EastZEast

Not a place to go by yourself for a business dinner. This is an upscale bar and restaurant where the meal is part of the experience and a lot of big groups go for celebrations. While I was waiting for my table, the people-​watching was great, so many people dressed like they’re going to a gala and a lot of folks in traditional Indian attire (I was thinking this was going to be awesome, authentic food).
Lots of choices on the menu. I ordered the palak paneer which came as a red, oil based sauce and giant chunks of paneer. I actually asked my waiter if I got the right thing since I almost always get the same dish at other restaurants and it has never looked like this, he assured me it was. Funny, when I returned home I asked some Indian workmates if they’d ever heard of palak paneer like this and they hadn’t.
The giant naan looked amazing.

On Manchester for a one night stop and tried this restaurant. Popadoms and chutney/​pickle starter superb, main dish arrived before we had finished eating the starter course, The bill arrived with no offer of desert or coffee. Staff appeared to be in a rush to get us out ASAP when there were only about 8 others eating. First time I have left a restaurant without leaving a tip in years.

EastzEast
As you walk in the main door you enter the reception area with a bar. And there is a lot of comfortable looking seats around the top area then they take you downstairs where the main restaurant is which is very big. They seat you at your table and offer you poppadoms which cost £2.40 and automatically comes with a pickle tray which costs £2.95 which is £5.35 which is very expensive really. Then we had two seekh kebab One chicken one lamb and then our main courses were lamb vindaloo and chicken Jalfrezi which was very good but costing £10.95 plus rice which was £2.95 up to £3.95. Then we had a garlic coriander Naan which was £3.45 +2 pints of diet Coke and two bottles of lagerPlus we could have a Hi-​Life card so we got one main course free and one side order free the bill still came to £42.65 p which is still a bit expensive I think. Didn’t think the staffs was very friendly they couldn’t seem to ask you if you enjoyed your meal they just seem to clear the plates and put your next course down and once we had finished our meal they just kept asking if you wanted anything else so we couldn’t chat and relax so we just asked for the bill paid and left. So that’s why I’m giving this restaurant one star.

I was tempted to give this five stars, but I’ll wait until I have gone at least once more — they need to nail it at least twice to get that.
I went on a Sunday at 3pm, so I can’t speak to the service or crowds at a normal time, but my experience was great. Very friendly, tucked me away in a corner (I was alone and their first customer), but did not forget about me. My waiter even helped me out with other suggestions, since I am in town for a week.
Poppdom and chutney/​pickle platter was amazing. The best I have had. 8 different sauces and chutneys, and they put a description and ingredient list for each under the cup so you can identify anything unfamiliar. I was in heaven and could have subsisted just on that.
Very good peshwari naan (which is my current obsession) and chana paneer. I love paneer and struggle saying no to it!
I definitely plan to go back.

Mehhh… I’ve certainly had better. …but also had worse. A group of us dined here just the other day and I was surprised by the really nice ambiance for an Indian restaurant. The lobby and bar areas were well appointed as was the downstairs dining area. Service was ok and nothing too great or bad. As for meals, I was hoping for better. The starters were ok to good. We had a variety of them. As for meals, we shared most of the items and would rate them as fair to ok. If I want better Indian food, I think Spice Valley in Bolton does a good job as well as Iqbal.

Premium. I love this place. If I want a fancy curry, I come here. It’s tied with Zouk as the best curry house in town. I much prefer it to Akbars as I think the range of dishes is more creative and tastier!
Man O’ Nan are their breads awesome. They have a huge pickle tray offering and I think the setting by the river is rather delightful. I’m defo preferring it to chain under Ibis as although similar, this is nicer and has way more space! And is… er not connected to an Ibis.
Book though it gets mega busy!

