Before Christmas Bodyform sent me a lovely little challenge which I think is very fitting for the reflective, end of year period we’re in now: ‘Live Fearless’.
“Heading out for dinner on a whim, and somehow we always seem to find ourselves at the same
restaurant ordering the same meal every single time. Well, Bodyform want you to mix it up a bit.
41 per cent of women agree that culinary experiences appeal to them the most, so invigorate your
taste buds the next time you head out for food. Always eying up that spicy dish or exotic cocktail,
but never dared to try? Live fearlessly and order it. Like half of women, we all get excited by new
experiences and there’s no time like the present. You won’t regret it, we promise!
Venture far, and go somewhere you’ve never been before. Or, visit your favourite chain, but in a
different location. Book a table and enjoy a meal on us.”
Whilst going somewhere new for dinner might not seem all that fearless, it’s all about breaking routine, something which I’m always up for doing and something which I hope I can do more frequently in 2015.
I did find this challenge a little tricky, as I’ve eaten basically everywhere in Manchester, so I chose somewhere I’ve only been once before: Handmade Burger Co. This restaurant popped up relatively recently on Deansgate, and is a nice alternative to usual burger joints like GBK and Byron (and a little less gluttonous than Almost Famous and Reds).
The interior is quite basic and cosy, and the price point affordable (two burgers, two sides and a coffee came to just under £25), so far so good! It was on choosing what to order that I decided to fulfil the routine break part of this challenge – I normally go for something with bacon and cheese, or brie/camembert and cranberry. I decided to go relatively wild and ordered the ‘Greek’, a lamb burger, topped with feta cheese, fresh tzatziki, and salad. It was delish! The chips are also really great, ‘proper chippy’ style chips. Now I’m actually making a conscious effort to stop eating meat at the moment (I ate this meal a couple of weeks ago), but most of my friends are vegetarian or vegan, so when eating I usually notice whether or not there are options for them. Handmade Burger Co has no less than seven veggie burgers, including one that is specifically labelled as vegan (and you could order most of the veggie burgers without dairy), so I can fully recommend it as a good place to keep everyone happy (they also offer gluten free buns).
The verdict: I enjoyed Handmade Burger Co, and I enjoyed taking the (albeit very small) risk of venturing away from my usual type of burger. It’s definitely something I’m going to try doing again, the next time I eat out. Let me know if this has inspired you to live a bit more fearlessly!
Food c/o Bodyform