The Hungry Gecko

After making it into the top 4 on Masterchef a couple of years ago, Jackie aka ‘the Hungry Gecko’, made the decision to follow her true passion of cooking Asian street food full time and the world is a world place because of it.
The slightly unassuming Beech Inn, Chorlton, is Jackie and Barbarella’s (the very cool Silver Bullet trailer all the food is served out of) full time home and parked up in the beer garden. Food is ordered from the hatch and can be eaten either in the beer garden or, thankfully (because Manc doesn’t have the climate of California unfortunately), inside the pub.
The menu consists of a number of regular dishes such as pad thai, dal, beef rendang and jungle curry as well as regularly changing specials to keep you on your toes. Having tried pretty much all the food at various times I can quite happily proclaim everything to be amazing. The ingredients are all locally sourced where possible and the meat and fish are higher welfare, something that is very important to Jackie.
Everything is freshly made and the flavours are just fantastic, a true sign of the passion in Jackie’s cooking. The food is also exceptional value with dishes such as the rendang (one of my favourites) priced at around the £6.50 mark with the portions being pretty darn generous.
Don’t wait until summer, this is definitely a year round beer garden treat!

Fabulous indian street food in the garden of the Beech in Chorlton. Menu has some favourites on every week and some changed. Everything is excellent and great value for money.
My favourite is the lentil dal and even though the chef is vegetarian meat eaters are well catered for here. The beef rendang, which comes various ways including over rice, with flatbread or in a bun as a sloppy joe, is delicious. If you really like heat then ask the staff for extra fresh red chilli on top, they will happily oblige.
It’s not always on but the chai latte is warming and delicious so make sure you order it if it’s available. A trip to this trailer for an authentic street food experience is something you just won’t get anywhere else in South Manchester. The owner has travelled extensively across Asia and it really shows in the food. It’s not like anything I’ve tasted in a restaurant in the UK. Follow them on one of their social media accounts to see the weekly menu.