Food feedback
Published: 11 October, 2006
Feeling the urge to make hay while the last of the summer sun shone and have an al fresco lunch, we headed for Cheshire Oaks, the well-established McArthurGlen Outlet Centre on the outskirts of Chester, to experience the new format Shere Khan unit, which has been trading for nine months.
The halal Indian restaurant brand is well known in the north- west, with units in Manchester and Liverpool, in addition to a food court kiosk at Bluewater. The latest addition to the portfolio marks a new direction for Shere Khan, with the inclusion of a coffee lounge combining sofas and fast turn 'poser stools'.
Unfortunately, the external seating area had been taped off. Al fresco now off the menu, a table inside was sought. The interior was modern and colourful, sleek and comfortable.
The menu combined staple curry dishes with a selection of light bites and starters, including paninis and jacket potatoes with curried filings, as well as a selection of muffins, pastries and cakes. The introduction of the latter items certainly activates the unit earlier in the day, and during our visit there was an equal split between restaurant users and customers in the lounge.
I selected a king prawn kebab (£4.95) and my colleague tried a jacket potato with chicken tikka (£3.95). The kebab consisted of four plump, juicy prawns with peppers and onions - very tasty and finished in minutes. The jacket potato dish was generous with its filling and spicy, although the inclusion of grated cheese was perhaps a little too Anglicised. However, the mix of Asian with English influences may be the 'hook' that attracts the daytime shopper market. The only down side was the relatively slow service - not a problem for us, but needing to be speedier for the 'drop in' shopper.
The new 'canteen' direction works well for Shere Khan and the coffee lounge attracts customers who may not have used the offer if it were purely an Indian restaurant.
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