Namche Bazaar, Didsbury

I bet I know what you've never eaten before; Nepalese Tapas! Well unless you've already been to Namche Bazaar anyway. It's owned by my favourite Nepalese/Indian restaurant The Great Kathmandu, and it's situated next door but one. We were wondering if they just pipe the curry underground like they do in Rusholme? (*In my imagination), but alas no. We went up on Sunday evening, not before a quick drink in a nice little chilled out bar; Mary & Archie on Burton road. Even though it's only a few miles away West Didsbury is like being on holiday for us! There are a good selection of restaurants; a totally different market to Chorlton which is more drink focussed. (Incidentally I think the slightly higher end original menu at Chorlton bar The Beagle would have worked better in West Didsbury, as the always full Rosegarden proves).  
Photos of Mary & Archie Bar:

I had the impression from the website that Namche Bazaar would be more of a bar, but it's not dissimilar to it's sister restaurant. It's not especially inspirational inside, rather modern Indian restaurant by-numbers. But I love tapas and I love curry, so was looking forward to this unusual food hybrid.
It took us a while to get started, despite it being mainly empty, it was half an hour before we'd even ordered our food, and we had to prompt them to get our drinks. We weren't particularly in a hurry, but this was a real contrast to a recent trip to Mughli in Rusholme where the service was notably efficient.

After complimentary poppadoms (exactly like the GK with annoying holes in so the sauce drips out), we ordered a Chicken Kati roll (£4.20) this was pretty good, Steamed Lamb Momo (seasoned lamb enclosed in a pasta casting with a dipping sauce (£4.90), these were tasty little morsels that I popped into my mouth in one go.

Plus something quite different; a Chicken Chwela (an infusion of toasted fenugreek seeds, ginger and garlic mixed with tandoori lamb in an authentic Nepalese dish, £5.70). We all enjoyed digging into this textured spicy dish.

After much friendly chat and discussion with the manager's wife (whom I remember well as a reluctant teenage waitress 20 years ago in the Kathmandu), we kindly received a complimentary Namche Mixed Grill Starter (chicken tikka, seekh kebab, Khasi sekuwa, Poleko Maacha and Sinke Jhinga, £9.80). As you'd expect from these guys, this was first class. Their grilled meats and fish have always been a strong point I think.

To be honest I was down a few pints of Czech beer Kozel (a plus point for me having this beer instead of the usual poor choices), so at this stage my memory gets a bit 'hazy'. But I do remember enjoying the GK special, a creamy and addictive Makhan Paneer (exactly the same as next door, £8.80), and the top-notch Garlic Nan. 

None of us were especially into the Chicken Chilli (chicken chilli in a Namche style with oriental sweet and sour sauce, £5.70), it being too sweet and sticky in the Chinese style for me. We all swerved the noodle dishes as well.

So in conclusion, another convivial and successful Sunday evening of beer and curry, plus the addition of a round of complimentary top shelf digestifs were gratefully received by our happy band.
The food was very good for the main part, and equal to the mothership. But I do feel an opportunity has been missed to create something totally different to The Kathmandu. It appears like they fudged creating a proper hybrid tapas bar, and it just looks like another room of their original restaurant. 

They were saying that customers weren't eating it as 'tapas' as they'd expected and were just doing it traditionally. That's because the dishes are not tapas size and are not priced appropriately. So if you ordered loads of dishes, you'd have too much food and it'd cost you accordingly.
They need to lower dish sizes and prices, then people may order more of a selection. The menu has not been designed well, it just looks like a mish-mash. I also wanted more different stuff (despite ordering a well worn classic the makhan chara).
It's also a shame they didn't create an interior a bit less traditional as well (again I'm thinking of the Mughli in Rusholme). The interior is quite bland and boring, apart from a large mural of the Himalayas. 

