REVIEWED: Bill’s Restaurant – Trafford Centre
| 6th August 2020
| 6th August 2020
Well, it’s been a while since I last dined out at the Trafford Centre. I have to admit that I have never really thought very highly of the restaurant scene there. Some of you avid VIVA readers may recall my article featuring Tru Street, that left a lot to be desired.
However, bad experiences aside, I decided to give the Trafford Centre another go (thanks to Rishi’s ‘eat out to help out’ scheme) and headed over to Bill’s Restaurant – the new kid on the block, to see if they could fare any better.
We visited Intu Trafford Centre on a Tuesday evening. Given the newly imposed lockdown restrictions, I was surprised to see so many shoppers around. The ‘eat out to help out’ scheme has certainly been making an impact and the Orient was buzzing.
New social distancing measures have been put in place throughout, along with a variety of hand sanitising stations and all the staff and guests were wearing masks.
We arrived at Bill’s just before 8. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was busy, but not overwhelmingly so. We were shown to our booth. The décor in the restaurant is cosy and vibrant with a modern Caribbean twist.
Under Rishi Sunak’s ‘Eat out to help out’ scheme you can now get 50% off up to the value of £10 per person every Mon-Weds throughout August. Furthermore, if you dine from Bill’s all day set menu, you can get three courses for £9.95. Or if you’d prefer a more premium version, they also have the Incredible menu where you can get three courses for £14.95 including 2 complimentary glasses of fizz – these prices include the £10 discount specified in the government scheme.
We began our evening with Bill’s sharing plate. This consisted of devilled chicken skewers, crispy calamari, lime aioli, spiced tortillas, avocado, tzatziki & red pepper dip & olives (£14.95). For me, the tortillas were the winners, and so moreish I could have easily gone through an entire bowl.
I have to admit, there was a bit of a wait between the courses. However, in the middle of a busy shopping centre it is something I have learnt is to be expected. Mains consisting of a buttermilk chicken burger and a roasted half chicken marinated with a smoky tomato peri peri arrived. Both dishes came with a side of fries, a real midweek treat where healthy eating really went out the window.
The buttermilk chicken burger came stacked with a crumbed chicken breast, topped with a homemade coleslaw, layered with chipotle mayo and tomato on a sesame bun. We added an optional extra of smashed avocado, but in all honesty, it wasn’t needed.
The half chicken was served with pea shoots and a spicy mayo, alongside a smoky tomato, parsley & lemon dressing.
As we were beginning to feel conscious of our waistlines, we opted against a dessert, however we did witness a nearby table order what I later found out was Bill’s flowerpot. A Passionfruit cheesecake in a chocolate flowerpot with chocolate soil, strawberries & an edible flower. It is clear that this dessert is a real crowd pleaser, both aesthetically pleasing and a popular choice for many diners.
VIVA Verdict: A genuinely pleasant experience with friendly staff and good hearty food. The perfect spot to refuel after building up an appetite perusing the many retailers of INTU Trafford Centre.