Drake and Zouk go way back. The Canadian rapper first ate at the Manchester restaurant in 2012 as a guest of troublesome Manchester City footballer Mario Balotelli. Balotelli himself was already a fan. A few months earlier, he broke his club's curfew by staying out at Zouk til 1 AM, receiving an estimated fine of £150,000.During his 2014 UK tour, Drake came back for more, this time bringing then-girlfriend Rihanna for a romantic meal. Then after his gig in Leeds earlier this year, Drake and his entourage snubbed the Yorkshire city's local restaurants, choosing to travel across the Pennines en masse for yet another meal at Manchester's Zouk.
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So, why does Drizzy keep coming back? Zouk isn't one of Manchester's typical celebrity haunts. It sits on a quiet street off Oxford Road, far from the flashy VIP venues in Deansgate favoured by reality TV stars and minor celebrities. But as Manchester locals know, Zouk is the place to go for unforgettable Indian food.
In the kitchen at Zouk, Manchester. All photos by the author.Brothers Tayub and Mudassar Amjad opened the restaurant in 2009. It's a bright, roomy place with an outside shisha section and a large open kitchen that spans the length of the venue. The vast menu goes a step further than standard Indian cuisine.Read more on MUNCHIES.
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