Valley Park Road, Prestwich
As a youngster, TGI Friday’s
was one of my favourite places to go for tea. With a buzzing atmosphere,
balloons and delicious food, the kind of which we’d never eat at home, it was
such a treat. This was back in the day when there wasn’t an abundance of
American diners. Going out for a really nice burger and chips wasn’t the everyday
ordinary. Outside of the fast food chains, there wasn’t a huge amount of
quality Stateside food to be enjoyed.
Over the years, the portions
became smaller and the quality declined. With the rise of ‘dirty’ treat
restaurants in and around Manchester such as Solita – ‘home of the Big Manc’ –
and Almost Famous, quite possibly the best burger joint in the North West, TGIs
sadly struggled to compete. It turned into another run-of-the-mill chain,
serving no-better-than-average conveyer-belt food.
It had been several years
since I last ate at a TGIs. Frankly, I wasn’t particularly interested in
returning. I might have been persuaded to go in the week, as they do a set
price menu from Monday to Thursday, where you can enjoy two courses from as
little as £10.99. But pay a la carte prices? No thank you.
Last Friday, I met my friend
for tea. Yes, TGI Fridays on a Friday! I’m not sure that’s ever happened
before. I’ll admit, I was dubious. As soon as I walked in, the nostalgia hit
me. It’s still got that atmosphere, the buzz, which I remember from childhood.
The ‘every day is Friday’ kicked-back, chilled-out vibe.
It was full, but not too
noisy, which I was pleased about, as I remember it could get quite rowdy back
in the day.
The menu had changed quite a bit
since my last visit. They’ve moved with the times, with plenty of vegetarian
and vegan options. There’s a rather expensive Vegan Burger being advertised on
the table – although quite how they can justify charging £15.99 for a product
that doesn’t actually contain any meat is beyond me.
To start, I had the Lightly
Spiced Shrimp – five moderately sized shrimps (prawns to the likes of me and
you) Cajun battered with their tails intact. They were nestled, or should I say
thrown, on a bed of limp lettuce that was slightly on the slimy side. The
selling point was Friday’s ‘legendary’ Jack Daniels glaze which accompanied the
shrimps and made for a sensationally tasty dip.
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| Lightly Battered Shrimp |
For main course, I perused and
pondered before falling back into my comfort blanket and ordering one of my old
favourites. We all have that one favourite we know we’re safe with. Having
consumed some top-notch burgers in and around Manchester, I just know if I
ordered one at TGI Friday’s, the chances of me being disappointed are mighty
high.
I had the Chicken Finger BLT:
crispy chicken breast tenders with tomato, crispy bacon, lettuce and melted Monterey
Jack cheese, served in a soft ciabatta. The chicken was succulent and the
ciabatta was soft and not dry or chewy. It was just as enjoyable as I remember
it being all those years ago. The accompanying honey mustard mayo added extra
flavour. I lathered it on my sandwich before using the remainder to dip, making
sure I’d mopped it all up. I upgraded my French fries to the sweet potato
alternative for an extra £1.50 and it was worth it.
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| Chicken Finger BLT |
Presentation has improved
since my last visit. Oval-shaped, branded plates have replaced the deep-dish,
red-rimmed plates of old, and serving the fries wrapped up in a paper cone
rather than thrown on the plate is a nice, neat touch.
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| Inside the Chicken Finger BLT |
I was pleasantly surprised by
how much I enjoyed my visit to TGIs on Friday night. I arrived feeling very
dubious but left feeling as though I’d fallen in love with the place all over
again. Considering it was so busy, the service was fast and efficient. We’d
eaten our starters and main courses within an hour and fifteen minutes.
My birthday may have been and
gone, but the staff spotted a present from my friend lying in a gift bag on our
table and asked if we were celebrating.
‘It’s a sort of belated
birthday celebration’, I told them, ever so sheepishly. Fast forward an hour
and, when we asked for the bill, I was presented with a balloon crown, a huddle
of front-of-house staff singing their trademark birthday ditty and a complimentary
piece of birthday cake.
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| Birthday Cake |
Years ago, they used to give you a piece of their
famous Chocolate Fudge Fixation dessert. These days, it’s a pink and yellow
vanilla sponge with icing, much more like traditional birthday cake, which I
think is a better idea. So, if you’re celebrating a special occasion, be sure
to let the team know.
Of course, TGIs isn’t strictly
for Fridays. As their slogan says, ‘in here, it’s always Friday’. I’ll
definitely be popping back for some midweek meals to see me through the dark,
dreary winter nights.
All menus are available online
at:
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