Kabana (Cheetham Hill)

Cheetham Hill Rd

February 2012

Lamb Masala & Roti

Decent but just a bit dull foodwise. 'Lamb Masala' seemed like a generic lamb curry with a few cardamom pods. Fine but not exciting. The atmosphere wasn't great today either - lots of shouting and general arsing about from regulars, which you'd expect in a pub but not in a cafe at midday on a monday. Getting served wasn't the easiest thing either as the guy behind the counter did his best to walk round quietly not making eye-contact. I realise this sounds like a right whinge, because nothing was that bad, more that the overall experience was a just a bit irritating. Curry £4.50, chapatti 70p.

October 2011 - very quick seekh kebab.

Good flavours but microwaving up pre-cooked seekhs tends to make them a bit tough - but for those in a rush this is about as fast as it gets. £3 isn't too bad either.

Trip 1 - Rice & 3- Early 2010

This establishment is related to the Kabana in the Northern  Quarter – it looks similar, with similar layout, food and way of doing things. This place seems to have everything you’d want in a curry café, daily changing curries and a good looking grill selection - £3 chicken kebabs looking good value.  However the curries are some of the most expensive we’ve come across - £5.80 with rice, plus another 60p for a chapatti, which is pushing it for a lunchtime venue. Perhaps that’s why everyone else was having kebabs. But the curries were definitely up to scratch and good portions were given. The chapattis were good and it was heartening to see the little extras there too – chillies, ginger, coriander etc to be added as we saw fit.  The whole place has a different feel to the more vibrant and bustling Northern Quarter area, but no surprise there. Not quite as much fun as town and pretty pricey, but the food was good.  And there’s an added bonus of how close you can park (for free) - if things like that matter to you. Midday Monday is hardly the best time to visit anywhere, perhaps the atmosphere is better at other times – unfortunately the prices won't be. It might seem churlish to complain about such low prices but we have to compare like with like. This & That charges £5 for 'Rice and Three' with a chapatti which makes Kabana a bit dear by comparison.
Key Ingredients 16.5 (out of 20)
Other Food 7.0 (out of 10)
Service Setting 7.0 (out of 10)
Value for Money 3.0 (out of 5)
Range 4.0 (out of 5)
Average Rating 7.5 (out of 10)

22/03/10 - Kebab Trip

This establishment seems to qualify as both a kebab house and a curry cafe. Many of the people eating here on this visit were having kebabs, much more than is normally the case at curry cafes. It is related to the Kabana in the Northern Quarter. The guys in charge at both places look rather alike - and are in fact brothers. The kebabs initially looked reasonable at £3.70 - however this advertised price was without bread - so £4.50 with naan was pretty expensive. The kebabs were alright, but not up to the high standard of some of the places in Rusholme - or Lahore Karahi across the street. The salad and sauces were fine but not remarkable. The chicken was tasty with a nice marinade and the chapatti was good. However, the naan was pretty poor - not very warm, doughy and a bit lifeless. This is a pretty lively place, but the expense and the kebab quality mean that it is not up there with the best - it's certainly the busiest on this stretch so they're clearly doing something right.  One final point is that they seem to cook chicken kebabs on spec - so there's a good chance of very fast service, however it's only two at a time, there were three of us on this trip. The third diner got pre-cooked meat from a foil tray in the warmer. It wasn't bad and had probably been cooked not long before, but even so, this isn't ideal. On the other hand - the two who ordered first got fresh kebabs in double quick time.
Scores out of 10
Meat 8.0
Bread 6.0
Salad/Sauces 7.0
Service/Setting 7.0
Average 7.0


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