"IF YOU really want to get a true taste of a country or a region, really get a feel for the soul and the life of a place, then you need to eat the street food," says Asif Ali, the man behind Spinningfields new Indian kitchen, Scene.

We've pulled together the most popular street food dishes from Delhi, Mumbai and Lahore

The irony is not lost on Ali.

"Yes it's Indian street food in a Spinningfields restaurant," continues Ali, "but our design pulls the customer right into the noise and buzz and theatrics of the open kitchens; we've created Delhi-style street shacks; imported elements from India and Kashmir; and created a huge artwork from Agra station to recreate that street scene - that's how the name came about."

As a trained chef himself, Ali, 36, has been sweating it out in the family's Yorkshire fine-dine Indian restaurants for the past twenty years, and has pulled menu inspiration from right across the Indian subcontinent.

"As executive chef I've brought my own influences, but our staff have brought styles from the Punjab, Hyderabad and Goa to the menu; and pulled together the most popular street food dishes from Delhi, Mumbai and Lahore.

"Manchester has many Indian restaurants," Ali continues, "but none with a menu like this..."

Of course, you could say we've heard it all before; but Scene's menu, split into 'Street Corner' (from £3.95), 'Indo-Chinese' (from £5.95), 'Chaat Corner' (from £4.95), 'North Indian Grill' (from £11.95), alongside classics like baltis and tikka, features a number of brow-raisers; you'll do well to find Afghani Murgh chicken (£11.95), Banjari Gosht Rajasthani Laal Maas (£11.95) or Lucknow Chicken (£11.95) anywhere else in Greater Manchester.

.Scene

The new 150-180 cover restaurant, occupying the former-Strada site on Leftbank, will be the first new opening to kick off Leftbank's resurgence this year with The Dockyard, Spinningfields Kitchens and chef David Gale all set to open at the previously sleepy end of Spinningfields.

"The reason Leftbank didn't work out last time was because there was nothing here you couldn't find on Deansgate," says Ali. "Why would you come over here to Cafe Rouge when there's three in town? But with all the new developments in Leftbank the area has developed real character again.

"We've been looking for a site for Scene for eight years now," Ali continues, "Spinningfields is the busiest and most affluent place in Manchester right now - we wouldn't want the restaurant anywhere else; and with the Cotton Building, New Bailey and all the new developments just over the river in Salford, we could hardly be in a better position."

Scene opens for its soft launch from Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 April (book here for 50% off), then fully to the public on Friday 17 April.

Scene Indian Street Kitchen, 4a Leftbank, Spinningfields, M3 3AJ. Open 11am - 11pm.

(photo credits @EmGol)