Tru Street - Real Street Food — Restaurant in Trafford

September 2022 EDIT:

So been back to this place a few times and found the food is still extremely salty even if you ask for it to be made less salty. I have deduced this being down to the pre-prepared sauces they use. The food is nothing like the original photos from a few years ago either. I’ve only kept the below photos on here as that was what I uploaded when I originally went and it was better. Also the prices are still stupidly high and you’re slapped with a 12.5% service charge even if the service is average, which it is. We waited ages for a place at a table with no apology or gratitude for waiting instead of going to the many other food establishments at the Trafford Centre. Once seated we were directed to our table which was fine. We asked for some recommendations and we’re given very basic descriptions mainly around the spice levels. I asked for sauce to be brought to our table but none was brought over. We weren’t really asked if we needed anything else throughout the meal and the staff generally looked miserable. Not great service but yet again expected to pay a service charge even though there were only 3 of us. I made the mistake of paying the bill first and only remembered the charge after I looked at the receipt again. When I queried why it wasn’t brought to my attention at time of bringing the bill around the waitress replied “we don’t ask every customer if they want ti pay it. It’s just added and we can’t take it off now’. Feel robbed. Bill came to £120 for 3 of us including a couple of drinks each!

Original review from 2019: I love this place for the unique street and hawker style food from around the world. The dishes are unusual for the U.K., incredibly tasty and tremendous sized portions enough to satisfy the largest of appetites. I recently got the steamed buns with pulled chicken, pulled duck and beef strips for starters. The dish was enough as a main meal frankly and I’d recommend it such with a drink for those looking for a lunchtime meal. I ordered the Nanjing Chop Chop street meats for main and was blown away by the juicy succulent and flavourful crispy duck and chicken on a bed of jasmine rice. The incorporating sauce was a sweet almost hoisin style sticky mildly spiced gravy, and complimented the meat very well. The dish was a huge mound of perfectly cooked protein overload and I struggled to finish it, leaving some of the empty calorie rice behind. In hindsight I should have asked for a takeout instead of slamming it all down the hatch in one sitting. Why 4 stars? Because as enjoyable and satisfying as this eatery is the prices are on the high side for a casual shopping mall restaurant and I can see this place being much more popular than it is if the prices accordingly. The bill came to £26 with a soft drink (1 person) - this includes a 10% service charge added by default which was somewhat irritating. Customers should be given an option to pay...

Last night, we went on a date night adventure to Tru Street Restaurant, where the revamped halal menu promised to take us from the bustling food trucks of the USA to the vibrant hawker stalls of Asia. The restaurant is currently being refurbished, but it still looked good, with a laid-back feel that worked for a night centered around hearty street food. Before we even ordered, our server brought out a bowl of complimentary spicy popcorn. Light, crispy, and with just the right kick, it set the tone for the evening. Our server, attentive and genuinely enthusiastic, introduced us to their house limeade – a special, off-menu creation that they insisted we try. The drink was a refreshing surprise, perfectly balancing zesty and sweet flavors, making it the ideal palate cleanser for the intense flavours ahead.

Our first main course was the Texan BBQ Baby Back Beef Ribs. Picture ribs smoked for five hours over hickory and mesquite wood, with a dry rub that smelled of spices as rich as the Texas landscape. When we took our first bite, the beef practically fell off the bone. Every bite was infused with a deep, smoky essence, reminiscent of classic Texan smokehouses but done with an evident finesse and attention to detail. The ribs came with a side of curly fries, crispy and perfectly seasoned, alongside an unexpectedly refreshing onion and mint salad, which cut through the richness of the ribs beautifully.

Next up were the Crispy Boneless Buttermilk Chicken Pieces – marinated for a full 22 hours in a blend of 12 different herbs and spices. Each bite of chicken was an explosion of flavour and texture: crunchy on the outside, juicy, and tender on the inside. Served over a bed of their signature salt-and-pepper curly fries and topped with their New York Halal Boys endorsed white sauce, this dish packed both nostalgia and innovation, capturing flavours from both American and Middle Eastern street food. And with two sauces – the Pan Asian BBQ and the Angry Bird sauce – on tap, we had endless ways to mix, dip, and customise each bite to our liking.

Our server was knowledgeable and went out of her way to recommend and describe menu items. The chef himself came over to present our mains, showing a clear pride in the craft and care that went into every element. Tru Street is a halal restaurant, and it’s clear they’re dedicated to high-quality, expertly-prepared dishes. Tru Street exceeded our expectations. It’s not often that a restaurant can bring together diverse street food traditions and make them feel authentic yet elevated. The new menu is a journey for the senses, with each dish telling a story. We left with full stomach's, a new appreciation for street food from around the world, and every intention of coming back...

A funny little place in the Trafford Centre Food court serving a mixture of food. It was my first trip to Tru Street with a group of friends including visitors from the states. Tru street is an "on the street" style restaurant based in one arm of the Food court at trafford centre. It serves a combination of foods.

We ordered: Starters: Kogi BBQ Pulled Chicken Tacos X3 £7.99 Hong Kong Steamed Bao Bun (Shredded Steak, Pulled Chicken, Pulled Duck £7.99 Shandong Lollipop Wings £8.25

Mains The Manchurian £14.15 The Singaporean Crispy Chilli Ginger Chicken £14.55 Henderson Bahn MI Foot long £14.25 The Extreme All American Beef Hot Dog £14.99

Service: On arrival we were greeted by a member of staff, not overly friendly but nice enough. We asked for a table for four but said there would be a short wait even though there where a number of empty tables, the wait was 5 mins.

The staff where all young, and reasonably friendly, some where dancing - which is nice to see.

When asking for take-away boxes they provided some, then I had to ask for a bag (The small things make a difference).

Rating: 6/10

The Environment: I am a little bit funny with the "Street" style places, especially when the street is a busy corridor through the Trafford centre on Boxing day. But it wasn't bad at all. I did feel the tables where a little close together, especially considering there was not enough space to keep our shopping bags.

Rating: 5/10

The Food: The starters where nice, i loved the Hong kong buns with the chicken. The lollipop wings where a little disappointing, lacking in flavour and my friend mentioned they where not what he expected. The Tacos where also quite nice. Over all a nice start although the prices are slightly on the high side.

The mains where pleasantly surprising. When i first looked at them i expected something a bit smaller. Once they arrived i realised how big they where. No one managed to finish their dish so we had to take all of them.

My hot dog was Huge (at this point i want to make innuendos, but i will resist!). It was quite tasty, slightly over cooked. There was no way one person could finish that - it maybe good to share.

I will mention the price again, as for a standard meal after intensive retail therapy, the bill topped £115 for 4 people.

Rating: 7/10

Summary: Overall, a pleasant experience, although pricey for a standard eatery.

Recommended for: After shopping, something a bit different. Would i go...