Lal Qila Rusholme

About

Lal Qila is on Rusholme’s Curry Mile along Wilmslow Road (Manchester’s answer to Brick Lane). It’s a large, relatively upmarket restaurant over two floors. The food is best described as Pakistani. Because everything is made to order, your dish can be as spicy or unspicy as you like it - a flexibility much appreciated by the locals, judging by the half Asian, half White British crowd filling the floor. Chef’s specials like the chicken chilli, lamb methi and chicken handi are very popular, as well as his ‘sizzler’ dishes. You’ll find all your traditional curry house favourites too, and accompanying Indian beers. Service is swift from the start when complimentary poppadoms are brought to your table. And the five-sauce chutney try is just 30p a person.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour