Australasia - Season 2 Episode 4

Date: 22nd October 2013

Wagwan Nurbites!

Website: http://www.australasia.uk.com/

Apologies for being away for so long! Been very, very busy. From getting married in Chicago (via an incredible stag in Vegas) to hanging in Miami, and honey-mooning in Jamaica, I have for sure been well fed! The food on my trips has been incredible! But nothing is better than being back home to Mad-chester, the home of the Rolls Royce, the center of the universe. Manchester is the greatest place this earth has seen. Well not quite, but it is home!


Having dined at several great restaurants in Manchester recently, I thought I'd come back with a bang with a place many have heard about in Manchester. Australasia oozes class from their Louvre style stairway entry to the high tech DJ playing with what it seems a 40 inch iPad! We were sat in a booth which was excellent for privacy, giving the place the slight edge if you prefer the more intimate vibe.

The menu had 3-4 sections, sushi, smaller plates and bigger plates. The waiter liked to talk about waves, bringing the meal in 2 or 3 parts but we wanted it all to come together. We treated the restaurant like an Asian tapas bar and so we all ordered 3 dishes each planning to share everything. This was nice as it gave us like ten different small dishes to try. The drinks menu actually came on an iPad which was cool to browse through.

Before the food came, the waiter came over with a fresh piece of wasabi and grated a portion of it on our table. Never seen this from a restaurant so was a nice touch (although seemed like a lot of effort from his part!). When the food came out, just about fitting on our table, the first thing we noticed was presentation. It was impeccable! Everything looking delicious. I would show you pictures but I don't like to give away too much spoilers for you and ruin the experience.

From what I tried, the sushi was great, but for the price not spectacular. The beef skewers stuck out to me as a gem, very flavoursome. The squid tempura, and the prawn and wasabi mix were pretty average. The dish I had heard about most was the expensive black cod. We ordered two of them as it was something everyone wanted to try. It was great, but I'm not sure if it warrants the fame it gets. Sure it is quite different, something you would not have tried elsewhere, but for me it was not the 'melts in your mouth' experience.

Now onto dessert. Fans have probably realised I don't really have a sweet tooth, and due to my lack of passion for the sweet dishes I tend to shy away from talking too much about them. It was due to the also hyped Mango soufflé with coconut ice-cream and mango soup, that I left a little space for this. When the soufflé smothered in the 'mango soup' and the ice cream touched my lips, this was the highlight of my meal...possibly my week. It was just delightful. The explosion of flavours in my mouth, the textures complementing each other ever so perfectly. This was the elite of desserts.

The restaurant decor is very impressive, and is a must if you just want to hang out, or impress someone. I was a tad disappointed with the food, however I did give it incredibly high expectations. The dessert though made me leave the place on a high, and may be the thing that forces me to return again.

8 out of 10 rating.

Almost Famous Burger - Season 2 Episode 3

Date: 20th March 2013

Website: http://almostfamousburgers.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlmostFamousMCR


'...a patty of ground beef so exquisite, swirling in your mouth, breaking apart, and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savour so delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin. This is God, speaking to us in food.' - Marshall (How I Met Your Mother) 2008

I don't think Marshall was talking about the supposing 'best burger in New York' in the above quote, he was talking about the Almost Famous Burger.


I want to start to apologise to Almost Famous for writing this blog, because as with photography and ketchup, blogging is also banned from the restaurant. But I have a responsibility, and that responsibility is to share to my Nurbites the best (and worst) that Manchester has to offer. This establishment is the best...

This place is a well kept secret in Manchester. You would only know about it by 'word of mouth'. There is no sign, just a big wooden door. During the day you would not even notice it. However on opening, walking past, it will catch your eye. This is because there is a queue all the way round the corner to get into what is behind this wooden door. On queuing we were all thinking, trying to keep warm, is it worth the wait? One answer. Hell fucking yes it is worth the wait.

On entry you go up these stairs as if you were walking up to an upstairs flat. No signs, nothing. Then at the top was a door with danger splashed across. I opened the door. Atmosphere oozed out. The place was artsy and edgy but still comfortable. I have never experienced this kind of happiness before. Everyone was cheerful, talkative, just loving life. All for one reason. The sexy items in their red plastic baskets.

The menu is simple. Not much to choose from, but you don't need the choice. The front of the menu are the items to choose from and the back explains the items in hilarious detail. I don't want to spoil the fun for you so I will not reveal the funny quotes from the menu.

To be honest Nurbites, I just don't want to ruin the experience for you, I think that is why they 'ban' blogging. They don't want people to read about Almost Famous Burger, but simply experience. So I will just be brief.

Burger - Best I have ever had.

Chicken Wings - Best I have ever had.

Fries - Mixed potato and sweet potato fries - Best I have ever had.

I said in a previous review (Damson) that the place was close to perfect. This place is perfect. I don't love this place, I am in love with this place. I honestly can't stop thinking about that heavenly first bite I took. It sent shivers down my spine.

I cried yesterday. I have never been so happy.

10 out of 10 rating.

La Casona

Date: Thursday 26th January


After hearing positive feedback about a Tapas restaurant/ bar down my road (Heaton Moor), I thought this would be a good place to be next on my hit list. It is a nice little family run restaurant which was exactly what I was in the mood for.


On entering the Spanish gentleman welcomed and escorted us to a table, giving us the menus. The place was small, but had a decent amount of seating, and decorated simply but elegant. When we arrived the restaurant was pretty quiet, but we have heard that on prime nights it can fill up pretty quickly.

The two sided menu was categorized with Tapas dishes on one side, organized by vegetables, meat and fish. The other side was a classic A La Carta menu with sides and mains. We decided to get a selection of tapas, seeing as we fancied tapas. We were also served some homemade bread which came with a tasty garlic mayonnaise dipping sauce. The main entre selection was impressive as well, and next time I try this place I may be tempted to get a main dish, like a steak, or some type of sea food dish.


The waiter advised us to order six tapas dishes with bread, between the two of us. This ended up being too much food for us, however it would comfortably feed a party of three. When the food came, I was so impressed. The beef strips were nice and tender with a wonderful pepper corn taste. The lamb meatballs gave an explosion of delicious flavour into my mouth.And the seafood selection cooked in egg batter was delicious; with the calamari (fried squid) being the best I've ever had, including when having it abroad. All the dishes we ordered pleased our palates, except for the seafood dumplings, which were too flavorless for my liking. 


We had a Hi-Life Diners Club card, giving us 50% discount off the menu, making the meal very cheap. Even without this card though the prices are still reasonable, however the very nice waiter said he was not going to stamp off the card, meaning we can use this offer again next time.


This place left a very positive impression on myself, making me leave a generous tip on departure. I am really chuffed that this gem is just walking distance from my house and will surely be using this place to entertain guests or to give myself a deserved treat after a hard days work.


8.5 out of 10 rating.