Review: Arnero, Manchester

I always find that the best Indian restaurants tend to be found down little side streets or just off the main thoroughfare, and that’s how we discovered Arnero on Sackville Street last year. We had yet to visit an Indian post-lockdown and the grub here lived long in the memory ever since.

The place had undergone a bit of a revamp during the hiatus and certainly looked fresh.  There was a new addition of a brightly themed outdoor terrace too, which our young server (I assume the daughter of the owner(s) was particularly proud of: “Makes us a bit more Instagramable” she proclaimed. We were particularly touched the staff had remembered us.

The menu has something for everyone, with a wide range of fish, meat, rice, and vegetarian dishes. I opened with a classic onion bhaji starter (£3.95).  Delicious, as expected, with a crunchy exterior, sweetness of onions and a warm tinge of spice in the background.  The real highlight was that drinkable chutney which contained coriander, green chilli, mint, and ginger; it really offset the deep fried component of the dish.

Sarah started with vada pav (£3.95), which consisted of crispy potato pancakes coated in gram flour batter then fried.  It came served in a bread roll which was a new one on us.  The patties were soft, again featuring subtle, well-judged spicing with a fresh salad and pomegranate dressing that provided a sharp foil; I could imagine enjoying this at the football.

My main was a beast of a lamb seekh kebab, which sets you back £10.95.  If you like meat, you’ll love this.  The lamb was still sizzling on arrival at the table; you just knew it was going to be good by the smell.  The tandoor had provided a crust on the exterior with the meat blushing pink inside. The aromatic flavourings danced across the tongue before a bold whack of animal goodness left you salivating.  I’m not the biggest of eaters portion-wise believe it or not, but I proudly tucked that away.

Sarah got stuck into a rather tasty chicken bhuna (£8.50) which benefitted from a good whack of ginger.  The meat was succulent with the sauce rich, yet fresh at the same time.  A classic well-executed. We split a wonderfully light, naan that was lathered in garlic butter – so often lacks in places - (£2.50) and a pilau rice that was flavoured with sweet onions a hint of heat (£3.25).

This was a real feast, up there with any curry house I’ve been to.  The staff were extremely attentive and put a lot of love into the service, as well as the well-priced food. My theory definitely is definitely applicable here: if in doubt, always follow your nose!

Web: arnero.co.uk/

Phone: (0161) 236 1364

Instagram: @arnero_mcr

Address: NCP car park building,

                25 Sackville Street,

                Manchester,

                M1 3LZ