(*Take a look at the neighbouring bar Mary & Archie for how to pull a successful casual style).
These were most likely the reasons why this place was quite empty whereas the Kathmandu was heaving. So in conclusion, nice food just like The Kathmandu, but the menu/interior needs work to create a brand and eating style that people actually understand. 
Why don't they make it like Thali, we still don't have that in Manchester?

You still get hoodlums in leafy Didsbury.

Price: Average for Burton rd.
Service: Very Friendly, slow at times.
Food: Good, but the menu is confusing.
Score: 7/10.



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American Craft beer: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

It's tempting to pick up any imported American Craft beers and think they're all going to be fantastic, after all I've drank some amazing ales lately. But sadly this is not always the case. Here are six I recently had which were decidedly a mixed bag.
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA.
A decent, clean, tangy and malty brew. Slightly too malty for my tastes but eminently drinkable as Sierra Nevada beers tend to be. 
7/10.

Odell India Pale Ale.
Niiiiiiice! Evenly balanced, fruity, fresh and tropical, not overly bitter, in fact the perfect IPA for me. Every single beer I've tried by Odell has been superb.
 9/10. 

Anchor Porter.
Strangely I can't remember having tried this before. I think I must have done. I now know why I forgot it. It's bland, thin and weedy. Disappointingly not worth the wait. There are so many better porters out there. 
6/10.

Shipyard Fuggles IPA.
This is really boring. Why import this really bland beer from The States, when there are so many other good ones? It's not unpleasant just unremarkable.
4/10. 

Sierra Nevada Stout.
Better than the previous, quality as ever by this brewery but not outstanding, they do better beers.
7/10. 

Point Black Ale.
Another disappointing one for me, slightly malty and just dull.
5/10.

All beers were bought from Tiny's Tipple in Chorlton. 

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Aldi Exquisite Collection Gigondas.

One thing that you soon learn when you start a blog like this one is how little you actually know. Sure, I like to eat out and drink quite a bit, but how much actual know-how do I have? Probably very little. I never claimed to be an expert in all this, I just like the better things in life (for my budget), and hopefully I can share my passion for consuming it! I've seen some chefs express the opinion that how can a blogger with less knowledge than him judge? I can imagine their frustration, especially when getting a bad review, but my argument is that I've been eating all my life! It's an obsession, ( I like to think I've got a pretty good palate for taste), plus everyone's a critic these days. The other thing is, if I'm paying £100 of my hard earned money for a taster menu, I think that gives me the right to say what I like about it! Besides which, I don't really know how a film is really made or how to write a novel, but I can tell you if I think it's any good or not. People can agree or disagree anyhow; and quite rightfully they do.

So anyway onto wine. As I said, I cannot claim any specialist knowledge whatsoever, but I can share my opinion on how it tastes to me. The more I drink, I figure the more I'll know!
French wine is even more of an unknown, bewildering world. Terms like terroir and appellation are enough to confuse a stupid person. That's why I often stick with New World. I know for instance that that Clare Valley in Australia is generally a good region for wine and that Cabernet Sauvignon does well there. Simple! As I've said before, I enjoy upfront wine (from a hotter climate) like this anyway; big, bold and fruity.

However, I trust the one and only Aldi wine buyer Mike James, so I thought it was worth picking up a bottle of Gigondas, only limited to 12 bottles in each store for Father's Day. I knew nothing about it, apart from if Aldi have it at £9.99, it has to be worth a lot more right? 
So what's it taste like?
Well here's possibly one of the silliest things I've ever put on this blog: 
It tastes like red wine! I could tell it was French though. I quite enjoyed it, but it wasn't love at first sip. I'm not sure what else to add, I just don't understand how come this is a better wine than The Exquisite Collection Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 that I drank the following night which cost me just £6.49? That just tasted much nicer to me! Mrs B agreed. But like I said, what do I know? 
Anyhow, I'll keep drinking and keep learning hopefully!

 

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Relais de Venise L'Entrecôt, Manchester.

Straight away I must tell you that I love Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte. We've been before, but not since then they've lowered their prices to lure in the notoriously money careful Manchester public. It's only £17 for 2 courses. It's a right bargain now I think. It'd be at least that for an average steak in any average dull Italian wouldn't it?

