Where Drake Eats When He’s In Town: Zouk Tea Bar Manchester

Want to know where Drake eats when he’s in town? Where he books out the whole place for a cosy date with on-off girlfriend Rihanna and where other celebrities such as Mario Balotteli call their favourite restaurant? Well – I found it; it’s Zouk Tea Bar and Grill, on Oxford Road in Manchester. Since 2012 when Drake first visited, Zouk has become a serious celebrity hotspot for those wanting to have a taste of something different in the North West and so I decided to pop along myself to try. Well, can’t say I’m adverse to some celebrity treatment myself!

Zouk is located just off Oxford Road in the busy student area of Manchester, but inside it is far from your usual student dive. With white leather chairs and a clean, contempary feel, the restaurant is sophisticated and the staff are welcoming as soon as you step in. With the option to sit at the bar, experience some shisha or just enter the roomy restaurant, Jonathan and I decided to take a seat in the restaurant. We were offered something to drink and I decided to try one of Zouk’s own cocktails; a refreshing Bombay Sapphire based cocktail, whilst nibbling away on some fresh poppadoms. 

Jonathan and I will always choose starters over desserts – mainly because he doesn’t like desserts, and I am too weak to wait for a main course – and so we decided to try one thing from the main menu and one thing from the specials menu. From the specials menu, Jonathan tried some lamb balls in breadcrumbs and I tried the Paneer Tikka (£4.50). Jonathan loved the lamb and I also really enjoyed the Paneer Tikka, it was nice and spicy and really flavoursome. I love Paneer and this did not disappoint!

In fact, we both really love Paneer and so for his main course, Jonathan tried his own Paneer dish: Chilli Paneer (£8.95). As the name suggests, this was a super spicy paneer curry jam packed full of green chilli. Not for the faint hearted, Jonathan absolutely devoured this and having tried some myself can also agree it was a great choice. I went for the Tarka Dall (£8.95) and I have to say this is one of the best vegetarian curries I have ever had; it was a lentil curry cooked with fresh green chill, turmeric and garlic, and was packed full of flavour. With pila rice and a nan bread to share, we were suitable stuffed!

Knowing that Zouk Tea Bar is such a big celebrity hot spot in Manchester, I had high hopes for the place… And it did not disappoint! The quality of the food was spot on and Jonathan and I both agreed that it was some of the best curry we have ever had in Manchester. Next time we fancy something spicy – which is quite often to be fair – we will definitely be popping along to Zouk. And, just maybe, we might see Drake there, too!