I tried the ‘King’ of Parmos in its hometown and I was shocked
For years, I have been obsessed with trying to find the perfect North East chicken and cheese delicacy known as a 'parmo'. But it turns out I have been looking in the wrong place.
Since my first taste of a ‘parmo’ - short for 'parmesan' - more than 10 years ago, it has become one of my ‘go to’ foods to have in restaurants. But quite often I am disappointed, as it is not as I remember all those years ago.
However, I have now realised my mistake - if you want a ‘proper parmo’, then you have to go to its hometown in Middlesbrough, as no one can create one better in my opinion. But who is the best one in town?
Well, that can cause quite the argument as it is a serious competition between businesses around the town centre and there is even a student guide by Teesside University. However, a quick search on Tripadvisor revealed that Manjaros was the ‘king’ according to several reviewers, so I had to check it out.
On arrival, I was instantly greeted by a host and led to a corner table in an open booth. Scanning the menu, I was glad to see the various types of food available but only one thing was on my mind - an original parmo.
The only problem was what size should I get? With only a few pounds difference between half a parmo and a full one - I decided to have a half one for £12.95, as it also came with chips but not salad and I thought it would be an appropriate size for my appetite.
But what I was not expecting was the “half” parmo to be so big that it made me double-check with the waitress that I hadn't ordered the full-size one by mistake. After being reassured that it was the correct sized that I ordered by the waitress, who laughed at my shocked face, I tucked in - not wanting to let it get too cold before I tasted it.
Slicing into the chicken, the gooeyness of the cheese mixed with the béchamel sauce cascaded onto the plate on the first cut. Scooping it up with my knife and fork, I covered the chicken with it before taking my first mouthful and prayed it would taste just as good as my first ever parmo.
It was everything I had hoped and dreamed of and more.
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The combination of the béchamel sauce and mixed cheese was a wonderful balance of rich flavour along with the crispy coat of bread crumbs on the flattened chicken breast. Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious.
Often, when I have a parmo outside Middlesbrough, I often find that there is a limited amount of cheese after the first bite but this time it seemed to never end. It was perfect, and I had some spare sauce to dip the last remaining chips, so I made sure that I had cleared my plate.
Overall, my experience at Manjaros was pleasant with well-mannered and attentive staff. The service was very quick despite being busy and the food was exemplary. No wonder it came highly recommended on Tripadvisor and university guides for students who are not from the area.
The price of the meal came to just over £15 and I thought it was definitely worth the price for a meal and a drink on a weekday lunch time. I look forward to coming back and trying out the other various food and other types of parmos on the menu.
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