Such a soccer

With a sporty ambience and devilry at play on the bar counter and on the huge screens, India's first Manchester United Restaurant Bar promises some kickass fun

With a sporty ambience and devilry at play on the bar counter and on the huge screens, India's first Manchester United Restaurant Bar promises some kickass fun

We like ball games. And when they're in the league of the Manchester United kinds, we're always game. The newly opened Manchester United in Koramangala is India's first Flagship Restaurant Bar for the International chain Manchester United restaurant bars and the third one of its kind in the world. Man, now that's what we call 10,000 square feet of kickass fun.

Manchester United
Food & drinks: good
Service: attentive
Ambience: sporty

Overview of the newly opened Manchester United Restaurant Bar

So what if we're a cricket crazy nation, we are evolving and how, what with this English football club's phenomenal fan following in India. On the opening night itself, Man Utd had unanticipated crowds making a beeline to check out what was in store.

Red-dy to kick
We walked in to a large floor with an overdose of red and black, a gigantic 18-feet screen on our right, just above the Legends Wall, a shrine dedicated to Manchester United's legendary players with images etched in stone. The Devil's Bar located bang opposite the entrance, is the elementary watering hole in the restaurant manned by mixologists at the long curved bar with a white Tavertino backdrop, a wall of fame with soccer player posters with the Red Devil in the centre. For couples who seek a little privacy there are The Dugouts that transport you to pitch-side with curved glass roofs and sportscar-like red bucket seats.

But we suggest you take the steps up via The Players Tunnel, designed to look like its namesake in a football stadium and check out The Manager's High Table on the first floor, symbolic of the manager's table in Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson's Corner features leather clad Boschester chairs with an exclusive large TV screen; The Skybox, a version of the corporate box or the Skybox in Old Trafford stadium, is decked with couches and a personal butler service. Now that we found our zone, it was time to start from the kickoff, past the offside, into the midfield and shoot a goal.

Red Devils
My drink was whipped up in no time and came in the form of Red Dead Redemption (Rs 395). Robust and potent, the cocktail was mixed with Havana Club Anejo Blanco Rum shaken with cranberry juice, fresh crushed strawberry and lime soda. It gave me just the kick I needed at the end of a stressful working week.

The heat is on
I paired it with the Red Devil Kickers (Rs 245), which was basically breaded chicken tenders. When I saw the option of the nuclear Bhoot Jholokia Chilli sauce I brushed aside the blue cheese dip and chose to add some fiery touch to the devilry that was already on play with the sauce that's used in North East cuisine to ward off wild elephants. No wonder the menu read, 'Polish off an entire serving of the stuff without passing out and win yourself a free tower of beer'.

Continental Crush
Man Utd also has a good selection of Belgian beer like the Christoffel Bier and Hoegaardan with distinct spicy-fruity notes. My pubbing partner teamed his Belgian beer with the Ye Ol' English FnC
(Rs 305). His beer battered fish with chips was tender on the inside, yet flavourful and crunchy on the bite.

The Midfield
Champions Burger (Rs 475) was a monster, memorable 10 oz adventure of a lamb burger giving the euphoria of 2008 in every bite. I bet no one can finish that one burger on his own. Portions are huge, so you would do well to share a dish, and not pile on with the order.

Grand Finale
End the play with Megs between the legs, a ganache tart with vanilla bean syrup and a sliver of nutmeg. Watch out for the biggest sporting events and celebrate Manchester United player's birthdays with a special menu of the player's favourite food in the days to come. Also, watch out for some dishes made from the recipes given by the soccer players themselves, just the way they like it.

At: Manchester United Restaurant Bar, No 1 KIRA Layout, Hosur Main Road, Bangalore.u00a0
Open all days from 11 am to 11.30 pm
Call: 6579 7777
Meal for two: with drinks Rs 1,800.

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