Tucked away on Ridgeway, off John Dalton Street, is a real treat for the steak and seafood enthusiast’s taste buds – The Grill on the Alley.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a pleasant atmosphere of live music. A series of covers were performed throughout the meal by a talented, yet unknown female singer and pianist located downstairs. Sounding akin to a BBC Live Lounge session, it’s worth noting that it was only a trip to restroom that informed me the music was in fact being performed live as we ate. The positioning of the piano satisfied the need for background ambience, without dominating our table conversation.
After ordering a round of Stellas, I can sympathise with why other reviewers have criticised the drinks prices. They are a little on the steep side, particularly for alcohol, but it’s nothing more than you’d expect to pay in any similar establishment. Perhaps someone needs to have a word with the collective restaurateurs of Manchester.
One thing instantly caught my eye on the starters menu – the ‘bang bang’ chicken. Lucky there were no literal explosions, save for the explosion of flavour. The dish is essentially three skewers of chicken served in a peanut-based sauce, with an Asian salad; served on a hipster friendly ‘slab’, instead of a plate. It arrived promptly and the chicken was cooked to perfection. The only mishap whatsoever with the starter was when the hapless waiter decided to add a peanut to my pint of Stella. I didn’t notice straight away, so decided not to protest – luckily I don’t have any allergy issues and I’m not as pedantic as I imagine most of the restaurant’s clientèle are.
Moving onto the main course, I was also pleasantly surprised at how quickly it arrived. Whilst tempted to try a pampered joint of the Wagyu steak, I opted instead for a sirloin steak (280g) and ‘surfed’ up to include a skewer of garlic king prawns. Being a red blooded male, I instinctively opted for peppercorn as my choice of sauce, which to my surprise did incur an additional charge.
I requested the steak to be cooked medium, however it arrived medium-rare. As I am also partial to that preparation level, I didn’t destroy my dining experience, although it’s worth noting that 3/4 steaks at our table came prepared rarer than ordered. In spite of this error, the meat was deliciously tender, sinew-free and well seasoned; complemented by the peppercorn sauce which provided a kick without being too rich for the palette.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a pleasant atmosphere of live music. A series of covers were performed throughout the meal by a talented, yet unknown female singer and pianist located downstairs. Sounding akin to a BBC Live Lounge session, it’s worth noting that it was only a trip to restroom that informed me the music was in fact being performed live as we ate. The positioning of the piano satisfied the need for background ambience, without dominating our table conversation.
After ordering a round of Stellas, I can sympathise with why other reviewers have criticised the drinks prices. They are a little on the steep side, particularly for alcohol, but it’s nothing more than you’d expect to pay in any similar establishment. Perhaps someone needs to have a word with the collective restaurateurs of Manchester.
One thing instantly caught my eye on the starters menu – the ‘bang bang’ chicken. Lucky there were no literal explosions, save for the explosion of flavour. The dish is essentially three skewers of chicken served in a peanut-based sauce, with an Asian salad; served on a hipster friendly ‘slab’, instead of a plate. It arrived promptly and the chicken was cooked to perfection. The only mishap whatsoever with the starter was when the hapless waiter decided to add a peanut to my pint of Stella. I didn’t notice straight away, so decided not to protest – luckily I don’t have any allergy issues and I’m not as pedantic as I imagine most of the restaurant’s clientèle are.
Moving onto the main course, I was also pleasantly surprised at how quickly it arrived. Whilst tempted to try a pampered joint of the Wagyu steak, I opted instead for a sirloin steak (280g) and ‘surfed’ up to include a skewer of garlic king prawns. Being a red blooded male, I instinctively opted for peppercorn as my choice of sauce, which to my surprise did incur an additional charge.
I requested the steak to be cooked medium, however it arrived medium-rare. As I am also partial to that preparation level, I didn’t destroy my dining experience, although it’s worth noting that 3/4 steaks at our table came prepared rarer than ordered. In spite of this error, the meat was deliciously tender, sinew-free and well seasoned; complemented by the peppercorn sauce which provided a kick without being too rich for the palette.
The king prawns were also of a delectable texture: crunchy without being undercooked, and well augmented by the garlic butter, without it being too overpowering. I could not find any qualms with the aqua-dwelling aspect of my surf and turf, expect perhaps the awkwardness of plucking the prawns from the skewers. I don’t think it would be right to blame the chefs for that discrepancy though.
Whilst the previous two courses were rather on the hefty and filling side, I felt the need to complete the evening and order dessert. ‘When in Grill on the Alley’ and all that. Having dined at sister restaurants in the past with identical dessert menus, I decided on the chocolate fudge cake, a dish which I find is difficult to perfect to my tastes.
Whilst the previous two courses were rather on the hefty and filling side, I felt the need to complete the evening and order dessert. ‘When in Grill on the Alley’ and all that. Having dined at sister restaurants in the past with identical dessert menus, I decided on the chocolate fudge cake, a dish which I find is difficult to perfect to my tastes.
Whilst death by chocolate would be far too cliché of a description, the dish surprised me by combining the chocolate and fudge in an almost perfect ratio. It avoided the problem of being too rich to follow a large meal, whilst the correct level of moisture left the taste-buds craving another slice. If you feel you may fall short of dessert, leave an ounce of the steak and give this a whirl.
Any mishaps aside, it’s safe to say that a visit to Grill on the Alley will make you glad you ventured a little off the main road and I will definitely be visiting again.
Hopefully for a peanut-free pint of Stella though next time. Score: 7.5/10.
Any mishaps aside, it’s safe to say that a visit to Grill on the Alley will make you glad you ventured a little off the main road and I will definitely be visiting again.
Hopefully for a peanut-free pint of Stella though next time. Score: 7.5/10.