Kabana

For me, a trip to Manchester always results in a craving for a classic Rusholme kebab from Abdul’s or Saajans. Now anybody who knows Manchester well knows I’m talking about probably the best kebabs in the country. By kebabs, I don’t mean the filthy, grease-engorged, angina-inducing slithers of questionable meat stuffed till bursting inside a tiny pitta, clutched as a magical cure to some semblance of sobriety in the hands of thousands of inebriated Brits across the country each night, but chunky pieces of juicy, marinated chicken breast nestled atop a substantial bed of green salad on a huge pillow-soft naan bread and covered in lashings of yoghurt & mint and spicy chutneys. That’s a proper kebab takeaway. It was on a journey to one such fine establishment that we passed Kabana and decided to change plans. My parents have waxed lyrical about Kabana for a while now but had never got round to taking me there.


It's not quite in the city centre, located near the warehouses, on the corner of Cheetham Hill Road & Derby Street. From the outside it doesn't look like much an the inside is the same story. It looks like any old takeaway/kebab shop with a big visible kitchen behind the counter and a rather large seating area reminiscent of roadside cafes throughout much of Asia, the difference being the noticeable cleanliness.

Interior

We ordered at the counter, going for a Karahi ghost (lamb curry), chicken curry, some lamb chops, keema saag (minced lamb with spinach), garlic naan, plain naan and some tandoori roti and then took our seats. The food arrived thick and fast and by god it was good. Keema saag was wonderful; meaty with iron undertones from the spinach. The chicken and lamb curries were mild and a bit oily but bursting with gorgeous flavour. Freshly made naans were large, thick and soft, if not as fluffy as you would find in some places. The second garlic naan had an incredible amount of garlic on the top and a lot more butter than the first, but that epitomised everything in general; a head-on collision with full-on flavourful home-style cooking. Tandoori roti can often have a tendency to be made a bit tougher and flakier than I would like, but this was also soft and perfect for scooping up the curries. Then there was the highlight; the lamb chops. Without a doubt, the best lamb chops I can remember having in a very long time, including, dare I say it, those found at Tayyabs in Whitechapel. Perfectly cooked, tender meat and a spicy, complex marinade coupled with that charred excellence of the grill dancing like Michael Jackson all over my taste buds. I had simply no choice but to order another round of four. Apparently on Friday’s they make a biryani, which is ‘to die for’. I shall certainly back to check that out. I should also mention how cheap this place is, between 4 of us we had 3 dishes, 8 chops, 5 breads and 3 soft drinks all for under 30 quid!

Counter

Keema saag

Chicken curry

Lamb curry

Tandoori roti

Garlic naan

Lamb chops

Kabana is the kind of no nonsense, down-to-earth, honest cooking that Indian cuisine in general is famed for. A classic roadside café with gutsy food drenched in flavour. Make sure if you’re ever in Manchester and in the car (I’m not sure how good the transport links are to that area) you check this place out, it’s only open Sun-Fri till 4pm. I really can’t imagine you’d be disappointed.

Price: £29 for the whole meal inc. soft drinks

Where to go before/next: There’s a retail park up the road if you fancy a bit of shopping or the city centre is a short drive away. Alternatively hit Rusholme to carry on the Indian theme and get some Indian sweets, you can’t go wrong with a bit of rasmalai from Ambala.

Website: None available

Location: 133 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M8 8LY