WHAT’S in a name? You may well ask. For most of us, it should be a good indication of what the thing is that the name represents. Therefore, if someone says , “Look, There’s Pete” we can reasonably assume that we are looking for a male, probably white and lower middle class, living in a suburb of a city. Pete is more than likely over the age of thirteen and can play football. If he was a baby, he’d be known as Peter, which would nail down the demographics a bit.
Up the stairs and you come across a restaurant that is designed to make your spine vibrate. Open brickwork, murals that can compete with the best cinematography that Breaking Bad treated us to and a genuine feeling of sunshine and heat on a cold rainy day.
With Pete a wild guess would put forward the idea that he wouldn’t be gay; as if he were he may well be known as Petey. And before you all accuse Gordo of being homophobic please remember that this is demographics and nothing else. Besides, some of Gordo’s best friends are gay – no, honestly. As were two of his aunts and an uncle, so go and get stuffed.
Anyway, most people when naming someone, something or somewhere do it in a fashion to help the rest of us out. Therefore, we know that a house is a house. A tree is a bloody great big plant, and that Gordo is more than likely a big fat bastard. All of which are true.
So, what on earth is Luck, Lust Liquor and Burn?
Believe Gordo, you would never get it in a million years. But let him give a few clues. Firstly it’s something in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Secondly, it has people in it that can be in Lust - something Gordo spends most of his life in, the vast majority of which is unrequited. Thirdly, liquor kinda gives away that there is drink involved, mainly cocktails. Finally, Burn? Hmm. Can this be something that burns, a fire maybe? Nope, think chilli heat and we start to get there.
The Room
Finally, it’s a relative of other daftly named places in the area such as Almost Famous Burgers and Home Sweet Home, Solita, North Tea Power, Tusk, Blue Pig – how long have we got? This place is a Californican restaurant. Full of the type of food you get in San Diego, and south past the border towards Los Mochis in Mexico. It’s gonna be hot stuff.
Obvious eh? Well Gordo was completely baffled until The Editor came back from an early peek and explained the concept; in other words dirty food.
Hot, in your face, angry, seductive and powerful food.
Now for those of you who know the stable behind Socio Rehab and Almost Famous Burgers, you will know that apart from having a mentalist involved in the running of them, that is Beau, you can start to run Gordo’s demographic ruler across the proposition and assume that whatever the food is, it’s going to be good. And filthy in the right way.
Gordo decided to help you all out and go the day after the official opening, goaded on by a pal. One of the few bloggers who knows what he is talking about and isn’t just a journo becoming an expert on food all of a sudden. Free dinner anyone?
Hungry Hoss is his name and boy, Hoss knows what he is on about. He was going so Gordo hauled his arse out of bed and walked over from The Fat Cave to see what the fuss was all about.
Hoss's Snack On The Side
This restaurant is in the place where Socio Rehab used to be; it has taken over the ground floor and spread out upstairs, on the first floor of the building. Downstairs is a bar, where the cocktails are, presumably, on form; you can get a cut down food menu.
Up the stairs, and you come across a restaurant that is designed to make your spine vibrate. Open brickwork, murals that can compete with the best cinematography that Breaking Bad treated us to and a genuine feeling of sunshine and heat on a cold rainy day.
The menu is Mexican on acid.
That’ll be Beau then.
What Beau and the rest of the team understand is getting a place to feel right; then, writing a menu that makes you hungry. Very hungry. Beer food for the Y generation, that smacks your arse on the way back down the stairs.
Gordo's Favourite Crispy Beef Taco
Buffalo Chicken Blasts. (£3.50), are five breast strips, ‘rinsed’ in either tangy hot buffalo or, as Gordo had them, Hawaiian BBQ, with blue cheese dip and celery sticks. The chicken moist, the coating glossy and sweet, and a blue cheese dip not raped with e-numbers.
Mac and Cheese made with Brooklyn beer, three cheeses, mustard and crispy grilled cheese BBQ tortilla crumb crust and a side of tortilla chips (£6.50) was a barn-stopper, with flavour wielded with a purple-velvet wrapped sledge hammer. Gordo, of course, insisted on extra crab and bacon on top of his, for an extra two English.
‘Street Tacos’ are delivered on traditional soft wheat flour tortillas; Dirty Chicken and its bro’ Crispy Beef were an exercise in delivering flavours that liked each other and are simply the best in the North West. The crispy beef topped the lot with brilliant balancing of texture and cheeky heat. Nothing and no-where can beat these babies. Kim Jung Ill will be struggling even with his nuclear tests. Priced to sell at £6.50.
Mac And Cheese With Crab And Bacon
Lettuce Cups, (£3.50), if they are represented faithfully, probably arrived with the railway into San Diego by way of the Chinese labour used to build it a couple of hundred years ago. Sweet and sour, crunchy and soft, chicken, teriyaki-style saucing with pineapple, mango and peanuts and crunchy iceberg lettuce is just, well, horny.
Jail Break Beef Chilli (£7.50) was made with beef brisket, mixed textures, chorizo keeping score along with cheese, sour cream and bacon. A big grown-up bowl full of it that, for Gordo, was judged brilliantly with heat. He can taste it (in a good way) three days later.
Pudding was Sweet Dreams; OC cheese cake fantasy Heavenly Bandito Brownie (£7.50). Enough for four people this, or Gordo. Have a look at the picture; its sodding filthy is all that can be said. Filthy dirty chocolate, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce (hot) and weird stuff on a stick. Well named, especially the Heavenly bit. Surprisingly light it also needs to be said.
You can probably tell that Fatty is an instant convert. So is Hungry Hoss. When Gordo walked in he had ordered three lots of Tacos. As well as this. Sit down before you read it.
Jailbreak Beef Chilli
‘Tapout Burrito; crispy beef, BBQ pulled Pork, shredded beer can chicken in this MAN vs BURRITO challenge, with skin on potato fries, cheese, spicy rice, grilled onions & salad lubed with secret taco sauce with guac…’ It’s THIRTY QUID and bloody massive. Mental. At least a porn star fourteen inches and as thick as a tyre. Hoss ate the bloody lot. (See main picture)
Gordo bows down to him.
Dos Equis beer was drunk by Gordo and his pal Shagger who came along to make sure he didn’t fall down the stairs, which had no rail on them when they were there. Health and Safety will be moaning.
Service had the hallmarks of being organised by Beau’s fit Missus who is brilliant at process. This is going to be a sell out folks, expect queues.
Beef Smackdown Burrito
You can follow Gordo on Twitter @GordoManchester
ALL SCORED CONFIDENTIAL REVIEWS ARE IMPARTIAL AND PAID FOR BY THE MAGAZINE.
Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn 100 – 102 High Street, City, M4 1HP. 0161 832 8644.
Rating: 16/20 (Remember venues are rated against the best examples of their kind so check out the box below)
Food: 8/10 (Crispy Beef Taco 9, Dirty Chicken Taco 7.5, Buffalo Chicken 10, Lettuce Cups 7, Mac & Cheese 7.5, Jailbreak Chilli 8, Cheesecake 7.5)
Service: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