To me, there’s 2 types of Indian restaurant; a curry house (you’re sat in someone’s front room and feel part of the family) and a huge limo (you’re sat amongst colour changing uplighters, water features and leather).
EastZEast is definitely a limo.
The street level area is dedicated to reception and a bar. I noticed some private dining space on the right too. Here, they offer valet parking, a drink while you wait and comfy loungers to sit back and peruse the menu while waiting for friends.
My friends arrived. One used the valet parking service. We sat for a while until being led downstairs into the dining hall below. There’s huge windows with a lovely view out onto the canal. The tables/​chairs/​décor in general is pretty fancy.
The four of us ordered main courses only to our friendly and assertive waiter. We had declined the offer of poppadoms — something which I think the staff found hard to believe. At least 3 separate people came over and asked us, presuming that no one had offered yet.
Having had a lot of spicy food already that week (thanks to Dilli and Unilocal’s Indian Odyssey) I went for the Murgh Tikka Makhani and mushroom pilau. The butter chicken arrived in all it’s glowing coral glory. The colour was unbelievable — to the point of suspicious. I ate it anyway — the creamy, nutty aroma was too tempting.
It was rich and tasty, the chicken was tender and chunky but there could have been more of it. We had to remind the staff of our rice orders. The meal arrived in a very disjointed fashion and it wasn’t clear that anyone really knew what was happening at some points.
The rice portion was merely a handful — for £3.95 I would have expected a more generous amount. What I did eat was very good. And sampling a couple of lamb dishes around the table — they were very nice too.
The bill. It came after citrus hot towels and with mints alongside. It’s a good job someone checked it because they had charged us twice for every main dish. The atmosphere change when the bill arrives to a table who are paying separately is always a strange one. It’s made even worse when the bill is wrong and you’re forced to manually add up everything you’ve had and double check who had what. After questioning it, it was soon rectified without bother but the cock up added an unnecessary maths moment to an otherwise relaxed meal.
We planned to go for a drink nearby so checked with reception that it was OK to leave the car for a while longer. Knowing we’d be back to pick it up well before they closed, they agreed. Walking to the pub we noticed the car parked on double yellows outside the restaurant. I’m not sure if this is normal procedure but it was a little worrying.
Worth a trip back but I’ll make sure to walk there, double-​check the bill and expect less rice.

Fabulous, definitely one of the best Indian restaurants in Manchester! Food was excellent, service was excellent, can’t rate them highly enough.

Really nice takeaway on a Saturday night. £28 for two rices, two chicken mains, a veg side and a naan. Food was really tasty although the dishes were a bit spicier than we normally have. Fine for me but my partner only managed to eat some of it.
Fully expect to return in the future.
⁴⁄₅
(Deduction for being a bit too spicy, and for being slightly expensive)

I found this place by chance as it was conveniently located across from my hotel. I booked a table to myself and my 5 co workers. I have to say I impressed. The food was excellent with just the right balance if spice. The service was attentive. Our meal worked out at about £25 per person with beers. Not bad

Well I am not the biggest fan of Indian Restaurants here, the food they serve here is equal to having a ready made steak you get in Tesco. I am used to really good Indian food (obviously because I lived in India for 20 odd years and have a mum who is a fantastic cook) so I have always been very reluctant to go to an Indian restaurant in England.
I went to EastzEast for a friends birthday dinner (I wouldn’t have gone there out of choice) on a weekend. We had pre-​booking so didn’t have to wait in a queue and got seated immediately. The place is obviously very well done up and looks quite posh so I actually wouldn’t mind going the place if the food quality was good. We ordered for different curries, and honestly all of them tasted the same (not surprised because I have seen this is most Indian Restaurants here). I always feel like asking these kind of places that why don’t they make authentic Indian cuisine because I can bet on this that everyone would appreciate this much more. None of them have any good starter, even Indian drinks or good desserts for that matter. There are so many different kind of Indian drinks like Aam Ras, Chas and many more which are really easy to make and feel would be a big hit but sadly none of the places serve these ever!
Verdict: Definitely not going back here.

I held great excitement and anticipation to experience East Z East after being told such great things about it. However, my expectations were completely shot down by the absolute atrocious customer service and general respect for their consumers.
Never before, have I been forced to leave a table after being there for only 20 minutes. After being assed 4times in the space of a couple of seconds by staff members to leave the table and pay upstairs. Its damn right rude and un-​professional.
In was also hoping that the food would be delicious, given how beautiful the place looked inside and out. But whenever you receive a meal in roughly 4 mins after ordering it, you start to question the overall quality. Which was unfortunately correct, I’ve experienced the same texture and taste or Chicken Tika Masala from Tesco’s own brand.
If I was to sum up my experience I would have to say, AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! You’re more likely to receive greater customer service from McDonald’s up the road.

