Spicy Hut Restaurant

Spicy Hut, located on Manchester's renowned Curry Mile has an enviable reputation for its excellent food and informal friendly atmosphere. Over the years the restaurant has built up a sound customer base based on a passion for curry, service that takes heed of people and their expectations against a comfortable and relaxing background, and real value for money. In many ways this is what every restaurant the world over should be doing but it never fails to amaze how many fall short of that aim.

One of their many specialities at Spicy Hut is the bespoke curry. Until now I had always thought of bespoke in terms of a new suit, but here you have only to arrive and discuss your special requirements for the curry of your dreams, and lo! it's being served just as your taste buds are coming up to maximum revs. Some may have only a vague idea of what they want, but Spicy Hut can help there with a very clear distinction between "beginners' curries" and the "if you dare" variety.

All the food served is Halal, and every order is accompanied by coleslaw, mango chutney, red onion, mint sauce and Indian salad for a modest 50p, a mere hint of things to come. Out of more than 20 starters look out for the mixed special tandoori, an assortment of lamb chops, lamb tikka, chicken tikka and seikh kebab, or king prawn butterfly marinated and deep-fried in batter. Two people can comfortably share a subba kebab, minced chicken cooked with lentils and spices, coated with egg pasta, then deep-fried, or a minced lamb or vegetable Samoa wrapped in light pastry, folded into the familiar triangular shape and deep fried.

Main courses demonstrate Indian food at its most diverse, with a choice of 12 main ingredients ranging from chicken through beef, mixed vegetables and prawns, to mushrooms or paneer. I commend to you the samber, with a lentil base, garlic, hot spices and a touch of lemon to achieve a hot and sour dish. Ginger is a great standby of Indian cuisine and the Hut's ginger, well mixed with spices produces a dish said to be of benefit to those with heart conditions.

A Curry Fanatics Alert is out for the traditional Pakistani curry list, amongst which is the Award winning Handi lamb, or chicken if preferred. Ginger strings and garlic are marinated in yogurt and tomatoes flavoured with cumin seeds and spiced to achieve results that demonstrate well a delicate touch in the kitchen.

Special sizzlers at The Hut are an occasion for culinary theatre, arriving at table in fireproof containers they are sprinkled with the magic solution (alcohol actually) and ignited to cries of mock alarm and delight. Special rice and side dishes are in great profusion and customers visibly relax as they realise they are in the hands of experts.

Take Away and Home Delivery are all part of the service, talking of which the service to table is a pleasant blend of humour and efficiency. Customers with a guest whose taste for Indian food has yet to reveal itself can offer them European dishes from a modest selection, always provided they do not succumb to that heady mix of spices and flavours from another continent.

Spicy Hut's Website is a mine of information about their mission to please an increasingly appreciative public.