Review: Al Maidah

On the side streets of city centre Manchester, the captivating, neon, blue lights which read "Al Maidah" in Arabic, invite you into an elegant banquet of Indian dishes.

Eastern Inspired Restrooms

The foyer, designed to impress, with a miniature waterfall and vases filled with deep, red roses, leading you to the main banquet, buffet area. The restrooms had extra attention paid to them, as I was attracted to the eastern inspired decor, with crystal embedded walls, comfy seating area (perfect for us ladies) and high standard cleanliness.




On a Sunday night, it was quiet allowing me to induldge straight into the starters.With a variety of Indian ethnic sauces and condiments, in a similar style of the very familiar "Nawaabs" buffet,  I went for my favourites, Mango Chutney and Raita.

Sauces/Condiments

Gol Gappay

My plate presented with an array of golden browns and reds accompanied by brightly coloured salad leaves, I broke into the very crispy Onion Bhaji full of flavour and texture. The fresh Lamb Chops, cooked well, not too tough, although I would have prefered a little more flavour perhaps a zing of lemon or an extra kick from one of the many tasteful Indian spices. Similarly the Seekh Kebabs lacked in the "umph" of signature Indian foods. I must say, what did it for me was the brilliant contrast of the sweetness in the Mango Chutney with the savoury goodness of the meats. Slight dissapointment with the Gol Gappay though - a crispy fried, hollow ball, later filled with massala chick peas floating in spiced water, often sold as street food in India. The pastry was impaired due to over exposure to air and tasted more like a copy version than the real thing. The Mango Lassi was good enough for me, with the right amount of sweetness and beautiful consistency.

The mains were not very appetising, indeed the starters rank higher. I would say it lacked in variety. The only distinction I could make was between the chicken and lamb curries. The Butter Chicken, Chicken Handi and Chicken Bhuna all tasted like a standard chicken curry without variation in taste and one just more diluted than the other. The Rice was bland, flavourless and the Naan Bread, cold, dry, dissapointing when one expects a fluffy pillow-like, warm, velvety texture melting in the mouth.









Finally the sweet ending to a full course meal . . . not so sweet. The Cake and Ice Cream selection pushed to a corner of the room said it all. I didn't have much of a choice but to choose a slice of Chocolate Cake with a scoop of Mint Ice Cream. However, the quality of the cake was poor and just plain boring. The desserts were very much neglected including the Halwa Puri (semolina pudding with fried bread) which tasted synthetic and dated.

Costing around £12 per head for buffet including drinks, I rate Al Maidah at 6/10. I dont think I got my money's worth because the place was a beauty, yet the food - what really matters, was not up to my standard, so I will not be dining again at Al Maidah, Manchester.


Al Maidah Banquet Hall and Restaurant (Manchester)
Sagar Street                                                                                  http://www.almaidah.co.uk
Manchester
M8 8EU