I feel like I’ve turned into Admiral Ackbar, minus the squid head and saying «it’s a trap!». So basically just for the ‘ack’ in his name.
I was SO looking forward to trying EastzEast after reading the reviews on here. But, fellow Unilocalers, I seem to have had the worst experience out of all of us. It was Friday night and the place was packed; we were greeted by the friendly doorman and had our name taken down for a table for two, then pointed in the direction of the bar. All fine so far. Bar service was quick and the house wine fine but chosen purely because, as with a lot of Indian restaurants, it was the only thing that came by the glass. We were whisked away to our table quickly and seated at the edge of the room, something I enjoy, AND the host seated me facing everyone else, perfect for my nosey nature. Still a-​okay here. Poppadums were offered and arrived with the somewhat daunting pickle tray. None of the pickles were on the correct space on the tray which was supposed to explain what they were so we were on a bit of a guessing mission. We managed to have our order taken about 25 minutes after being seated. Here comes the sad downfall. After we gave our order, the food (eventually) came and offered to the table next to us before we pointed out it was ours. This happened with everything that was ordered; we were constantly offered our neighbours orders before they were given to the correct couples. Starters were delicious, paneer pakora and onion bahjis, but god they were spicy. Mains were tasty, goa chicken and chicken dhansak, yum yum yum. Here comes another but… the chicken was chopped up very small, making it seem a bit processed, and the portion of rice was teeny weeny, and not very nice. Waiting for the bill was another long process, as was waiting for our plates to be taken away.
Location good, food okay, but service needs to be tightened up if it’s going to cope on the weekends. Would try another location as I enjoyed the food but, for now, I think I’ll be heading to Mughli for my non-​takeaway Indian needs.

I cannot knock the dedication of East Z East’s host. In all weathers he stands outside in full regal regalia, greeting patrons and pointing them in the direction of the valet service, something it’s taken us so long to grasp on this side of the pond. How handy is that for a city centre? Located right on the edge of the heart of Manchester’s shopping district, it’s a great spot to stop off on the way home or make an effort for in the context of a night out. And its riverside location certainly doesn’t hurt.
The Punjabi themed menu is delicious and inspiring. One of my favourite accompaniments is the aloo paratha, a chapatti which you think looks dry but is actually chockfull of coriander and tender, moist mashed potatoes. The Karahi section is truly amazing, with a tasty chickpea dahl, paneer shahi (Indian cheese with cream of cashew nuts, mustard seeds and tomatoes), and some incredible, melt in the mouth meats. Seafood is super too, the tiger prawns with peppery leaves being an excellent choice. We had delicious marinated white fish, tandoori chicken, mixed starters and a truly awe-​inspiring giant naan on a tree. Wowsers! It was a great place to bring my London colleagues for a lovely bit of dinner on a Tuesday night. They were so accommodating, and brought all our food over speedily, even bringing us extra mango chutney and onion and tomato for our poppadoms.
It’s not formulaic or over-​traditional, and it feels special. This place has a modern twist, and housed in one of the most impressive riverside buildings the city offers it makes for a delightful dining experience with its soft neon lighting, urban styling and water feature. It’s definitely for connoisseurs who are looking for something slightly different, and it’s a great place to bring a date or a family member… anyone you’re looking to impress really!

Fabulous cocktails (and mocktails) full of fresh fruit and just great, homely food. Highly recommend the chana daal and lovely fresh chapattis. The chutneys and pickles are also delish, but use sparingly so you can enjoy the mains! The décor is like a very stylish function room and it’s right on the river which gives it that chic big city feel. Really enjoyed it. The food is just as good at the other venue off Oxford Road but I prefer this one. Also, how can you not have so much love for the men in glittering Indian dress clothes who greet you at the door and welcome you in?!

