As a budding Food and Drink writer, I ventured to The Blues Kitchen last Christmas to get my hands on their turducken burger, a festively brilliant abomination of nature. This year, as head Food and Drink editor, I have returned to see how it lives up to my initial, inexperienced review.
Greeted warmly, and led to a dimly lit, cosy booth, it was imperative that we began with cocktails! A plum margarita and a lychee martini were warmly welcomed to our table, as we reminisced about the turducken burger of last year, and how it might live up to its strong standing this year-round.
The burger packed in all the same elements as last Christmas, including the legendary centerpiece, of shredded duck leg, that had been confit and flavoured with pink peppercorns, salt, orange and cinnamon, encased in tender chicken and turkey mince, then wrapped with crispy chicken skin.
The sweet warmth of orange and cinnamon was a familiar festive flavour, balanced well with the saltiness of chicken skin, upholding my previous claim that the turducken burger is one of decadence. These aromatic notes, married with the melt in the mouth texture of the various meats on offer, make for a great novelty burger, backed by quality.
As a whole, this burger is a Christmassy balancing act, as salty streaky bacon and sweet cranberry sauce fight to be noticed, while spinach and mayo act to quell the drama. One notable aspect of the burger is a bigger helping of brie this year-round – an improvement I am very happy to see, as a cheese lover.
In order to fairly compare the festive meal with last year’s review, we had to order a side of mac ‘n’ cheese, and were intrigued to see a menu change, from bacon gravy to a chicken alternative. These paired with the fries, that come with all burgers, were an outstanding combination. While the fries were a little on the salty side, they were liberally seasoned, however it was the mac ‘n’ cheese that supported the turducken burger the best.
A forkful of crispy, creamy goodness dipped into the gravy complimented the winter warmer-style meal, with the chicken gravy adding the perfect umami touch to the side. Served a little differently to our previous visit, the top of the mac ‘n’ cheese had been crisped up nicely, proving for a great textural combination.
What makes this festive dinner a cut above others in Manchester is definitely The Blues Kitchen’s atmosphere. While the Christmas markets annually offer up an infinite number of novelty Christmas foods, ranging from the messy Yorkshire pudding wrap, to tiny, overpriced pots of crumble, the turducken burger can be enjoyed in a sophisticated, comfy environment, accompanied by live music and and unique decor.
Priced at £15, the turducken burger (served with fries or salad) is on the slightly steeper side, but not alone in that field. While disappointing, it is difficult to find cheap festive eats in the city at this time of year. It is the quality of the burger and atmosphere that you are paying for, so this is a great option if your house is just too snowed under with deadlines to whip up a homemade Christmas dinner and deal with the subsequent washing up.
For an evening of live music and luxurious cocktails, The Blues Kitchen is certainly a rarity for student nights out, but this doesn’t mean it is inaccessible to our ever-shrinking budgets. January will see guests enjoy 50% off burgers, BBQ and main plates every Sunday through Tuesday, with options for those braving Veganuary, alongside £6 cocktails every Wednesday and the £10 lunch deal (giving you a main and soft drink).
So, does the turducken burger live up to last year’s review? I would say yes; the quality remains high, and the flavour combinations are clearly tried-and-tested winners, with nothing similar appearing in other restaurants’ Christmas offerings that I’ve seen. It is definitely not a cheap night out, when sides and drinks are added on top, but if you’re going to blow the last of your student finance on a good meal out, The Blues Kitchen has every right to make it on to your list.
The Blues Kitchen’s turducken burger is on the menu until 31st December, with their opening times as follows:
Monday 12pm – 12am, Tuesday & Wednesday 12pm – 1am, Thursday 12pm – 2am, Friday 12pm – 3am, Saturday 11am – 3am, Sunday 12pm – 12am.
