Southern 11, Manchester

 So I'm not the size of a small planet, come Monday I have to do some seriously healthy eating to make up for all the 'bad' stuff I've consumed at the weekend. So Monday to Thursday my self initiated regime allows me very few carbs, mainly soups and salads with definitely no booze! By Thursday lunch time I'm absolutely dying for some 'proper' food. With that in mind I set off for lunch today at Southern 11. It opened about a year before Almost Famous and Solita, but you don't really hear much about it these days. In the heart of Spinningfields, it was surprisingly busy on a Thursday lunchtime. It's quite swish inside, although it did remind me a little of a hotel bar.

To drink I had a coke. Brilliant, they had it in glass bottles. Why does it always taste better like this? I really hate that diluted stuff, in fact I can't and won't drink it.
 I ordered the Lil' Burgers (Mini 100% rump beef burgers with all the fixings, fries & home-style slaw, £10.95). They reckon they were the first in Manchester to do sliders (mini burgers), I had some good ones recently at their sister bar Neighbourhood.
The little burgers were great, I relished my first taste of carbs since Sunday.

The chips were fabulous. The best I've had in ages. (I also really rate the ones you get at Relais de l'Entrecôte). Super thin shoestring-fries with the merest hint of truffle oil (but not enough to over power) and a light sprinkling of parmesan.

I enjoyed these little burgers, but they would not cook them medium rare and for this reason they weren't my very favourites in the city, but definitely in the top 10.

How did they compare to Brewdog's burgers last week? Brewdog are £5 cheaper and I actually enjoyed them just as much if not more. But you don't get fries at Brewdog and Southern 11 is more of a proper restaurant.
What I like about the market leaders Almost Famous and Solita is that they're always moving forward, adding specials and making their products better. I feel Southern 11 are very much the also rans of the first wave of 'posh' burger restaurants to hit our city. And with the appearance of Byron Burgers on Deansgate soon, it's time they upped their game. Having said all that, you can certainly eat worse in town, so like I said, Southern 11 will still likely make my personal Top 10 Manchester Burgers.

Price: £11 for a burger isn't cheap.
Service: Fine.   
Food: Good, but there are better burgers elsewhere.  
Star dishes: Lil' Burgers. 
Score: 5/10. 

southern11.co.uk

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