When you’re invited to a kebab restaurant in Manchester that you’ve heard good things about, you don’t say no! So, we sent our writer, Rachel McAlley along to enjoy the fresh ingredients of BAB NQ. Here are her thoughts.
You’ve come to the right place if you want hearty, delicious, moreish food – BAB NQ is the bees knees.
BAB NQ The Restaurant
Tucked down an alley on Little Lever Street in the fabulous Norther Quarter of Manchester is BAB NQ. In an unassuming red brick building with a green and glass door lies BAB, our new favourite kebab place.
An independent restaurant that serves not only their signature babs in 11 variations, but an array of meze dishes, burgers, gyros bowls, and desserts too. Plus, the selection of cocktails and mocktails is one of the best around. They also serve express boxes for collection only, and have a wide choice of lunch time specials too.
My guest and I dined on a Saturday evening, when both the Northern Quarter was buzzing, and BAB was bustling. There was a fabulous atmosphere in the restaurant, and cocktails were flowing from the bar and served to drinkers in the outdoor seating area. The sun was setting and everyone was out for a great time.
Mocktails at BAB NQ
We sat at our table and the team came over to offer menus for drinks and food. Watching the plates leave the kitchen and be sent to different tables, everything looked so good. We both opted for a couple of alcohol free mocktails, the Raspberry Passion was our preferred choice.
Made with passionfruit, raspberry, pineapple juice, lime and vanilla, they were divine! Not only were they refreshing, but they were ice cold, served beautifully, and tasted gorgeous.
The Food At BAB NQ
Every kebab, salad and meze dish sounded and looked amazing. After much deliberation we decided upon the Roasted Tiger Prawns and Spiced Calamari to start. These were followed by the House Side Salad, Orzo Salad Bowl, and Tzatziki. Finally, we went all out and chose the BAB Sharer for our main. This was seriously good, with Harissa and Pomegranate Lamb, Chicken Souvlaki Skewer, Flat Iron Steak, Halloumi, Padron Peppers, Salad, Fries, Flatbread, Garlic Mayo, and House Chilli Sauce.
The calamari was the standout dish from the starters, cooked to perfection with the right amount of spice coating, and the lemon pepper mayo was delicious. An unexpected favourite was the orzo salad which was fresh and full of flavour. Both the flat iron steak and the chicken souvlaki were mouthwateringly good, we couldn’t fault a single dish. The drinks kept on flowing, and the table water was topped up regularly.
The saddest part of the experience at BAB was that we were too full to order dessert. The team wanted us to try something, but honestly, it would have been wasted. Our bellies were simply packed with kebab deliciousness. This means one thing – we have to return for pudding!
Everything from the moment we entered BAB NQ to the second we departed was top quality. The staff were great, they offered advice on which dishes to order, and answered each and every question we had.
So, if you are thinking about where to eat in Manchester then let us suggest BAB NQ. You won’t find a kebab better anywhere else in the UK – or at least we think so!
Visit BAB NQ to book a table now. Please note: the BAB menu changes seasonally, so expect a few autumnal dishes added to existing favourites.
Review and Words by Rachel McAlley @LadyRach
