Sangam

I’ve been in here way too much. I’ve had the occasional snack, the typical drunk feast… and when hungover, curry for breakfast. The people that work here are extremely nice, and have given me free food on numerous occasions.
This is my personal favorite takeaway on the Curry Mile. I highly recommend coming here! I still occasionally crave this place now that I’m back in America.

Unilocal isn’t the only site I use to find places to eat, I’ll admit. It’s a good one, but when I’m thinking of going somewhere I’ll tend to cross-​reference the Unilocal score with reviews from a couple of other places, most notably Tripadvisor (for my sins). Normally these sites tend to agree with each other, so when I saw that Tripadvisor said Sangams was the best Indian restaurant in Manchester, I was intrigued to say the least. I had to check this out! I popped in to try their lunch menu (£7 for poppadoms, a rice or naan, and a curry).
To my substantial surprise Sangams was outstanding. I had assumed that their lunch food would not be their best stuff, but wow! And if I was right, double wow! It was impressive from the start, the poppadoms were freshly cooked and actually tasted cooked not reheated, they even had areas where they had browned a little. The portion of rice was huge (enough for safely two people) and tasted pretty good and the curry was great. Another huge portion (frankly, almost enough for two again!) and had seriously good quality meat in it. The meat actually had some substance to it and for once I felt like I was eating some proper cooking. There was plenty of meat too, which is an area the mile often lets you down in.
All this for £7, and at a lunchtime when the restaurants rarely aim to impress. What does this tell us?
1. The mile does have some surprises left
2. Sangams may not be the best in the city, but it’s a lot closer than you think
3. Unilocal has the very very very rare blind spot
Seriously people, check it out, and be shocked and awed.
(By the way, the décor is much lighter and nicer than the outside looks)

I’ve been up and down the mile so when this was suggested by the bday boy I was surprised (and a little wary) that I hadn’t heard of it. It was his birthday and his will goes, so we went.
They had a few banquet options which were quite comprehensive but were okay with a few of us opting to order a la carte. The banquet options are set quantities, not all you can eat, but there is definitely more than enough to satisfy all but the hungriest of beasts.
I actually opted for the a la carte menu as I wanted a very spicy curry. I think I got a lamb vindaloo and garlic naan. The curry was definitely spicy and hit the spot. The naan was a bit disappointing and seemed to be a little too soggy (maybe too much garlic butter) to properly be eaten with a curry.
Overall, it’s not the best but it’s not the worst the mile has to offer. Still prefer Lal Qila for the atmosphere and if going off the mile then Sawaab has it beat on food.

I’m no curry connoisseur myself (admittedly, a curry once or twice a year is more than enough for me), but this place was surprisingly ok (well maybe except for the naan bread).
We were up in Manc for the weekend to celebrate a mate’s bday and he wanted Indian (now, usu I don’t mind Indian, but just before a big night out, with dancing involved?)…not to mention, I’d eaten half of Manchester during the day so the tummy was a little overloaded to say the least.
The banquet options (3 in total) was very generous — there were more lamb chops, curries and naan bread than we knew what to do with them. The mango lassi was very refreshing and I was thoroughly impressed with the chilli content in the dishes (some like it hot)! =)

What. You thought I was done with the Curry Mile? Heavens, no. I put my digestive system at risk on a regular basis so you Unilocalers know where to head when it comes to Rusholme, and the places that aren’t gonna make you want to rush… home. Do ya get me? Do ya?
Well, when it comes to Sangam it depends what you’re looking for. I won’t pretend to be a curry connoisseur as many of my friends have been in the past, but I do know a LITTLE something about authenticity and I’m afraid you won’t find it in spades at this place. Still, a lack of authenticity doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste good. It just means it’s a bit different is all. And no one’s going to complain about quick service, über-​efficiency and plenty of politeness are they?
There’s an absolute metric flipton of food to choose from, which is slightly unnerving for the procrastinating eater. Which is myself. Fish dishes are here in abundance (fish tikka being an awesome option and tuna bhuna being interesting… a little too interesting for me to try but top marks for effort) and they’re a great option for pescetarians like me who become slightly disillusioned with spinach and veg, potato and veg, spinach and potato… and the DREADED OKRA. It’s a large place and decorated nicely, very traditional which complements the food very well. All in all I’d say it sums up A-​OK for me rather aptly. Definitely one for the list!

