Eats

This Manchester restaurant is serving an all-you-can-eat curry buffet throughout Ramadan

£25 for all-you-can-eat curry, naan and rice, whole stuffed lamb and more

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 23rd March 2023

A restaurant in Manchester is serving up a bottomless curry buffet throughout Ramadan and it sounds absolutely epic.

From today, 23 March, Zouk Tea Bar & Grill on Oxford Road is bringing back its brilliant all-you-can-eat Indian buffet – serving up unlimited quantities of customer favourites including the likes of chicken sindhi biryani, dall makhani and tarka dall curries alongside assorted naan breads, roti, and basmati rice.

Served throughout the month of Ramadan, there are an impressive amount of dishes on offer – and all for the price of £25pp for adults or £12.50 per child (under 12), with under 5’s eating free.

image: Zouk
image: Zouk

Add to the list a huge quantity of chicken tikka and seekh kebabs, a whole stuffed lamb raan, chicken 65, vegetable samosas, and more curries of lamb and potatoes, spinach and chicken, and it’s easy to see why Zouk’s bottomless buffet continues to be such a hit year-on-year.

It doesn’t stop there, either. There is a mouthwatering selection of desserts included in the buffet too, with choices like mango and raspberry Mumbai mess, chocolate brownies and fresh fruit alongside traditional favourite gulab jamon.

Each day the menu will vary slightly but it will always include a wide selection of salads, starters,
curries, chutneys, accompaniments, desserts, and roasted lamb.

This year Zouk has created two sittings for the halal buffet, following requests from customers to keep it
running for longer each evening. There will be one sitting at Iftar (sunset) each day and a second
sitting an hour later.

Booking is advised and when customers go onto Zouk’s website they can book at Iftar or later in the evening for the additional buffet sitting on their chosen date.

Image: Zouk

Customers are advised to note that the timings do change slightly throughout the month of Ramadan, due to the variation in BST and the arrival of lighter evenings.

Owner Tayub Amjad said: “Everyone is welcome to join us at this special time and we have created a secondsitting of the buffet an hour after Iftar.

Tayub added: “By offering two sittings, we can accommodate families who wish to pray together at
home before coming out to eat and also customers who may not be fasting or participating in
Ramadan personally but who wish to experience the fabulous buffet with friends and family and
learn more about Ramadan.

Read more: Manchester pasta restaurant The Sparrows has just won a prestigious new Michelin award

“All diners joining us will be helping us to support the homeless in Manchester, as we will make a donation from every cover charge to local homeless Charities.”

A typical menu will include:

Salads: Mango Salad, Kachumber, Tabbouleh

Starters: Vegetable Samosa, Mixed Vegetable Pakora, Seekh Kebab, Chicken 65, Dhai Balahi

Mains: Chicken Handi, Lamb & Potato, Dall Makhana, Vegetable Pilau Rice, Assorted Fresh Naan Bread, Chutney & Raita, Carvery, Roasted Lamb Raan, Chef Special Rice

Desserts: A selection of freshly made desserts

Drinks: Mango Lassi, water

Feature image – Zouk

Eats

Indian street food spot serving foot-long naan wraps announces closure

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Rola Wala has announced its closure in Manchester

A lunchtime takeaway spot known for its foot-long naan wraps has announced its closure in Manchester.

Rola Wala, which only opened 18 months ago in the heart of Deansgate, said it’s ‘walking away proud’ from its venture in the city.

Rola Wala is a hugely popular lunch spot in Leeds and chose Manchester for its second location last November.

On the menu are filling rice bowls, curries and wraps, as well as build-your-own naan rolls filled with authentically spiced Indian fillings.

The brand was founded by Mark Wright (no, not that one) as a street food stall in London and quickly expanded.

But its Manchester location is soon to be no more, closing for good at the end of this year.

They wrote: “Manchester, it’s been real. We’re walking away proud — and already working on what’s next.

Rola Wala has announced its closure in Manchester
Rola Wala has announced its closure in Manchester
Rola Wala has announced its closure in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

“Something that fits who we are, and where we’re going. Thank you for the love, the queues, and the fire.

“This isn’t goodbye. It’s just the start of something new.”