For my first real experience of Indian food in the UK, this place won my heart! This was recommended by our friends at the Renaissance Manchester and it’s a stone’s throw away from the hotel.
I went here for a client dinner and it has a «club» vibe with the LED lighting and 2 floors. It’s great for large groups and we had great service.
I think my favorite thing was starting off with Naan Bread that hangs from a rotisserie skewer! Some of the items we had and were my faves were:
–Chicken Pakora (EastzEast special and great app starter!)
–Palak Paneer (great veggie dish that was not overwhelmed by cheese)
–chicken Masala Desi (my favorite dish of the night! The spice can get you going!)
–Balti Garlic Chicken
You will probably pay a little more but such amazing food — the flavors and spices and just that home cooked traditional feeling made it a wonderful night.

They seem to have upped their game: my most recent visit was even more impressive than the last couple of times I’ve been.
It’s not the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten (hello, Sakoon in Mountain View), but it’s almost certainly the best in central Manchester. The space is cavernous, the service warm and efficient, and the food is very decent, and very decently priced.
Taking an Indian colleague to such a restaurant is always risky (the menu is not authentic as such), but I think he was happy. Of course he had to point out his home-​cooked food was better, though. His recommendation of a Gewurtztraminer to join the food went down very well.
The place was buzzing, nearly full, on a Tuesday night, and for good reasons. Though we still managed a walk-​in with a group of 6.
One thing: I really, really don’t get this huge Naan thing. Why?

Three of us went in, and 60 odd quid later came out having feasted well. The place looks good from the outside, dulcet lighting and of course, the host to greet you on the door is always a lovely touch. On the night I went I was wearing my knee length black geezer coat, I was waiting outside for a friend to arrive and got mistaken for a doorman too!!. ;-)
Food, service and quality of food were all very good so I would recommend this eatery to anyone. For something different try the Chilli Naan Bread, ya dont always get these in indian restaurants but they were light, well textured and of course wonderfully full of flavour.

East Z East and west is west, and ignorance is bliss. That is why perhaps people are comfortable in calling East z East a «curry house» or an «Indian». That’s like calling an English Restaurant a Roman restaurant and calling Frankie’s & Benny’s a burger bar (they serve burgers don’t they)
This is not an «Indian». This is not, just a curry house, yes there are curry dishes on the menu but there is heck of alot more than that. This is a Pakistani RESTAURANT!!! The dishes are influenced by Punjab province of the country. Anyway let’s talk about the food.
For starter, I recommend the samosa chaat which always gets me salivating instantaneously. The spices are well compromised by softer tones of yoghurt n chickpeas… yummmyy!!!
For the main course… well you will not be disappointed with whatever you go for. Although for my money, the lamb dishes are delightful. The kashmiri nan as a side order is massive and served on a hook. As it arrives feels like a canvas on which you cannot wait to paint, armed with an array of colourful dishes. I have always said it is always about the food, the service has to be atrocious for me to be annoyed. As for price; great food, great atmosphere is priceless. What is the point of a competitive rate on your food bill if you didnt enjoy the experiance nor the food.
East Z East is one of the best restaurants in Manchester for experiencing food of the spicy kind. So if the spice is right and you want a feast, check out East z East!!!
Unilocal on that!!!

I really like this curry place too. For me it joins Moon and Punjab in the five star curry category.
Really authentic Indian food in classy surroundings, and no more expensive than the plethora of average curry houses in Manchester. Situated alongside the river, this beautiful sheek restaurant serves food of the highest quality, with friendly service and good drinks.
The sheer size of the menu is remarkable, with almost every conceivable Indian dish available, from samosas and kebabs to tiger and king prawn curries. I recommend the sharing starter for two, so that you can try a few of the different delicacies. In terms of the main meals, the Balti Sea Food is one of the most delicious Indian meals I’ve had, consisting of Tiger Prawns, King Prawns and Fish, cooked in Balti paste and fresh coriander.
As well as an extensive wine list, they do a range of ‘Mocktails’, cocktails without the alcohol. These are delicious blends of fruit juices for those who don’t fancy a night on the lash.
This place is really worth a visit. Its won several awards and deserves every one of them.