We took a trip out of the packing office for our first lunch of Christmas at Bundobust Manchester yesterday.

We’ve been big fans of their Leeds set up, an amalgamation of craft beer, South Indian vegetarian street food, shabby chic and lovely staff.

Manchester proved to be much the same, located on the corner of Picadilly Gardens near where Spud U Like used to be. I think.

We ordered a combo for four and ate it between the two of us. Rather excessive, but we were hungry.

The snacky popcorn and minipopadoms arrived at the same time as everything else, so sort of defeated their purpose, but they were nice picky pieces for during and after the main dishes. Always stunning Bundo Chat is a great starter dish, but great to pick at throughout the meal. The Egg Bhurji was a surprise delight – mucky looking scrambled egg that hides a delicious spicy dirty secret. Balls by the bucket load – biryiani bhaji balls, onion gobi bhaji balls. Fabulously frangant bulging balls with wicked sauce. Okra fries are thrice as good as any whitebait could ever be. Bread cooked to perfection to dip and scoop with. Winner winner South Indian Dinner.

A couple of beers – an amazing Northern Monk/Siren Black IPA – Attack on the Bounty, a Cloudwater DIPA, and oh, that’s three, Bombay Dazzler.

£56 on lunch for two isn’t a normal lunch, but you don’t have to eat or drink as much as we do.

See more at http://www.bundobust.com/