Rusholme - The Curry Mile

...in Manchester and that is Rusholme and its famous Curry Mile

Popadoms and Mango Chutney


Rusholme is an area that is very familiar to me. I lived there for three years on first moving to Manchester. It is a fascinating area due to a very mixed population including a large number of people from the Indian sub continent. It is located just south of the city centre in between the university district and Fallowfield ...
...am sure the lights of Rusholme are nearly as grand as the Blackpoll Illuminations. The second thing that hits you is the scents and aromas of spices drift pass. Finally is the aural experience as Indian music blasts from record shops and restaurants vie with the noise from the traffic and overheard conversations in different languages. . At just about every restaurant waiters try to tempt you to come into their particular eatery by promises of ten ... more

I love eating out and experimenting with new cuisines so Manchester is food heaven for me. Although I prefer Chinese I do like a curry especially korma once in a while. When I get these cravings there is only one area to go in Manchester and that is Rusholme and its famous Curry Mile

Popadoms and Mango Chutney

Rusholme is an area that is very familiar to me. I lived there for three years on first moving to Manchester. It is a fascinating area due to a very mixed population including a large number of people from the Indian sub continent. It is located just south of the city centre in between the university district and Fallowfield home to thousands of students and bars. It is the curry Mile sprawls out on both sides of Wilmslow Road, the main road and an important bus route to the commuter suburbs of Withington and Didsbury. It is easy to get to. Just get the ultra frequent number 42 from Piccadilly Gardens.

Korma

The Curry Mile is perhaps not quite a mile but it certainly contains Curry and lots more. Huddled along this colorful stretch there are over 50 restaurants, cafe and take always.
The eateries vary in price, decor, style and to a certain extent menu but I have never had a bad meal on the Curry Mile. At first I was surprised that so many similar businesses in close proximity can survive but the allure of choice makes people flock to the area and thus more restaurants open. With this amount of eateries I cannot mention every single one and have not experienced every one of them. They often keep changing as some come and go. What I will do in this review is give more of an overview of the Curry Mile as a whole

Rogan josh

Walking down the Curry Mile on a busy weekend night is a treat for all the senses. My father has likened it to going on holiday without leaving Britain. The first thing you see is the bright flashing neon signs of the competing restaurants. I am sure the lights of Rusholme are nearly as grand as the Blackpoll Illuminations. The second thing that hits you is the scents and aromas of spices drift pass. Finally is the aural experience as Indian music blasts from record shops and restaurants vie with the noise from the traffic and overheard conversations in different languages. . At just about every restaurant waiters try to tempt you to come into their particular eatery by promises of ten per cent off or even “ I will pay for the bill from my pocket if you do not enjoy the meal”. It is a constant spectacle. Many of the restaurants cater for the post pub and club crowds clamouring for a Vindaloo after ten pints of Stella. Some do not close until 3 or 4 in the morning.

Tikka Masala
It is quite confusing and alien the first time you go down the curry Mile. You are either exhilarated and fascinated or repelled by it.

Madras

So what about the restaurants? There certainly is one to suit all needs. I do not really have a favourite as I am still trying new ones. I doubt I have been to one sit down restaurant more than twice. Why stick to the same one when you have 50 more to try. At the top of the tree there is the plush Shere Khan, which has its own range of cooking sauces and the much accolade Royal Naz. I like cheap and cheerful establishments. I have never eaten at the Shere Khan but I found the Royal Naz was good but not noticeably much better than any of the other places I have eaten at.

Balti

I seem to find most of the restaurants seem to offer the same basic fare but there are slight differences in the focus of the menus. I do like a prawn korma or danask (sweet mild and fruity) but I do like to be experimental sometimes. While most of the restaurants are Pakistani rather than Indian there are some exceptions. The Cobra King a slightly more upmakrket restaurant than I normally frequent specialises in the slightly different SriLanken cuisine. I can report the cashew nut curry I had (£4.50) was tasty without being overly spicy. my sister’s prawns in coconut sauce were some of the largest, well cooked King Prawns I have ever tasted. if Sri Lanken does not tickle your fancy there is a Nepalese place New Tabak. I only had the good value Sunday buffet there that was a bit disappointing but those things usually are. I would like to give the new Tabak another chance trying the house specialties. Another restaurant on my list is the Punjab Tandoori House. This serves south Indian specialties such as stuffed pancakes that sound very interesting. Finally there are a number of more Middle Eastern style restaurants if you fancy the Curry mile without the curry.

Vindaloo
Price wise most curry houses are very similar. You tend to pay about £4 or £5 for a vegetable curry and up to £7 –8 for king prawns. If you want a cheaper option some such as the Darbar do a 5 courses for £6 deal whilst some have weekend buffets. I have not noticed many business men’s lunch style menus but the Curry Mile is a little out of the way for business men. Another way to save money is to go to an establishment that has a Bring Your own Bottle and no corkage charge as there is a couple of cheap off licenses nearby.

Mango Lassi

Sometimes a full sit down meal does not appeal there are the usual take always and kebab houses that offer good value food. There is a great little Lebanese near the New Tabak that does wonderful Falafels in pita breads for about £2 and fresh fruit juice. If you fancy something a little sweeter than a kebab there are the sweet houses often attached to the restaurants. These offer a number of weird and wonderful Indian sweets that are a bit of an acquired taste. One place I would recommend is the Moonlight. This is the Curry Mile’s ice cream parlour. It serves a range of cakes milk shakes and lassies alongside a dazzling array of flavours of both traditional ice cream and Indian Khufi

Onion Bajhi

Is there anything else but restaurants?

The Curry Mile offers far more than vindaloo and poppadoms. Visit during the day and wander round the shops selling saris and Shalwar Kamees (sp). There are budget ones where you can get a piece of sari material quite cheaply or the higher priced stylish boutiques. I have raided them a couple of times for unusual material for shawls and bed throws. If you want to spend big money there a re a number of jewelers dripping with gold.

Pakora

Fancy a pint before your curry. There are four pubs near or on the Curry Mile. I would avoid the Huntsmen like the plague, as it is a real locals place. The Clarence looks a bit old manish but it is not to bad and quite cheap. Hardy’s Well seems to be the favorite pub to go to on the stretch as it has a beer garden outside. I have never been keen on Hardy’s Well. I am not sure about he atmosphere. If you want to be a bit macabre try the Whitworth Arms just off the Curry Mile on Moss Lane East. It is the pub where Ian Brady was as barman but it does have some good special offers.

Rusholme’s Curry Mile is the Curry capital of the Northwest and is the only place in Manchester to put a little spice in your life.

Ps I am not sure why this has been put in the Chinese category as there is only one Chinese on the Cury Mile

 

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