I remember this place last year when it was termed as the ‘food poisoning and rat joint’! I know it’s harsh, but that’s what was going around in whispers through all students!
Then they came up with the magnificient make-​over and voila! Out flew all their inhibitions and Sangams became one of the most sought after takeaways right at the begining of Rusholme. The nice orange place is a godo place to even stay and eat –in. They have some great ‘paneer kebabs’ which are cottage cheese baked in a clay over with salad and various sauces. Great options for vegeterians and healthy eating! They also do good pizzas and curries.
A good start to the Curry Mile, though you may also find many better once you’re exploring deep within!

There are so many takeaway joints in Manchester; it is sometimes impossible to remember where you got certain food from, why you got it and, more importantly, whether it was any good. That is the main problem I found with Sangams. The food is ok — the prices aren’t too bad — but it is forgettable. Sangams offers your normal takeaway fare. Pizzas, Kebabs, and a small range of curries, but unfortunately, as with many other establishments, Sangams does not have a lead with either price or quality.
I ordered a Pizza, which was freshly baked with good quality toppings — a little over-​heavy on the chilli, but other than that, it was fine. Unremarkable places in Manchester like Sangams have their place, but, unless I was particularly nearby, I would not seek to take away food from here again, largely because I know places that are both better, and cheaper. One thing that does work in its favour, however is the nice seating area within the takeway. It is freshly and nicely decorated, with well sized tables and chairs, which make the possibility of sitting whilst eating somewhat more viable than at other eateries. Sangams is good, but not great. Still, if you are passing — there are much worse places you could go!

The Curry Mile, always always ram packed full of traffic, a good ploy to feast your eyes on what’s on offer on this crazed street. Lights galore but which one offers the authentic curry?
I have no idea about flavours and spices and textures when it comes to Indian cuisine. I’ve found myself at Sangam’s mainly cos it’s like the first on Wilmslow Road if you’re coming on a bus from town. But I’ve never felt the need to venture elsewhere either. The lamb rogan josh gets me every time, with the pilau rice and the beautiful naans, I never learn when to stop when I get the curry’s expanding in my belly feeling. It’s too delicious.
There is a lot of hype about the Curry Mile and I can only guess Sangam’s adds a lot to that because I’ve never bothered anywhere else. Sangam’s, thank you for saving me the treck of the rest of the road.

I agree this place is great. The revamp hasn’t made any real difference other than to dispel the aura that previously surrounded the Sangam kitchen, which suggested there might not be the most wonderful standards of cleanliness being upheld behind the scenes. Now there are no such doubts creeping in as you much into a beautfil Indian snack.
My favourites are the samosas and the little extra things like pakoras. I think there are better kebabs and curries to be found along the curry mile, but its comparatively cheap and a pretty high standard. Having said that, others have told me they prefer its donner meat to anywhere else’s. Deserving of its four stars, for sure.

Sangams always used to make me and my first year flatmate chuckle, because its sign is, well, sliiiiightly phallic. Only to the eyes of oversexed, underentertained first years, perhaps. But we had our fun, and laughed at the ‘curry willy’ every time we went past on the bus. Nowadays, I’m much more sophisticated and grown up. It takes more than a sign-​that-​looks-​a-​bit-​like-​a-​dong-​if-​you-​squint-​and-​use-​your-​imagination to make me giggle. Luckily, said almost-phallic-if-you’re-pissed sign is not the only good thing about Sangams. The food’s good, too.
Me, I love a good curry, but a good curry isn’t just about… the curry. The rice must be moist but not sticky. The naan must be stodgy enough, but not too oily. The seek kebab must be spicy and minty to boot. Sangams delivers on all these points, and more.
The curries here all focus on flavour rather than spice. So even if you’ve ordered a hot Madras, it’s still fragrant and you can taste the ingredients as well as the chillis. The lamb rogan josh (a favourite of mine) is supremely good, and the boyf won’t shut up about their chicken dopiaza. Expect to pay no more than £30 for two, including drinks and starters.
This is a really good quality curry place, phallic sign or no, and one which I will definitely visit again, if I can suppress the giggles…