I love that they do just one thing, steak frites, and they do it very well indeed.
I love it's Frenchness and I love that it pisses off idiots on Tripadvisor.
'They don't do vegetarian' they bleat. Yes it's a f***** steak restaurant!
They won't serve butter! Tough luck, go elsewhere if you want butter!
'The chips are like McDonalds!' They're not chips they're frites and they're way better than those thick greasy ones you rosbeef eat. (I'm imagining all this conversation in an 'Allo allo' type voice).
'They won't serve my steak medium rare, only rare, medium or well done!'
'Are you still here I thought I told you. Non! Take it or leave it…..'

So we returned yesterday evening as it opened at 6, we were looking forward to this.
Straight away you get the starter, the classic walnut salad, it's just a walnut salad isn't it? I always enjoy it, I like the dressing. I ordered half a bottle of their house red as well. I've drank worse, it's a little harsh, but drinkable especially at just £7 for a half bottle. The glasses are like the ones our mums have at home; tiny dolls house size. The bread tastes like the stuff you get on your holidays.

In no time at all the steaks frites arrived, they're fabulous as they always are.
I really like the thin cut meat always served rare of course. Because it's thin you don't get a lot of blood spilling into the delicious sauce. Shame. Still lovely steak though. I'm sure there are better steaks in Manchester (they'd have to be at some of the prices they charge in Smoak) but for me there's none more enjoyable.

 

I love the secret sauce, we dip our fries into it. The frites themselves I also really relish. Recently Manchester Confidential re-visited, and the critic Jonathan Schofield didn't like the French fries much. I beg to differ, for me they're the best in town, they're so thin and crispy. I like their sharpness, they're like the bits at the bottom when you get chips from a chippie, but they're all like that - brilliant! I pick up as many as my fork will allow and dip it into the secret sauce and shove them all in my mouth in one go. Such a glutton!
For a moment I was taken back to eating chips on holiday as a kid. This little flashback rarely happens outside of a Michelin Star restaurant. They're so hot and savoury.
Greedy pigs like Mrs B and myself get rewarded with seconds, at last our talent for scoffing has its rewards! I ask for as many chips as my plate will allow.

I wanted one of those massive puddings they do, but as Mrs B was paying she sensibly put her foot down and so we shared a Crème brûlée, and very nice it was too.

Things were going swimmingly.
Then I asked the waitress if the rumours were true.
She confirmed that they were and that le Relais de Venise L'entrecote is shutting it's doors for good on the 29th June.
We offered her our commiserations, she said she hoped to go and work in one of the London branches. But the other staff may well be out of their jobs. It's always sad when a restaurant closes, but with this one I think Manchester has truly lost something unique. A little bit of Paris in our rainy grey city. Yes it wasn't for everyone, but we'll miss it. Maybe she says they should have advertised more (perhaps on Manchester Confidential I say), as they were still getting new customers all the time.
There will be those that say Manchester folk didn't like getting told what and how to eat and that's a good thing. That's bollocks of course, the bottom line is money. There's just not enough footfall in Manchester, as opposed to London and people are more careful on how and where they spend it up here. Meanwhile the crowds still flock to TGI Fridays, Hard Rock and Jamies Italian, whilst a truly unique place closes.
We're just glad we went one last time.

L'entrecote Manchester is closing for good on 29th June.
So go whilst you can. Just don't ask for butter.

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My Top 10 Manchester Burgers.

Burgers, burgers, burgers, I've had enough, I'm all burgered out. In the endless and thankless quest to find the best burger in Manchester, I've been eating at least one a week for.....well.....as long as I can remember (two last week).
I think I'll give it a rest for a bit now.
Of course the list is never exhaustive, with people jumping on the burger bandwagon all the time it's a never ending task. I've still not been to the Grill on the Alley and had their Wagyu burger yet (at a whopping £18.50, and my budget already stretched to the limit, that one can wait  - maybe it should be in a different category anyway - luxury burgers).
But now's a good time to put up my list with Byron Burgers recently coming to town.
This top 10 is only based on my memory of how good they were. And we've already established that my memory is terrible. It's possible it'd look totally different if I were to eat a sample of them all next to each other. Click on the title links for the full reviews.

