Knott Bar

Deansgate.
A largish venue near Deansgate Station (formerly Knott Mill Station – hence the name of this place) and part of the complicated ‘Marble Group’. That might seem superfluous detail but if you’ve been to any of the others you’ll know what I mean – decent food, ale selection and a vaguely slap-dash vibe – but in a very controlled manner. It’s certainly one of the better places in this area – near ‘Deansgate Locks’ and ‘Aqua’. Sittng out on the balcony, on the upper floor, is a bit of a treat in decent weather and gives nice views of the cobble lined canal heading off into Castlefield and along Deansgate itself . It’s usually pretty busy here and is pretty good.

Yakisoba

Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton.

This restaurant offers reasonably priced Asian food from a range of different countries - including Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and China. It suffers from a lack of seating, with diners being somewhat crammed into a long narrow space. When it's busy in here you really know about it.

For this trip, the service was generally good because the staff were attentive - especially when it came to ordering drinks. However, there was an issue with the starters arriving at different times - one being served a good 10 minutes before the rest. The food was good - one highlight being the Vietnamese beef stir fry dish. The crab and king prawn roll was poor, but the other dishes were all of a decent standard. The central idea of Yakisoba is to have a bento box with a rice or noodle dish. This make the place a bit more interesting, and it involves getting a small box with different sections containing crackers, melon, miso soup, sweet cashew nuts and salad. The box is accompanied by the main dish. The main courses cost around £8.95 to £10.95 (£5.50 for takeaway - bit of a bargain), and starters are about £2.95 to £4.95.

Yakisoba is a nice place to go for a meal out in Chorlton, and the it won't cost you a fortune. It is best avoided at the busiest times, and - as with all places - you need to choose your dishes carefully. Finally, the food is available to takeaway, and many people use this service. It is one of the best 'oriental' takeways in the area.

Mother Mac's

Back Piccadilly.
This is one of a select group of hidden boozers in Manchester - places like the Jolly Angler, the Egerton Arms and Corbieres all spring to mind. Mother Mac's is tucked away behind the bustle of Piccadilly in a very dodgy looking back alleyway - it's not really a fully fledged street. This place is very old-fashioned, which lends the pub an air of authenticity that you rarely get with places in the city centre. It's a very traditional back street boozer, with only Hydes beer available on hand pump. This might not be a real ale haunt, but it is a good place to go for a few quiet pints when in town. The clientele is unusual, with a number of old Irish blokes there for the last visit and no youngsters at all. A genuinely interesting pub.

The New Oxford

Bexley Square, Salford
For some unknown reason this place was opened as a 'Continental Real Ale Bar'.  Which basically means it's great for beer but decorated like some sort of European cafe - this seems a bit out of kilter with its otherwise 'real ale' vibe and clientele.  That asside, it's a good little place. The beer selection and quality is usually excellent - both cask and bottled. All other things can vary - from staff to punters to food. - It could be great when it's fully bedded in and definitely a welcome stop-off between The Crescent and The Kings Arms.

The Angel

Angel St/Rochdale Rd.
Formerly the Beer House, this has been named the Angel for well over a year. It was a genuinely great real ale pub for a number of years - although the final stages of the Beer House saw the place truly fall from grace. It reopened with an impressive menu, but without completely surrendering the boozing element. Much of the menu has gone - along with the chef - and the pub seems to have settled down as a decent drinking venue. Real ale is certainly back on the menu here: the beer and cider range is impressive, boasting around 8 handpumps. The lighting is subtle, and - combined with an attractive interior - this makes the pub a good place for a few quiet pints in the evening. The location means the Angel is on the edge of town, but this is no bad thing as it avoids crowds of idiots. It certainly does no harm to the nearby Marble Arch.

Current Recommendations

Rusholme Kebab:
Pakistani/North Indian – Saajan Halal – just gets it right nearly every time.
Honourable mentions to:
Lal Quila Express

Middle Eastern –Zam Zam - consistently good, £2.99 kobeda is a winner.
Honourable mentions to:
Kobeda Place
Jaffa
Afghan Cuisine

Town Kebab:
Marhaba, as the only place that does tandoor bread it’s an easy winner.
Honourable mentions:
Janam
Kebabish Xpress
Tastemaster’s – not incredible but better than you might think

Cheetham Hill Kebab:
Lahore Karahi
Honourable mention: 
Qila Khyber

Northern Quarter Curry Cafés:
This is really difficult as the 5 mentioned are all good, all have devotees but all have off days too:
Yadgar
Honourable mentions:
Kabana - Sunday Nihari and chops a particular favourite.
Al-Faisal
Marhaba
This & That  -though it has been a bit up and down.

Cheetham Hill Curry:
Top Quality – Cheaper and better than the competition. Special mention for the chicken biryani + 3 on a Friday.
Honorable mention:
Qila Khyber

Chorlton:
Zam Zam Tandoori - There's not much comptition and the tandoor naan would win it on it's own. However add in £3 tikka kebabs and good Pakistani dishes and Zam Zam is well in front.

Fallowfield:
Saajan Original - Almost Identical to the Rusholme Saajan Halal with less competition

City Centre pubs:
The Marble Arch - Classic historic boozer without equal
The Castle Hotel - A ramshackle old Robinson's pub with bags of character

City Centre bars:
Sandbar - A really good bar with a great range of beers and plenty of charm
Bar Fringe - The jewel in the Northern Quarter crown

Salford pubs:
The Crescent - A Salford institution that is still going strong. A haven for real ale fans
The Kings Arms - An interesting and attractive pub very close to Salford Central station

Salford Curry - Ok there aren't any (except possbily Halal Bites) but on that side of town This & That 2 is the nearest.

Chorlton pubs & bars:
Pi -This place is intimate and has an extensive beer menu, with hearty food on offer and excellent service.

The Ox

Liverpool Rd.
Formerly the Ox Noble, the Ox does have the potential to be a decent place for a few pints. This is a handsome enough pub, and it does serve at least two or three real ales. The main problem is that the emphasis here is very much on food, with most of the large ground floor being dominated by dining/diners. It styles itself as a gastropub, and it is also a hotel. None of the Flavours of Manchester team have eaten here for a long time, but from memory the food was very good. It is unlikely to revert to being a boozer, and the limited space for drinkers is a problem.