They added that the Leeds Rola Wala is open and trading as normal.

They finished their statement with: “Manchester – Closing Friday 27th @11pm – See you in store for one last Rola this week xxx”

One person commented on the Rola Wala post on Instagram: “Nooooo. I only got to try recently. Devastated as it was so good.”

Another said: “Always in awe of your dignity, Mark. Wishing you the best for the next steps forward.”

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Highballer – Stockport’s new bar from the brains behind Cherry Jam

Danny Jones Danny Jones New Highballer bar Stockport opens

Stockport is riding a real wave of excitement right now, and aside from being dubbed ‘the new Berlin’ a couple of years back, it’s also enjoying a big bar boom right now: case and point, Highballer, which has just been opened by the blokes behind a familiar local name.

Given the experience behind this new venture, we have a feeling this one could finally stick for what has proved to be a tricky unit in the past.

Created by Neil Garner – the man behind charming indie bar champions, Cherry Jam – Highballer is another music-forward venue from a team with experience across both industries.

Looking to carry on where Amp, Dr Feelgood and even Remedy Bar left off before them, Highballer is the latest watering hole to appear inside 11 Market Place following a successful pop-up earlier this year.

No, it’s not the ‘Gary the Gorilla’, sorry – but it does give a nice little nod to Almost Famous. (Credit: Highballer)

With Amp closing at the start of the year, Garner saw the opportunity to step in turn the place into something familiar but new, promising more music, karaoke and bandaoke; a fresh new food menu, darts, pool and even the classic American lawn game, cornhole.

Having already opened earlier this month, toasting the arrival with a bonus Oasis reunion launch party on Friday, 20 June, the crowds are already starting to return. As for Garner, he brings an incredible pedigree to the new project.

A world champion flair bartender boasting 28 years in hospitality, he’s worked in over 100 countries, including time as a Las Vegas performer, not to mention holding a Guinness World Record and coming runner-up on Britain’s Got Talent as the founder-creator of entertainment act, ‘Barwizards’.

During his time down south, he also created the UK’s first adult playground called Roof East in London, which was ultimately sold a decade after winning Britain’s Best Outdoor Experience in 2024.

With his baby and the neighbouring bar Cherry Jam located literally just around the corner and down the brow, the reputation is already there, hence why it was busy from minute one.

new bar stockport market place
highballer sk
Highballer sitting pretty in the shadow of two famous Stockport landmarks. (Credit: Supplied)

Stockport town centre has plenty of new pub and bar openings, from the resurrection of the old White Lion this time last year and the recently debuted Underbank, to fellow newcomer Fitzpatrick’s (formerly Bask), so it’s nice to see yet another one added into the mix.

Before Highballer, Neil spent years behind the scenes at some of the UK’s biggest festivals, running the backstage bars in the mid-noughties for events like Reading and Leeds Festival, Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and even Coachella.

In terms of food, he also spent time living in Seoul, where he developed a serious love for Korean, meaning that their collab with Manc favourites BAB was a natural fit.

On the menu you’ll find:

  • Korean Fried Chicken – crispy and packed with flavour
  • Loaded Fries – choose between pulled pork or spicy grilled chicken
  • Cauliflower Bites – crispy and full of spice
  • Gochujang Mac n’ Cheese – creamy and with a kick
  • Korean Cheese Corndogs
  • Korean Grilled Cheese
highballer stockport food menu
highballer bab korean food
BAB MCR have come to Stockport to lend their talents to Highballer. (Credit: Supplied)

With ‘power hour’ karaoke sessions, Vimto mojitos named not just after the drink but the giant gorilla bouncer sat outside (great name), not to mention a big terrace to bring those beer garden vibes, they’ve got all the ingredients for an instant hit.

Oh, did we mention there are drink deals all week long? Well, there are. Cheers to that. Speaking to The Manc, Garner kept things short and sweet as he’s confident the product will do the talking, but admitted he’s “buzzing” to be opening another venue in the borough.

Balancing live music, entertainment, and hospitality is a tall order for anyone, but with the expertise behind this place, it stands as much of a fighting chance as everyone else.

It’s been a big couple of weeks for food and drink in Stockport.

Read more:

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Featured Images — Highballer (supplied)

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