Having spent many messy, tequila-filled nights in the Deaf Institute at the likes of the infamous Gold Teeth, I was understandably sceptical about what the venue could offer in terms of food. If you’ve not yet had the opportunity to visit this venue, then you’ve been missing out. The Deaf Institute is undoubtedly one of Manchester’s unique treasures. Made up of three floors, there is a cinema/theatre-style room on the top floor which makes a suprisingly fun night club in the late evening. The middle floor and location of the restaurant looks very different in the light of day, I must admit. There’s a mishmash of furniture and worn booths which give it a well worn but comfortable aura. The Deaf Institute is the kind of place you can come for a meal, or just to chill with your laptop and a coffee.
Despite my hazy drunken memories of this establishment we were tempted in by the lure of the vegetarian special: A sweet potato and butternut squash hash topped with goat’s cheese and accompanied by mushroom and tomato cornbread. And I can now confirm that this was a omnivore’s delight. To start we indulged in some jalapeño poppers, a new found morsel of tangy fried goodness for my friend. They were so good, I greedily burnt my mouth in my haste to taste! For my main, I opted for the Halloumi oomi burger with ‘pimped’ fries. The brioche bun held all kinds of salty cheesy joy and the fries were most definitely pimped to a tee.
One thing worth noting is the standard of the service at the Deaf Institute. One would assume that with the prospect of serving hordes of fucked freshers in a matter of hours that the waitresses would not be the happiest bunch. But you would be very, very wrong. The staff at the Deaf Institute were refreshingly friendly and attentive; we got the impression that we were regulars despite having never been there for food before. They were knowledgeable of the menu and eager to recommend dishes to suit our wants and needs. They really went the extra inch by ensuring that we were both comfortable, well fed and watered, also checking up to confirm that everything was indeed delicious—we honestly could have snuggled into the soft booth seats for a lot longer if we hadn’t had a gig to attend.
All in all, the menu has a rather Mexican vibe to it, hence why I felt that it would be criminal not to wash down my meal with a cool Estrella, full of memories of my time in Barcelona. Assuming that you too enjoy the cuisine of our sombrero-wearing friends, be sure to check out their TNT: Tacos ‘n’ Tequila evening which takes place every Wednesday. So, if you’re willing to spice up ya life and go for somewhere you wouldn’t expect to surprise you, then head on down to the Deaf Institute where you’ll be sure to receive good food with a smile.
Happy Hour 4-7pm (So you can kid yourself that you’ve only been drinking for 60 minutes!)
135 Grosvenor St,
Manchester,
M1 7HE
