Marmara Restaurant

Saying its name might make you sound like you’re a Texan with a stutter attempting to address your mother, but Marmara is proof that it’s worth venturing off piste as it were to find something a little different in Rusholme. Just off the infamous Wilmslow Road, this little gem is tucked away from the bright lights and garish exploits for the customer’s attention and offers good honest cuisine in the form of Turkish and Moroccan.
Here’s what you need to do. You go for the buffet in the evening. I know, I know, buffets don’t sound glam but trust me, I’ve stayed in nice hotels and some of them offer the most mind-​blowing buffets in the world so don’t assume it’s all chipolatas and scotch eggs. £6.95 for as much as you can eat? You can’t really afford to miss out on such a good offer due to sheer snobbery now, can you. There’s even a children’s play area for the anklebiters so it’s very family friendly, and the staff were certainly friendly during my visit although I have had a few complaints from acquaintances that they can sometimes be a bit disinterested.
I love Moroccan food so this was a peach of a choice for me, and those who like a late night kebab should get their wrists slapped here and eat a proper one — a choice not to be regretted, trust me. You won’t find curry here but it’s a perfect antidote to the Curry Mile if you’re sick of all that bhuna and tikka. One should always remember that there are other restaurants than curry houses in the Rusholme area, and this is one of the best. Come on, take a walk on the wild side, stray from the beaten track and give this lovely Moroccan and Turkish influenced place a go. It’ll be our little secret. Well, ours and everyone else who’s read this.