29/09/2025
Barbecue, Middleton - Double Chicken Special.
***Food Hygiene rating: 4/5***
This is a place that needs no introduction around Middleton and the wider area. As soon as you mention to someone that you live in Middleton, 9/10 times it prompts the question "Have you tried Barbecue?".
When I first moved to North Manchester a few years ago and joined a few local Facebook groups. I asked the locals for recommendations on where to eat and this place was the most recommended BY FAR... needless to say, I can see why!
I've wanted to a video review of the place for some time now but for one reason or another, I've just not had the time so here's a written one following around 4-5 orders over the last 6 weeks or so.
The Seekh Kebab - This is simply labelled as "Kebab" on the menu and i've called it a Seekh Kebab since its the closest thing it resembles. It's lightly spiced minced meat, shaped on a skewer and barbequed perfectly. In terms of texture, it resembles a Kobeda more than your usual Seekh Kebab as its soft, bouncy and super juicy. As far as taste goes, its really nice, just not worth £6.80 for one on its own - if you ask me.
The Chicken - Just one word describes this - UNREAL. It's like no other Chicken i've had in a Kebab before. It's got a little bark on the outside from it being barbequed and is super soft and juicy on the inside. It has a subtle yoghurty herb-like flavour to it which i'm assuming is from it being marrinated within an inch of its life (which is a good thing). I'm convinced they velvet the Chicken too as i've never encountered that sort of texture difference before and its a welcomed change and hits different.
The Salad - Its salad.
The Sauce - Similar to other Kobeda oriented establishments. Your standard mild yoghurt and hot sauce is on offer here. On their own, they are nice enough but throwing both of them in to the Kebab is a game changer. The flavours are wild! An initial sharp hit from the chilli sauce followed by the soothing taste of the yohurt and then another kick of spices from the chilli sauce again.
The Bread - Made freshly infront of you and is made to order. Big respect to the fella that does this as he is constantly at work prepping or making the Naan.
Overall - This place absolutley deserves the reputation it has. Its clearly spent some time perfecting what it does and ot shows. The menu is humble in size and i think that suits them best. The shop has around half a dozen staff members at any given time manning their respective cooking stations with an unknown amount of kitchen staff at the rear, almost continously bringing out skewers of meats and fries. Its quite impressive to watch such a machine in action as its all efficient and harmonious.
That being said, as they are always super busy and everything is made freshly infront of you. Wait times can be affected and i've had 1 or 2 instances where i've been stood in the shop for a good 20-30 mins, waiting for my order to be cooked. This isnt a dig in any form, just an observation that despite having so many staff members working flat out, they are still super busy and thats without them being on any of the delivery apps - something they clearly don't need as business is always booming without them.
Its not all bells and whistles though. The one critisism I have is the price. I appreciate they have a lot of people behind the counter and in the kitchen to ensure everything is made fresh. However, the prices are considerably higher than your usual takeaway. For example, a Chicken Kebab from most places is around a fiver and you get maybe 8-10 pieces of Chicken. Here its 6 pieces and costs almost 9 quid.
To exacerbate and explain a little further, i've orderer a Chicken Kebab and a double Chicken Special, with a portion of chips and that was flirting with £30! (Around £29.80 or something close to that figure). I was blown away by that price and despite having 12 pieces of Chicken in the Kebab, i was still left wanting and hungry. Yes the food was incredible but the price vs portion size, at least for me, needs a little adjustment.
Each component of the Kebab is great and tasty but the some of its parts is where the magic happens. Everything comes together perfectly and is legitimately a taste sensation, I just wish there was more of it to enjoy.
9/10
