TGI Friday's is located in The Orient at the Manchester Trafford Centre, overlooking the rest of the eateries and right by the Odeon cinema. We were given a table outside; which was a great place to sit and watch the world go by as the other shoppers sauntered past. The partition wall about the exterior still gave us privacy around the booths but was the ideal spot for people watchers like me.
TGI Friday's
We arrived a little early but were given a table straight way and greeted by Jo, who offered us some drinks and gave us time to look through the menu.
Since becoming a vegetarian, I am always anxious about eating out; as I worry that there will not be a large selection of meals suitable for the non-meat eater. The menu is online, so perfect to have a sneaky look at work before going if you have allergies or specific food preferences. TGI Friday's proudly offers many vegetarian options and has a gluten and lactose free menu for those who suffer from intolerances.
For starters, my partner had the Buffalo Chicken Wings- tossed in Frank's Red Hot Sauce with Bleu cheese dip. He always orders these as they are a firm favourite of his and he knows I won't pinch any! For those who love a bit of spice in their food they are a means of getting those taste buds alert for the next course. I had the BBQ Hummus and Dips- Fresh hummus topped with BBQ sauce, served with a warm garlic pitta and tortillas chips. I am a big fan of hummus and it was a sheer stroke of genius to smother it in the BBQ sauce- giving it a smoky taste- I have never done this before- but will do it from now on every time I eat it. It was lovely to be able to alternate between the pittas and the tortillas so I didn't get bored of the dish too.
For our mains we indulged in the 12oz Rib eye- A very flavourful steak, marbled for tender texture. Best cooked medium-well done with fries and onion rings. Jo advised my partner on the way for it to be cooked to reinforce the menu, however he took a gamble and had it medium-rare, but enjoyed it enormously despite being a rebel.
I had the Veggie Sandwich- A veggie burger topped with Colby cheese, fresh tomato, red onion and Friday's mayo. Served on a glazed brioche bun, with sweet potato fries. The spice was just enough for me as I am not a big fan of hot food- so if you are the same- don't be put off as it just gave it that extra flavour but was far from overbearing. I always look forward to going to TGI Friday's as they are one of a few restaurants that serve sweet potato fries making your average burger and chips extraordinary!
For dessert we shared an Apple Waffle Crunch- A warm, sweet waffle topped with cinnamon spiced apple and oatmeal crumble, served with vanilla flavour ice cream and caramel sauce. Although this is designed for one, I mentioned to Jo that we would be sharing it so she brought us two spoons. We would have loved to have sampled one each but the portions are so generous that sadly we didn't have the room.
TGI Friday's is the ideal place to grab a meal at the end of a heavy shopping spree, for pre-cinema food or for some cocktails at the bar to give you a well needed boost before heading back into the mall (I can highly recommend the Tropical Sunshine Mocktail for the drivers among you). Of all the places to get a bite to eat, I would say it has one of the best locations, as it is right by the main entrance to the centre and gives you an eagle eye view of the rest of the restaurants about the area.
Jo is an asset to the TGI Friday's team- she brought us free refills all night without us having to ask; she was informative about the menu and most importantly- really approachable.
I have always looked forward to a meal at TGI Friday's and will continue to do so. Now that I have sampled their vegetarian offerings I am confident that I can return and not have to fret over what I'm going to order.
Thanks to Jo for being a delight all night and for the delicious food from the chefs behind the scenes!