In a world where Primark can roll out knock-offs of designer pieces before the the catwalk models have even finished their first outing it’s becoming increasingly harder to see who’s trail blazing and who’s just cooking burgers off the charred coals left behind.
This is my review (sort of) of Almost Famous Burger and a general musing on #Manchester’s current foodie atmosphere.
Manchester has seen an unprecedented surge in not just the uptake of burgers but in a whole culture of casual dining. No frills but great quality, all singing, all dancing street food over the last year and my personal opinion is that it is due in no small part to Almost Famous.
I was put on to AF through twitter by a mate of mine (@AlvisLives) before it opened its doors and we headed down that very first opening week, it had to be seen, read and heard to be believed. Almost Famous had arrived and it since transpires that the city would never be the same again. The original Almost Famous NQ has I’m glad to say recently re-opened after a fire burnt out the kitchen and top floor of their home a few months ago, but in that period they headed across town to Great Northern and opened up shop there.
Almost Famous may not have been the first and they won’t be the last but for me they champined the cause louder and harder than anyone else, the evidence is right there on thier twitter.
For me that side of town holds a bit of an interesting ‘vibe’ (for lack of a better word in my head at this time) – it’s the end of Deansgate inherently associated (on the weekends in the main) with a crowd I have no real connection with, yet that triangle by Great Northern now has The Albert Hall, Brew Dog, Almost Famous, Lucha Libre and All Star Lanes which is a brilliant set-up for an evening out. Times are yet again a changing.
The burgers to be honest don’t really need any introduction the video and images above pretty much sum it up and talking about them is pointless unless to simply say, go and try it for yourself instead of salavating over a review where someone describes the Roadkill Burger (one of my old favourites from times gone by.) The bar at Great Northern is as well stocked as you’d imagine and it really is worth saying that after watching England vs Italy there after hours, mainly with the staff, last week that the folks who work there are sound.
So credit where credit is due, all that’s left ot say on the matter is that if you like Friday Night Food Fight (Beat Street) or Old Granada Studios Market or Up in Your Grill or Grillstock or any of these great foodie events that now fill our Mancunian calendars, you should probably remember the influencers, or just swear at them on twitter.
