Trying another inner city food spot | Solita, Northern Quarter - Manchester

When we visit big UK cities we are always on the lookout for good food joints. Not because we don’t have good food here in Middlesbrough but because in cities they seem to have so much more choice with eateries popping up all the time to cater for the thousands of people who mill through the city on a daily basis.

Before we headed off to Manchester on Friday we had a nosy online at places as well as asking friends for their recommendations. Solita was high on people’s list to recommend for a lunchtime bite. Located in an easy to find corner of the Northern Quarter, Solita is a small but spacious restaurant offering a selection of burgers, hot dogs and grilled meat options. There were so many creative items on the menu like deep-fried pickles, sweet potato balls and pizza fries. All very interesting but also super calorific!

Unusually for myself and Matt, we didn't go for a beef burger. This was a real shocker for both of us. Instead, Matt went for a loaded hot dog and I went for a deep-fried chicken burger. Both just as tasty as I imagine their beef burgers to be.

Our meals came in super quick time and were just as delicious as they sounded on the menu. My chicken burger was massive, there was no way I was getting through it all but I gave it a good go. The batter on the chicken was amazing, so crispy and seasoned brilliantly. With my burger and chips came a pot of gravy which is always welcome on my plate. It was such a yummy lunch but afterwards, I was soo full and I hadn't even eaten it all. Matt really enjoyed his hot dog, although he did comment that there too much other gear, i.e the bread and toppings, in comparison to the hot dog itself. He did agree that Solita was somewhere we'd definitely recommend to friends.

Have you been to Solita in Manchester? What did you think?

Almost Famous Burgers Restaurant Review, Manchester

Another place that was recommended by the blogging community for food in Manchester was Almost Famous Burgers. Although I was still quite full from dinner I knew that I couldn't pass up a burger and fries. The place was quite dark and gloomy but very trendy with graffiti on the walls, metal pole room separations and even a giant gorilla. The menu is limited but you are bound to find something you like if you are into meat, specifically burgers. I went for a River Phoenix burger which was a double cheeseburger with bacon, bbq fried onions, frazzles, baconnaise, chipotle ketchup, redneck bbq sass and chillies but I didn't have the chillies! Matt went for the Butter Blood and Bleu burger, a double cheeseburger with rare flatiron steak, chorizo, chillies, grilled onions, peppercorn and bleu cheese sauces and mustard mayo. We accompanied these monsters with a mix of normal and sweet potato fries.

These burgers were outrageous, both very juicy and full of flavour. The combination of stuff, although piled high and hard to get your chops around, were exceptionally well put together with great complementing tastes. I cut mine in half to tackle whilst Matt decided to get his knife and fork out. Our fries were sprinkled with a bit of spice and when I asked for ketchup they only carry spicy ketchup. There was no relief for me!

I wish I had had more room to finish my burger as I made a poor effort. It was a great burger joint that I'd revisit but it still doesn't knock my favourite off the top spot.
Have you been to Almost Famous Burgers? I hear they've opened in Leeds too!

Bill's Restaurant in Manchester (Review)

Recently we took a short trip to Manchester in which we made sure to pick some brilliant eateries. One that we chose, that I know you'll all have heard of, is Bill's Restaurant. Lots and lots of bloggers have been recommending Bill's and I've only just had the chance to try it. I am happy to report that I love it! Bill's strapline is breakfast to bedtime, so we decided to pop along for lunch. Inside everything is back to basics and there are a lot of up-cycled items. There were gorgeous pieces of lighting including beautiful chandeliers and industrial downlighters around where we sat. There were lots of yummy items of the menu but in the end, I chose a halloumi burger, fries and a pink lemonade float with vanilla ice cream. Matt picked a macaroni cheese with butternut squash and a side of sweet potato fries.

The burger was lovely. Having it in a sesame bun was just right and it had a little bit of sweet chilli sauce inside with the salad which complimented it perfectly. It was supposed to have hummus and peppers in but they aren't my cup of tea and it tasted just as great without them. Matt enjoyed his macaroni cheese but he said it could have done with a bit more cheese. I'd never had an ice cream float before but I decided that Bill's would be the place to do it. It was so sweet and sickly but also tangy because of the lemonade. I had a good go at drinking it but couldn't finish it all!

The atmosphere was lovely in Bill's and I wish we had one up here, even if it had to be in Newcastle! In Bill's, you could also buy some of the items they used in their menu such as jams, chutneys and items of dinnerware such as teapots. We didn't make any purchases as it was our first time but I can imagine after a few trips we'd have our favourite bits that we'd like to take home.

Have you been to Bill's? Do you like it?