an ideal venue for a few quiet drinks.
Saturday night and this time it makes sense - good food, plenty of 'atmosphere', the staff were efficient and friendly, the place very busy and even the lone ale was OK - this time Wainwrights. It's never going to a favourite of ours but that presumably isn't their intention - if you're into this sort of place or just like new things you may well have a good evening here. - That's quite enough Charango-ing for us for a while.
Revisit April 2010
After ‘Anonymous’ below praised the place so highly we decided to go back to check – a younger member of the team dragged ‘Grandad’ back to Charango on a Wednesday evening – long after he should have been in bed. It was much quieter than the Friday, unsurprisingly – though there were a few tables of people chattering away. In fairness the menu looked pretty decent though the beer situation was poor. Down to one ale which was actually bad – freezing cold with a coagulating head, vaguely sour and poorly kept, which at £3 is a bit daft. It was the Dulcimer beer, Blonde on Blonde.
Clearly this isn’t a place for the beer drinker so there’s no point going on about it. It seems the sort of place for dressing up a bit, sipping cocktails with ‘the girls’, sharing tapassy-type nibbles and having salsa lessons – none of which is our bag. Though being on the side of the road that gets sun in the evenings and having the large outdoor area means this place will almost certainly be rammed all summer.
Assuming it's one group of people (or person) in charge of both Dulcimer and Charango, their differences make more sense - presumably Dulcimer's covering the 'folky beery' end of things and they're hoping Charango is seen as a bit more dressed up and cosmopolitan. If the naming convention is stuck with I'm looking forward to their third venture - 'Banjo', in which toothless red-necks drink burbon all day. Perhaps Chorlton's not ready for that one.
Original blurb...
This was, until recently, Ostara. It is now a Latin themed bar named after a small South American instrument. The place is noisy due to the loud music playing, and it was very busy when we were there. There is a large outside terrace, which was also well used.
On the plus side, the lighting in the place is subtle and low - which works well with the red painted walls. There is also one real ale on handpump, which is unusual in bars like this. The place is more set up for drinkers than Ostara, which was much more of a restaurant (serving seasonal British food) than a bar. The outside space will also be a bonus in the summer.
I'm not sure such a bar is necessary in Chorlton. It feels gimmicky because of the theme, and it is certainly far from an ideal venue for a few quiet drinks.
Friday 2 April 2010
Orlando's
Barlow Moor Road, Chrolton.
This place is dreadful. It's bland in the worst kind of corporate chain sort of way. There are no real ales, and the interior lacks any sort of warmth - being very clean with white walls and modern dining room furniture.
However, there are some minor positive notes. We were given free mini samosas after we ordered the drinks, which was a nice touch. Also, the outside space is a good size and is well laid out.
This place is dreadful. It's bland in the worst kind of corporate chain sort of way. There are no real ales, and the interior lacks any sort of warmth - being very clean with white walls and modern dining room furniture.
However, there are some minor positive notes. We were given free mini samosas after we ordered the drinks, which was a nice touch. Also, the outside space is a good size and is well laid out.
Escape
Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton.
This is a fairly compact place opposite Chorlton bus station. The beer selection is not great, with only one hand pump for cask beers. Escape has a couple of huge hanging lamps as features - placed above the large leather sofas at the back of the bar.
The lighting is one decent aspect of this place as it seems to work well with the brown and gold/orange colour scheme. The staff and the regulars seem friendly, and it's not a bad place to hang out in for a couple of drinks. It's not outstanding, but such places are - by their very nature - few and far between.
This is a fairly compact place opposite Chorlton bus station. The beer selection is not great, with only one hand pump for cask beers. Escape has a couple of huge hanging lamps as features - placed above the large leather sofas at the back of the bar.
The lighting is one decent aspect of this place as it seems to work well with the brown and gold/orange colour scheme. The staff and the regulars seem friendly, and it's not a bad place to hang out in for a couple of drinks. It's not outstanding, but such places are - by their very nature - few and far between.
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