LEFTBANK, the sleepy side of Spinningfields has come alive. First with Dockyard and now with Scene, an Indian restaurant that brings a regular menu but also 'street food'. This is a very good-looking space.
Our staff pulled together the most popular street food dishes from Delhi, Mumbai and Lahore.
Overlooking the River Irwell, guests on Thursday revelled in the new 150-180 cover restaurant, occupying the former-Strada site.
With all the spirit and vigour of Delhi, Mumbai and Lahore (where the street food dishes originate), Scene Spinningfields introduced a taster of the menu with an Indian platter (chapali kebabs, seekh kebabs, onion bhajis, Punjabi samosas and more) washed down with expertly crafted cocktails.
Keep an eye on all the social media action on the Scene Dining Media Wall
Local Indian drummers and dancers, Bhangracise, provided the beat to proceedings, encouraging guests to let loose and 'screw the lightbulb'.
The menu is 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 such as baltis and tikka. There's Afghani Murgh chicken (£11.95), Banjari Gosht Rajasthani Laal Maas (£11.95) or Lucknow Chicken (£11.95) - which they believe you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in Greater Manchester.
Managing Director Asif Ali was on hand to greet guests and explain the menu.
Asif Ali is a trained chef (sweating it out in the family's Yorkshire Indian restaurants for the past twenty years) and has pulled menu inspiration from 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 we believe none with a menu like this."
On bringing life back to Leftbank Ali says:
"Definitely, we're very happy to know that we're the first Indian restaurant in Spinningfields. There'll be a lot of newcomers to Leftbank, so this area will be very lively. We're excited for what's to come."
Scene opens to the public Friday 17 April.
Scene Indian Street Kitchen, 4a Leftbank, Spinningfields, M3 3AJ.
Opening times: 4-11pm Monday - Thursday, 4-11:30pm Friday - Saturday, 4-10pm Sunday
(Lunch menu available from 1st May)
(Photo credits: Nik Bryant Photography, Twitter (@nikbphotography)