This next-level Indian restaurant is serving one of Manchester’s best lunch deals

When it comes to Indian food in Manchester, we’re spoilt for choice. 

However, one restaurant stands out for its next-level food, whether you’re looking for something fresh and innovative or prefer to stick to the traditional classics. 

Zouk is one of the city’s best-looking restaurants and has the food to match. Just ask the celebrity clientele – everyone from comedy legend Peter Kay to music megastars Rihanna and Drake has made special trips to eat here over the years. 

This modern Pakistani and Indian restaurant is based just off Manchester’s bustling Oxford Road, down a pleasingly relaxed side street. 

You’ll recognise it instantly, it’s the venue with the stunning, photogenic entrance decked out with countless colourful flowers, complete with intoxicating aromas drifting out from the outside shisha section. 

Inside is just as impressive. It’s well-lit and spacious, with dining areas split onto two floors and an open kitchen so you can watch the expert chefs at work – not to mention soak up those delicious cooking smells, like a 21st century Bisto kid. 

The good news is that the venue has just launched a mouthwatering daytime tiffin grill option, offering lunchtime diners a healthy alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste. 

This goes alongside the weekly tiffin menu, which serves up an exciting range of South Asian dishes that changes every day of the week. 

Every day in Mumbai, thousands of workers look forward to receiving their tiffin lunch. The delivery of these delicious freshly cooked meals, either from a worker’s home or their favourite restaurant, by the city’s dabbawallas (box carriers) has existed since around 1890.

The tiffin grill at Zouk is designed to offer diners a lighter lunch, and has vegetarian or meat options. 

The new tandoori chicken grill is a must-try. For a mere £12.95, you can tuck into a hearty meal that will leave you energised and more than ready to tackle an afternoon of work. 

The star of the show is the chicken: half of a plump, well-reared chicken, coated with the perfect combination of spices before being chargrilled in Zouk’s tandoor oven. 

As you’d expect from this acclaimed restaurant, the meat is soft and succulent but with a gloriously crispy, spicey skin. If you haven’t tried chicken cooked in a tandoor before, you’re in for a treat. 

And, of course, it comes with all the required sides, including fluffy basmati rice, some fresh, crunchy sauteed vegetables, a flavour-packed curry sauce, and best of all, some roasted potatoes coated with an intense seasoning that works wonders with the chicken. 

It’s yet another inspired combination of spices, courtesy of Zouk’s virtuoso kitchen team. 

Best of all, it won’t leave you tired and sluggish for the rest of the day. 

The focus on hearty vegetables and high-protein meat means you leave with a spring in your step, satisfied by a healthy meal that doesn’t go hard on the heavy sauces and extras (although accompaniments such as naan bread are available if you fancy). 

The grilled veg and paneer option comes highly recommended too, offering a substantial meal packed with healthy ingredients. 

With this, you get chunks of moreish paneer tikka, vegetable tikka, hummus, salad and some all-important naan bread. 

Zouk’s status as the city’s most forward-thinking Indian restaurant is safe. 

Not only is it a great place for those evening meals with family and friends, now they’re offering up one of Manchester’s very best lunch deals at a pocket-friendly price. 

Forget your mum’s Sunday roasts, this tandoori chicken takes the meat to all-new heights.