Aw man, I wanted to be the first to review this place! This is my favorite Indian place to go in the world! Too bad I live in New York now because I haven’t had anything as good. I used to live in Manchester for a year, and I tried a lot of other Indian restaurants in Curry Mile, and nothing was as good. Their fish masala is excellent! It’s not fishy at all and full of flavor. I’ve tried their chicken masala as well, also very good. And they honor student discounts! I believe it’s like 10% off. Service is excellent, your water will always be refilled without asking. They have a buck load of people working for them so they’re very attentive. I go back here every time I’m in England. Yum!

Sangams restaurant like its brother takeaway next door some very nice curries in classic curry mile esc décor. They do the norms very well with creamy kormas and fresh rogan josh. For those looking to destroy their senses the vindaloo or the dreaded fal are available, all of which can take a blow torch to your face. This is something to be avoided but can’t be helped when you’re surrounded by masochists such as rowers or some description of athletic union lads. The set menus are a good place to start though including fish tikka! The staff are friendly, but the place is overstaffed so sometimes you can feel like you’re being watched every second of your meal. The restaurant is moderately priced you can go cheaper elsewhere but won’t find such good quality grub.

I remember last year when Sangam was dark and decrepit; when it was cold and a little bit grimy. I remember when it had the random stairs that seemed to lead to nowhere, and the obligatory smack-​head asking for an aluminium tray. It was bloody brilliant!
And then they went and renovated it, and it’s not quite the same. It’s a bit like meeting someone who claims to be an old buddy and certainly walks and talks the part, but for whom you can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a stranger wearing your friend’s face as some sort of ghoulish mask.
However, at the end of the day, I can’t really fault it because it’s still cheap, still open until all hours, and still good quality food. And they did have a homeless guy handing out bags a while back, so they’ve almost got that angle sorted now as well.

Quite a large indian place, with a good choice of menu. if there’s a group of you then I would recommend one of the set menu, they have a good choice and you can try something you haven’t had before, like fish tikka!!. The service is good but I would be aware of going in when its quiet as the service can be a bit over top and they can be watching what you are doing. Food is always excellent and quickly out so you’re not waiting ages in between courses. The prices are reasonable but you can get cheaper on the curry mile, it just isn’t as good.

Great curry house on the near side of the Curry Mile not far from St. Mary’s Hospital.
They serve a variety of Indian food, all the standard curries plus a selection of specials, which includes a tuna bhuna!
I had a chicken bhuna last time I was here, it was full of flavour and not too spicy, which worked out well for me. The onion bhajis and keema kebabs which we had for starters were also very nice, although after all that we were getting pretty full!
Certainly one of the better restaurants on the Curry Mile, they even have clean toilets!

Unfortunately, not praticularly impressed with this place. Its definately over-​rated, and the curries dont tast like how they should (I would know being from a asain catering family).

I love Sangam. The food is excellent; they have a genuinely great attitude towards putting together interesting Indian dishes that are left of centre of the more traditional fare in Rusholme. The service is very friendly my friend once lost his wallet in there and every effort was made to find it (they did it had fallen out by the entrance). Price-​wise, I can’t have any complaints it is certainly good value and the portion sizes are generous. The overall atmosphere is spot-​on, and this is reflected in the fact that the place is always busy, if not quite packed to the maximum. Tasty.

A massive curry house with an equally massive range of dishes to suit all tastes. I would personally recommend the Chicken Jalfrezi… so long as you’ve got the asbestos mouth to cope with it! Service is speedy and ultra-​efficient…
…but sometimes too efficient. The only thing that stopped me from giving it four stars was that I always feel as though I’m being rushed out of the place. I don’t think I have ever spent more than an hour-​and-​a-​half in there!
Great if you’re in a rush, mind!!!