One of the group had been suggesting All Star Lanes for a while, and as much as I'd wanted to go and try their menu, I'd just always had better offers. This week though, the option of food followed by bowling seemed like a great idea so off we went.
Set in the ever popular Great Northern Warehouse, just off Deansgate, All Star Lanes has tough competition from the likes of Almost Famous and Lucha Libre either side of it. To sit between these 2 restaurants you've got to have the food game on check, so we thought we'd see if it had.
 |
| All Star Lanes |
All Star Lanes is noticeable for its full glass front and bright orange signs above the doors. Inside the place is huge! It's sort of split into 3 areas, the bar area as you walk in, then the restaurant area with a bowling alley in the back.
Bowling is reasonably priced for late night bowling, and priority is given to people who have dined in the restaurant, but you can just turn up for a game if you wish.
We arrived for a late evening meal, around 8:30 and was told there'd be a 15 minute wait for a table. This gave us time to grab some drinks at the bar and check the place out a bit.
All Star Lanes has a sports bar vibe about it, I suppose as you'd expect from a bowling alley, but the dining area is well segregated and so you aren't overpowered by TVs and loud music while you're eating, so you can still enjoy a sociable meal out.
 |
| Celebrity Signed Bowling Pins |
 |
| Bowling pins signed by Paddy McGuiness and the cast of the Inbetweeners |
Around the bar area there's a cabinet with a vast array of bowling pins with various celebrity autographs on. Then on the wall I noticed a half cask with plaques on entitled "whiskey hall of fame". On closer inspection this was a £100 whiskey serving but if you bought it you had your name on the wall. As well as being a meat fan I've also grown to love my whiskies over the last couple of years, so I had to ask what it was. Apparently it was some 125 year old Rye that they found in a basement somewhere but there isn't any left now so unfortunately the meat memoirs weren't able to get their names on the wall.
 |
| Whiskey Hall of Fame |
The dining area isn't huge but I suppose not everyone comes for the food here, there's drinking and bowling to be had as well. The waiter (sorry I forgot his name) was soon over to introduce himself and offer recommendations off the menu. I took his advice for the starter but opted for my own choice on the main course.
The menu was a reasonable size with enough choice to satisfy everyone.
 |
| Starters |
 |
| Mains and Sides |
I'd opted for the recommended fried "popcorn" squid with garlic mayo. These were served in a delightful little chinese takeaway box with a dipping sauce on the side and chopsticks for those that have the finger coordination.
 |
| Popcorn Fried Squid with Garlic Mayo dip (£6.50) |
The popcorn squid was very good, the outer fried coating wasn't too greasy and was seasoned with some chilli flakes, but alas, little more than traditional squid. The garlic mayo complimented the squid well and didn't have an overwhelming hit of garlic. 10/10 for presentation though.
My partner opted for the BBQ chicken wings. Small chicken wings on a hot plate covered in a sticky BBQ sauce with a side of blue cheese dip. Tasty, but nothing new I'm afraid.
 |
| BBQ Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese dip (£6.50) |
For the main course I'd opted to try one of the All Star Lanes burgers. I'd heard that the burgers here are very good, but with Almost Famous just next door could I be lured back to All Star Lanes given the choice?
 |
| Burger Options |
I decided to go for their top of the range, King Pin burger. A treacle cured bacon cheeseburger topped with a fried macaroni cheese croquette and finished with the usual salad. Sides are optional, originally I was going to choose the seasoned sweet potato fries but I asked what the "monterey jack corn grit chips" were. Apparently a soft corn bread with cheese, fried into stick shapes. I was intrigued and so ordered these. My other half opted for her favourite sweet potato fries.
We were all asked how we'd like out burgers cooked and we were told they come pink as standard. I was happy with this so would take them how they come.
The mains arrived not long after the starters were finished.
I tried the Corn Grit Chips first. At first I found these a different delight. A soft fried coating surrounded a soft textured cornbread and cheese center. The portion of these at first seems quite small with just 4 chips in the bowl but after finishing just 1 I could feel these were quite heavy to eat. The initial intriguing taste soon becomes a carbohydrate overload.
 |
| Monterey Jack Corn Grit Chips (£3.00) |
Time to try the burger I think.
 |
| King Pin Burger (£11.00) |
Cutting into the burger revealed the pink center of the thick meat patty. The last burger I had in Manchester, at the newly opened "Filthy Cow" (see the memoir here; Meat Memoirs Filthy Cow) also had the perfectly pink patties. It's been a good couple of burgers recently for this. Not too pink as I've had in the past in London though, just spot on!
 |
| Wonderful pink patty of the King Pin burger |
On top of the beef patty was the thick cured bacon. This was great quality bacon which could easily have been sourced from a local butcher or somewhere similar. It's coated in a thick sweet treacle glaze. This is then topped with thick melted cheddar cheese. Finally to top it all off, under the bread was the fried mac and cheese. This fried patty oozed cheesy sauce and soft cheese coated macaroni pasta. Perfectly cooked and not as heavy as you'd imagine (light as a feather compared to the Corn Grit Chips).
My partner opted for the nacho burger and sweet potato fries. This was the first nacho burger I'd tried. The nachos give a great crunch to the burger and with a similar pink filled patty her burger was just as good. Although I would still have opted for the mac & cheese topped creation.
 |
| Nacho Burger (£9.50) with side order of Sweet Potato Fries with cracked sea salt (£3.00) |
Conclusion
All Star Lanes has a great night out in one building, with a well stocked bar, great selection of food and bowling to try afterwards.
The food here isn't much different to many other places in Manchester, with the usual burgers, sides etc. However, the food they serve is presented better than many of the others around the same price mark.
The starters were nothing I can shout to the memoirs about, and the sides that are different were just too heavy to accompany the burger meals. They may have gone better with a lighter main such as the fish or lobster though.
I should note though that the sweet potato fries that my partner had were some of the best seasoned sweet potato fries I've had. The cracked salt took just enough of the sweet edge off to stop the becoming over sweet by the bottom of the bowl.
The burgers though were outstanding. The pink minced beef patties were juicy, thick and declicious. It's getting difficult to pick a favourite patty in Manchester now. The macaroni cheese patty on top was also incredible!
All Star Lanes has tough competition next door, particularly when it comes to burgers, but they're managing to make burgers which compete.
What lets them down though is the sides and the starters. There was nothing outstanding that would make me choose All Star Lanes over Almost Famous if I was stood outside the Great Northern Warehouse looking for a burger to eat.
The bowling alley and bar area could definitely lure me back though, and if I was feeling peckish before a game in the red and white shoes, I'd be more than happy to have another of the All Star Lanes burgers. I'd probably skip the starters though.
I'll have to come back for a game on the bowling alley though, as after all this food we were all too full and drunk to consider playing in the end. My first ever turkey will have to wait yet again.
 |
| All Star Lanes bowling Alley (£8.95pp/per game at peak times) |
http://www.allstarlanes.co.uk/venues/manchester-deansgate/
@AllStarLanesMCR
https://www.facebook.com/AllStarLanesManchester
Meat Rating: 6/10
Money for Meat: Paid in Full
No comments :
Post a Comment