1. Almost Famous. (f)
It was at that time (February) 'the best burger to come out of their kitchen';
The LTD edition Hulk Hoagie. (I'm sure they've done loads of even better ones since).
Double smoked cheese burger, herb roasted beef topside, hand cut potato crisps, fennel slaw mustard & horseradish mayo topped with grilled cheddar, £10.
I know some other bloggers are not keen on AF, with stories of annoying queuing, the studied coolness, and reports of rude staff. I've only been in the day or early evening so have not encountered that personally. I do recall really loving this burger though. As a crisp butty fan, it was the addition of the crunchy crisps I really enjoyed. The lower prices are also of note - it still remains cheaper than many others on this list.

2. Solita.
The first time I went to Solita I wasn't as overly impressed as perhaps other bloggers, (the hanger steak was disappointingly chewy), but stick to their fabulous burgers and you won't go far wrong. The Manc-hattan: 6oz minced chuck steak pattie Oven bottom roll, pastrami, melted Lancashire cheese, panko fried black pudding, Lancashire sauce, Coney island mustard, £12.90 including fries.

3. All Star Lanes. We were bowled over by All Star Lanes (sorry about that). (f)
'The Hamburger': with blue cheese added. (£13).
It was the tang of the blue cheese that really lifted this one above the crowd. A bit pricey though, another one that needs to look at lowering their London prices I think. My guess is that you'll soon start seeing deals and offers. You can't argue with the quality of the burger though.

4. Byron Burgers. The newcomer. They keep it simple and it really works.
The Byron Burger: Dry cure bacon, mature Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion and Byron sauce , £9.25 without fries. The model of paying £9 for a simple burger without fries irritates some people. Again, I can see them lowering their prices. Manchester is not London. But the burger is quality, plain and simple.

5. Luck Lust Liquor & Burn. (f) If there's a queue for AF, just go next door, these are just as good. The Sloppy Juan Burger, £9. It's big and sloppy and bloody lovely.

6. Parlour. (f) My local. The Handmade Beef Burger with Cheese, Caper & Gherkin Mayo, Proper Chips & Beer Batter Onion Rings, £10.75 + bacon £1.00 extra. This was proper meaty and proper ace.

7. Gorilla. (f) The Herbed Lamb Burger: Toasted sesame brioche bun, aioli, red onion chutney, & butterhead lettuce - £11.00. I've returned for this recently, and it was just as good as I remembered.

8. Mud Crab Café.
The 2nd Best Cheeseburger (double mature cheddar cheese & other hamburger stuff plus loads of fries, £9.95). I was surprised how good their burgers were, although at times overloaded.

9. Common. (f)
The Blue Burger: Blacksticks blue cheese, rocket & horseradish. (£8.50 including fries). Good value and a very decent burger at this casual NQ bar.

10 Brewdog. (f)
The New Delhi: a spicy lamb burger (£5.95). You can't argue with the price can you? (No fries though). They've since changed their menu, hopefully they still have burgers on there, I've not been back yet to try them.

Tried but didn't make the cut for me:
Smoak: Not worth the money.
3:21: Not very good.
Dog bowl: Not memorable.
Southern 11: Not cooked medium rare.
Hard Rock Café: Not for me.
Neighbourhood: Not bad.
Morley Cheek's. Not there yet.

It's worth noting that at least 7 of the Top 10 to my knowledge are supplied by Frosts of Chorlton indicated by the (f) symbol.
Note: Solita were up until recently.

See them all here: http://pinterest.com/bacononthebeech/burgers/
 

All photos & Illustrations ©Bacononthebeech. If you want to use any please just ask.

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