Ben-H's Qype profile

On first entering this place you would be excused for thinking that they are in the process of furnishing, it is so sparse, but then this is no Living Room. Some rocket-fuel drinks to match the space age outfits of the clientele make this a perfect place to stock up on your units before heading to a club. The bar staff are especially enthusiastic and can knock up a good cocktail in minutes. Not somewhere I would go for a relaxing beer (or any beer in fact judging by the draft selection) but excellent for a Friday or Saturday pre-night of revelry. Although it has its share of the fashionable it doesn't share the same pretentious atmosphere of other bars in the centre. One of the better independent bars in the trendy Northern Quarter and a good novelty spot for weekend guests and visitors to the City.

A stylish, if not clinical, Italian restaurant which provides some competition for the numerous mock-Italian chains that pepper the high streets of Manchester. After a slightly disappointing mushroom starter and a bland pizza with too much black pepper I wasn’t overly thrilled with the food by any means, but then again I've paid more for similar meals in restaurants of 'this sort'. Considering the restaurant was half empty (it was 5pm) I was a little surprised to see that the staff were shaky with the service and didn’t take time to speak to the diners but, hey, it was Christmas! An average restaurant for reasonably priced middle-of-the-road fare!

This place is an absolute gem, located on Chorlton’s lovely Beech Road. It has the speedy service synonymous with authentic Spanish tapas and music that gets your feet twitching to flamenco beats not trashy euro-pop. What it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in character and the décor is about as authentic as you can get for a Spanish bar in Manchester. If you are able to bag an outside table then you have the best seats in the house. Efficient, friendy, Spanish-speaking staff are the icing on this cake, or prawn on the paella! I especially liked the signed picture of the matador on the toilet door and the collage in ode to the Virgin Mary next to the spirit shelf. All this made me wonder, why, after going there three times I couldn’t quite remember the name of this place at first. I think the fact that most people know and sing praises for ‘the little Spanish bar’ is somewhat of a tribute to the originality displayed here.