My favourite place to eat out in Manchester is… Sanskruti. I must admit, I’m one of those people that has slight reservations telling folks how highly I recommend a restaurant for fear of making it more difficult to get a table next time I want to book! But with Sankruti restaurant in Burnage, I really don’t mind as I think it’s an experience that just has to be shared. It’s a veggie/vegan Indian restaurant that I’d say is one of the best in the UK. Plenty of street food, dosas and the like and my favourite, ’Sharing Tandoori Platter’. This is four large pieces of paneer, but with two very different spices shared between them, half and half and served with vegetarian Sikh kebabs on a bed of sizzling onions. I’ve only just eaten my dinner about an our ago and just thinking about it, I’m sorely tempted…
The best dish I’ve eaten in Manchester recently is… ‘The Lotus House Special Curry’ at The Lotus Vegetarian Kitchen in Didsbury. Being a lover of Chinese food can often be frustrating by the lack of choice being available to vegetarians. Not any more, at the only dedicated vegetarian/vegan Chinese restaurant in Manchester. In spite of the fact they don’t use onions and garlic in their cooking (for religious reasons) the food is really tasty. The ‘prawn’ on toast is delicious too.
My favourite dining room in Manchester is… HOME. I’ve been going to it since it opened but never visited the restaurant until a few months ago. Me and Bee tried to get a table in The Tiffin Room next door but there wasn’t one available, so we tried HOME. The staff and service are excellent. Get a window seat as it’s great for people watching. The cauliflower buffalo wings are gorgeous.
My favourite lunch spot in Manchester is… The Mackie Mayor. After the huge success of Altrincham Market, the owner decided to branch out to a premises in Manchester and what a venue he chose! He’s taken a few of the same food outlets over to the Manchester place – a wonderful old Victorian market space – and you certainly can’t go wrong with the ‘Honest Crust’ wood-fired pizza.
If I had to eat only on thing for the rest of my days it would be… Curry.
Don’t miss Mike’s regular show on Radio XS Manchester at www.xsmanchester.co.uk or on 106.1FM Every Sunday between 11am and 1pm, repeated on Thursdays 11pm and 1am.
National Vegetarian Week 2018 runs from May 14-20.