CONFIDENTIAL PROMOTION
THERE are so many Indian restaurants, it's easy to feel like you've seen it all before. It's amazing how easily your palate becomes jaded.
These dishes are unique to Scene and you won't find them anywhere else in Manchester
If you're feeling all curried out, Scene's dishes will bring that old excitement back and perk up tired taste buds with dishes you won't have tried before. Forget chicken tikka masala and all the usual suspects, these dishes are unique to Scene and you won't find them anywhere else in Manchester.
The menu was put together by executive chef Sudesh Singh and it's clear he's passionate about authentic Indian food. After having worked at the renowned Shimla Pinks and for the 5* Taj Group in India, he's also something of an expert.
Choley Bhatura
Choley Bhatura is a Punjab speciality that's eaten at any time of day, from breakfast till late and it's a firm favourite on Scene's lunch menu. This is the food of the people, simple, hearty and delicious. Chickpeas and potato in an aromatic sauce are served alongside bread. But what bread. This leavened bread is deep fried so it puffs right up. This isn't an accompaniment, it's a show-stopper and you'll find it at Scene.
Gunpowder Potatoes
These baby potatoes are a popular dish on the streets of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. As their name suggests, they are a real explosion of spice and flavour. Boiled and fried, these delicious potatoes are coated in a home-made spice blend. What makes Scene's spicing stand out is their use of whole spices rather than ground ones, which they roast themselves and then blend together. This dish contains coriander, chaat masala, crushed chilli, garlic and black salt but the proportion of each is Scene's own secret recipe.
Kachay Gosht Ki Hyderabadi Biryani
You may think a biryani is just a biryani but if you try Scene's Kachay Gosht Ki Hyderabadi Biryani, you'll think again. This delightful lamb dish is just like a walk in a perfumed garden. Rosewater, kewra water and a few drops of ittar create a wonderfully fragrant and aromatic dish. The lamb is marinated for six or seven hours before being cooked with the rice alongside Scene's own secret ingredient which tenderises the meat and allows it to cook at the same time as the rice, imparting real flavour and depth to the dish.
Dhaba Murgh
Little Chef may have a bad name but the truck stops of India are legendary. Without refrigeration, the food all needs to go. To make sure it's sold, it has to be delicious. Truck drivers all have their favourite places to pull over and every truck stop has its own specialities. Scene's is a dish you have to try. This Punjab classic is simple but sustaining and the combination of chilli, coriander and black pepper with chicken is nourishing and tasty.
Other tasty rarities to explore include Lucknow Biryani, Dum Ki Daal, Chicken Chettinad and Banjari Gosht Rajasthani Laal Maas.
They may not be unique, but other Scene signatures to try are the Handi Gosht and the Samosa Chaat.
The Handi Gosht makes any meal special. Served straight from the stove to the table in a hot metal balti, it's an unforgettable sharing experience. Melting soft lamb on the bone is cooked dum pukht style with aromatic spices.
You may have tried Samosa Chaat before, but not like this you haven't. The home-made pastry real is a cut above and the pomegranate, chickpeas and sweet chutney are moreish and flavoursome – less commercial than many places and all the better for it.
Scene Indian Street Kitchen, 4a leftbank, Irwell Square, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3AN
T: 0161 410 0213 or Book Online here.
