Dave and Buster’s
Manchester
May 29, 2024
Dave and Buster’s might not be the first place you think of when it’s time to eat. The chain franchise is primarily known for its assortment of games. But when I heard that they’d revamped their menu, I thought: Why not give it a try?
I started off with the Caribbean Luxe Lit, a drink combining 1800 Reposado tequila, Grey Goose vodka, Bacardi rum, Grand Marnier, mango puree, fresh citrus mix and cranberry juice. Despite the various forms of liquor, the drink managed to not be too strong or too sweet. It tasted like grapefruit juice without the acidic bitterness, and made for a good drink to sip on a hot afternoon.
After the drink, I wanted a beer. I don’t drink beer often, but every once in a while I crave the wheaty heartiness that beer provides. I got Blue Moon, one of the beers they had on tap. I’ll be honest with you: I don’t know the difference between an IPA or a stout or any other kind of beer. I just prefer Blue Moon because of the hint of citrus. Blue Moon is brewed with orange peel and served with a slice of orange to accentuate the flavor, and it goes down more smoothly than some heavier beers.
Normally I would grab my drink and go play some games before ordering food, but today I was famished. I scanned the new menu, a stripped down collection of appetizers, entrees and desserts. The old standbys were still there — wings, mozzarella sticks, burgers. There were several new items, too, so I chose a couple of those to try.
First I went with the Cali Avo Caesar Salad Bowl, made with grilled chicken, fresh avocado, tomatoes, bacon, cucumbers, croutons and a hard-boiled egg, topped with parmesan and Caesar dressing. Salad is one of those foods easier to mess up with various innovations than to improve. That’s not to say that the salad was bad. The ingredients were fresh and well made. The tomatoes in particular were sweet and flavorful. But it mostly felt like a bunch of stuff piled on top of a salad instead of a cohesive menu item.
Next I tried the Chicken Avocado Club sandwich, which, as you might have guessed, also featured grilled chicken and avocado. They added applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese and ranch on a toasted hoagie roll.
I think the ingredients worked better as a sandwich, although the hoagie roll detracted a bit from the overall experience. I like the mushiness of avocado; it’s like a cool paste that brings the temperature of a dish down without making it cold or adding too much flavor. Its mildness is an important part of its appeal. Placing it on a hard roll kind of defeats its purpose. I felt like I was fighting through a layer of bread to get to the top-billed avocado. The roll also made the sandwich dry, but that was fixed easily enough with some extra ranch sauce.
Of course, you can’t go to Dave and Buster’s without playing some of the games. My friend challenged me to basketball, and I quickly showed her why I was cut from the freshman team after the second practice.
I’m sad to say that she vanquished me, if only by the narrowest of margins.
Overall, I would say that the new menu at Dave and Buster’s is a qualified success. It’s decent food to have with your family between rounds of embarrassment at the various games. And there’s still French fries, boneless chicken wings and mozzarella sticks for the kiddos.
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Dave and Buster’s is open seven days a week,
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