# Manchester - Restaurants?



## alexisonfire (Oct 29, 2007)

Where's a good place to eat for (fairly) cheap in the city centre? Off for a meal with the girl tonight and pretty stumped at the mo. I think she might fancy Thai, but will be malleable.


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## Dillinger4 (Oct 29, 2007)

alexisonfire said:
			
		

> Where's a good place to eat for (fairly) cheap in the city centre? Off for a meal with the girl tonight and pretty stumped at the mo. I think she might fancy Thai, but will be malleable.



Pacific in the china town is quite good for Thai. Or at least it was, a year or two ago.

My own favorite is El Rincon de Rafa. Its a proper little Tapas place in a basement just off deansgate. 

Then there is New Samsi on Whitworth street. That is sushi, and is also lovely. 

Ermm, I can't think of any more of the top of my head, but they are the ones that have stuck most in my mind.


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## lenny101 (Oct 29, 2007)

Koreana just off Deansgate is my favorite Manc restaurant:

http://www.koreanarestaurant.fsnet.co.uk/


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## AnnO'Neemus (Oct 29, 2007)

Dmitris on Deansgate - Greek
Red Chilli on Portland Street - Best Chinese in Manchester, if not the country
Another vote for El Rincon
There's a Thai place near Manchester Art Gallery, on Princess Street, down some stairs, think it's called Chaing Mai, can't remember, that does lovely Thai food (or at least it did last time I went, but it's been a while).


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## lenny101 (Oct 30, 2007)

AnnO'Neemus said:
			
		

> Dmitris on Deansgate - Greek
> Red Chilli on Portland Street - Best Chinese in Manchester, if not the country
> Another vote for El Rincon
> There's a Thai place near Manchester Art Gallery, on Princess Street, down some stairs, think it's called Chaing Mai, can't remember, that does lovely Thai food (or at least it did last time I went, but it's been a while).



I went to Red Chilli a couple of months ago, and maybe I caught them on an off day, but it was terrible. Tai Pan or Tai Wu are much better imo.


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## Nikkormat (Oct 30, 2007)

AnnO'Neemus said:
			
		

> Dmitris on Deansgate - Greek



Very nice. Also The Armenian in Albert Square for um, Armenian.


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## alexisonfire (Oct 30, 2007)

Cheers folks some good recommendations here, will definitely be checking out most, if not all, of these!

We went to the Royal Orchid for Thai in the end. Excellent food, service was ok. It was a bit dead but it was about 6.30pm on a Monday night, got busier as we got towards the end. Highly recommended anyway, very good value for money.


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## AnnO'Neemus (Nov 11, 2007)

lenny101 said:
			
		

> I went to Red Chilli a couple of months ago, and maybe I caught them on an off day, but it was terrible. Tai Pan or Tai Wu are much better imo.


I went a couple of nights ago and it was as good as ever.  Packed out with Chinese people - always a good sign.

I guess it partly depends on what you're used to.  

Tai Pan and Tai Wu offer more Cantonese-tailored-to-Western-tastes cooking.  

Red Chilli (despite the fusion style name) is the most authentic mainland Chinese style food you'll find in the city.  I previously lived in Beijing and Red Chilli is the closest I've ever found to Chinese cooking, and believe me, when I came back to Manchester, I tried so many of the Chinese restaurants looking for the dishes I had in China, and couldn't find them anywhere else.

Maybe Tai Wu and Tai Pan are good at that Hong Kong/Western fusion stuff, but for authentic Chinese food, then Red Chilli is the best.


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## lenny101 (Nov 11, 2007)

AnnO'Neemus said:
			
		

> I went a couple of nights ago and it was as good as ever.  Packed out with Chinese people - always a good sign.
> 
> I guess it partly depends on what you're used to.
> 
> ...



TBH I don't rate the Chinese food at all in Manchester, I much prefer the food in London. It is impossible to get decent Char Sui Fan (pork with rice) in Manchester, and it is so expensive.

At the moment I am living in Kuala Lumpur where the Cha Sui Fan is delicious and only costs 50p.


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