My Nawaab — Restaurant in Manchester

Visiting for the first time on a short trip over from Glasgow based on a recommendation, and after a long drive I wasn't disappointed!

The venue itself has ample parking in a dedicated car park at the back, with a parking attendant, which was good.

Upon entering, the reception interior is impressive and everything appears super sized, very airy and grand. We are guided to scan the QR code nearby and book a table. After less than a couple of minutes waiting in the opulent reception area in very comfortable seats, we are asked to go into the restaurant.

For someone entering for the first time, the scale is huge and can be overwhelming (in a good way!). We are guided to a table, hungry and ready to enjoy what is on offer. The place is very busy, and it's a good sign, with a mix of groups, couples and families.

The service itself is pleasant when you find someone to ask a question of, but after our first visit we will know how it operates and be fine, so for our first time it wasn't really clear on how you get started (turns out you just get stuck in!) And order drinks (went to the bar to be directed back to the table), after that it was smooth sailing.

The food selection itself was vast and served every desire. I started with a nice mixed salad which was fresh and tasty, with a selection of raita and kebab sauce to accompany my starters. Both sauces were delicious.

It was very busy, but I didn't spend a lot of time waiting for anything, and the business added to the ambience.

The starter selection was simply superb. I could have dined all evening on the selection alone. See my photo of one of my starter plates! Every item had it's own distinct character and I'd say was of restaurant quality, which is something of contention when partaking in a self-serve/buffet experience. From the fish pakoras, the seekh kebab, the Chapli kebab, the veg and aloo pakoras, it was all magnificent.

After taking a short break and enjoying some cold soft drinks, I went back for some more fish pakoras because they were so delicious, before exploring the mains on offer.

I must add by this point I was feeling quite full, so I ended up sampling some of my established desi favourites: traditional naan bread, chicken karahi, lamb karahi and some saag. The naan was acceptable, but not particularly stand out compared with anything else I tried. I can understand keeping naan bread and other accompaniments like chips etc tasting as it would fresh is challenging, so I'm not scoring anything down on this basis. The curries were delicious, and similar to the starters, of restaurant quality.

I noted a lot more main dishes on offer, including steaks made to order, which I was thoroughly impressed by. Will make sure to try some more variety of the mains next time I visit.

Despite now being very full and satisfied, I went to sample some dessert. With lots of traditional desi options available as well as classic western options (apple pie, cheese cake etc) I opted for the gulaab jaaman with vanilla ice cream.

The dessert stations were extra busy at this point, but I enjoyed ordering and joining in the busyness waiting for my dessert to be put together in the rush of what must have been another 20 people ordering or collecting desserts at the same time.

The dessert was delectable and simply fantastic. Soft, flavoursome gulaab jamin coupled with creamy, rich vanilla ice cream - when done this well is untouchable.

Now very satisfied, we headed out, adding this to our list of places to definitely visit when we return to Manchester. The prices were reasonable and reflective of the quality of the food and surroundings. Thanks...

Review of My Nawab Buffet Restaurant, Stockport, Manchester My Nawab, previously known as Royal Nawab or Marzi, holds a nostalgic charm for me, as I've visited this buffet multiple times over the years. On our most recent visit—a family of five, including a teenager and a 5-year-old—we traveled approximately 120 miles through cold, foggy weather to enjoy what we hoped would be a memorable culinary experience. Here's a detailed account of the highs and lows of our visit.

The Positives Taste and Variety: The buffet continues to impress with its wide variety of flavorful dishes. This remains the restaurant’s main draw and the reason foodies like me keep coming back. Parking: The convenience of free, ample parking is a rare and appreciated feature, setting it apart from competitors. Reservation System: The implementation of a digital reservation system is a commendable upgrade. It streamlines the process, keeps track of your bills, and eliminates the hassle of long queues. Kudos to the one who brought this idea. Welcoming Entrance: The entrance remains inviting, giving a positive first impression.

The Negatives Confusing Branding: The inconsistent use of names—Royal Nawab, My Nawab, and Marzi—is perplexing. Even the front of the property still displays "Marzi," which detracts from the brand’s identity. Small Plates and Bowls: The small serving utensils are inconvenient, requiring frequent trips to the buffet, especially for dishes like haleem. The rationale of reducing food waste is unconvincing, as there are more customer-friendly ways to address this issue. Overpriced Beverages: Charging for bottled water and promoting their mango lassi as a premium offering feels excessive. While tap water is free, the self-service setup adds unnecessary hassle. Congestion and Noise: The seating arrangement is overly cramped, making the buffet experience chaotic. Navigating through the crowd to get food or water becomes a struggle, especially during peak hours. Lamb Chop Dilemma: The lamb chops, one of my favorite dishes, are guarded by staff who ration them out begrudgingly. This process feels unnecessarily restrictive and even humiliating when you’re met with unpleasant looks for requesting a reasonable serving. Desserts: The dessert section is disappointing, with a significant portion of items tasting stale or leftover from previous days. Service Quality: Despite the abundance of staff, many appear disengaged—chatting among themselves, scanning visitors, and delaying table setups. A jug of water at the table or more attentive service would go a long way in enhancing the experience. Pricing The steep price increase over the years—from £14 to the current £25 per adult—is understandable given inflation and rising costs, but the value for money has diminished. The overall experience does not justify the premium price, especially when the quality, variety, and service have remained largely the same.

Final Thoughts While the taste and variety of food are the restaurant's saving grace, the dining experience at My Nawab is marred by poor service, overcrowding, and an evident focus on maximizing profits. Simple improvements like providing larger plates, better service, and addressing the noise and congestion issues could significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Until then, it feels like a mixed bag—a place for good food but a...

I went to try this place after having heard good things about it, knowing how popular it was, I knew there would be a decent amount of waiting time, so I got there well early and it advance, travelled over from Leicester so travelled a decent distance in the first place. When we got there we was greeted by a guy who told us to scan the QR code, and it would give us a time and they would call us when they had a table for us. We thought okay, fair enough as this is what we expected being a weekend and busy. However the timer on the website seemed to go from 20 minutes all the way up to 60! Bear in mind we were seeing people came after us go in to eat, so starting to get slightly concerned. We went up to the guy who greeted us initially, but didn’t seem to give a toss and said it wasn’t his problem. We then thought okay we will give it a while as we’ve travelled this far, we might as well wait. Another 2 hours passed and now our time is in the minus category. This is when we were really starting to get pressed as it was around 9:30 and we’d been there since opening. Other than the guy at the door there was no staff present, so we gave the receptionist a call to see if they could see us on their system, just as useless as the guy in the front kept giving us incorrect information. Just as expected we called them about 3 times over the course of 45 minutes each. The first time they said the managements late so not sure when your going to get a place. Second time they said we’re on the system and we would be called in 30 minutes. The last and final time we rang they said we were next in the queue and another 20 minutes. At this point I’ve seen other customers just walk out having being frustrated of this ridiculous service. Again still decided to wait with the hope we would be called in, the timer still moving in minus by the way. Another customer who we had conversation with, said she’d been inside the reception and they could tell you the time. We decided to give it a shot before giving up overall. Went inside and we were advised no to listen to the manager, and that we were next in the queue, another 45 minutes passed, still more people going in bar us, we gave up and went somewhere else, still with this timer in our hand counting down in minus. I would not recommend this place to anyone especially if you want are coming from out of Manchester because you will be left disappointed with having wasted your time. Nothings organised and nobody seems to give a care for...