A LEGENDARY EXPERIENCE.....

IN A ROCK 'N' ROLL SETTING

If you love the nostalgia of pop music and would like to savour a meal in a Rock’n’roll setting then the new Hard Rock Café in Manchester is well worth a visit.

It’s got great food, a fabulous atmosphere and a fantastic ambience – in fact its rather like a museum filled with instruments, costumes and memorabilia of the great and the good of rock’n’roll.

Set on three floors it’s a light and airy place with a fifties retro atmosphere. Just opened and newly refurbished and ticks every box as far as the Government regulations go for Covid.

I for one was completely mesmerised by the things on display that once belonged to Rock’n’roll royalty. There’s a cape worn by Little Richard, suits worn by David Bowie and Elton John and a one worn by Elvis in the famous gold material.

If its instruments you are interested in there’s Eric Clapton’s guitar, one used by Robbie Krieger of The Doors plus a myriad of other instruments from drum kits to percussion. The suits the Arctic Monkeys wore at the Brit Awards sit alongside signed photos and there’s even a letter written by Freddie Mercury.

It makes great viewing between each course and is perfect for great conversation or a little nostalgic reminiscence.

The service at The Hard Rock Café in Manchester is second to non and it was no surprise to learn that they had won an accolade for being the best in Europe the proof of which is on the wall.

Our server Emma was a real treasure. She was so knowledgeable about each dish and even about all the memorabilia on the wall. Nothing was too much trouble she even asked the chef what one of the sauces included as I said it was so delicious.

To start with we opted for Classic Nachos. This sharing dish was a meal in itself even for the two of us. The crisp tortilla chips were layered with ranch-style beans and a four cheese sauce blend, topped with fresh pico de gallo, spicy jalapenos, pickled red onions, melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and green onions and served with sour cream on the side and we add grilled chicken one of the options on the menu.

These Nachos were like no other. They stayed crisp even when we got to the last one at the bottom of the pile – they arrived hot and what a delightful fusion of tastes there was.

My partner, who in his career, travels the world said these were certainly some of the best he had tasted.

Hard Rock is famous for its cocktails and we just had to try one with our meal. My Classic Caribbean Mojito really did take me back to my time spent in the Caribbean. It was fresh, minty and sparkling and one could really taste the rum whilst my partners Long Island Iced Tea certainly pleased.

If you have never tasted a real American burger then you will be in for a surprise at the Hard Rock Café. I chose the Big Cheeseburger which had three thick slices of cheddar cheese melted on a Black Angus Steak Burger. The burger had a real beef taste, was smooth and cooked just as I asked it to be – even the toasted bun was delicious.

I substituted the fries for the signature onion rings which came to the table sizzling hot – as did all our food and as a side dish we ordered the the Mac ‘N’ Cheese. This was the best I have tasted for a very very long time. The sauce was amazing and Emma even went to the kitchen to find out the cheeses the chef had used to make it so taste amazing – but as this is a culinary secret I am sorry I cannot share with you. Just next time you visit a Hard Rock Café try it.

My partner went for the Baby Back Ribs. This again was a huge portion with a very tasty glazed barbecue sauce but it was the seasoning that turned this dish from ordinary to extra-ordinary. The seasoned fries, ranch style beans and coleslaw were the perfect accompaniment.

Visiting the Hard Rock Café is an experience and one to be savoured – its an legendary experience like no other and well worth the journey. The last time I visited a Hard Rock Café was in Miami a few years ago but I won’t be waiting as long to sample its culinary pleasures this time.