Marco & Carl – Bradford

Hold your horse’s guys! Marco & Carl has made its way to BRADFORD!! So all of you Northerners who are craving anything other than a curry then look no further. I’m so excited to share our experience with you and tell you all about it because I love this place!  

Marco & Carl Bradford is an Alcohol Free Non-stunned Halal restaurant located within the Leisure Exchange in the heart of Bradford City Centre, their extensive menu has carefully selected dishes to satisfy the majority of your culinary cravings, offering a modern yet authentic approach to fine Italian cuisine, serving more of what they’re renowned for like stone baked pizzas, pasta, along with American dishes that include aged steaks and handcrafted burgers. They already have branches located in Leicester and Preston. We have visited the Preston branch various times and we just had to check the Bradford branch out especially with it being close to my family home which is a perfect excuse to make a little trip down. They have recently launched a new menu (don’t worry they still have the delicious dishes below as well as some amazing new additions) Keep reading to find out what new things we ordered!

The place

Marco and Carl Bradford has a modern contemporary finish with a light and bright colour theme as a choice of decoration. The setting of the restaurant is idyllic, we were instantly delighted on entering the restaurant because the room was very light and bright looking which immediately entices you in.

Several walls are beautifully hand painted with cute flowers of different sizes which really creates a “feel at home” notion. I really love the artwork, which really compliments the whole theme of the restaurant. Pictures definitely don’t do it justice!

The printed floor tiles are gorgeous, wouldn’t mind having them in my kitchen! They match perfectly with the marble tables which are surrounded by pastel coloured chairs and booths.

It’s open planned seating but the booths give that needed split to help things still feel intimate along with the view of their stone baked oven and pizza preparation area.

The hanging light bulbs complete the whole decor and ambience of the place, making the restaurant warm & inviting to diners. Marco & Carl have definitely pulled out all the stops with the Bradford branch and have given a lot of effort in attention to detail which is admirable.

There is a car park available nearby, located in the Leisure Exchange car park. If parking in the Multi Story leisure exchange car park in the evening or weekend, make sure you get your parking ticket validated so you can park for free. This can be easily found on google to save you the hassle. There are other car parking available in the surrounding areas.

Alhamdulillah M&C were very accommodating and allowed us to offer our Salah near the fire exit using their prayer mats. Although, they don’t have a prayer room, if you ask them then InShaaAllah they will be accommodating.  

The Team

Having visited the Preston branch several times where the service has always been lacking & is much in need of improvement. I can confidently say the team at Marco & Carl Bradford are really friendly & genuinely try hard to ensure that you have a pleasurable experience. They are always willing to engage in conversation & give recommendations on request. They really do appreciate any feedback we have shared with them & always greet us with a smile. From the management to the waiters & chefs, each member understands they have a crucial part to play which is evident in the service they provide. Hence why we always opt to dine in this branch even if it means we have to travel that bit extra as service makes the world of difference. I always say bad service is enough to spoil even the best of food. It just make such a huge difference when you’re getting a smile, good chat with the staff and a great atmosphere it makes it worth that extra spend. Special mention goes to ____ & Bill for always looking after us & going that extra mile.

The Food

The food served at the Bradford branch has genuinely been consistently good & hasn’t disappointed us on our numerous visits so far other than tiny errors which have always been rectified by the staff when told. The food is of good presentation and definitely aesthetic to the point where it will sit very nicely on your insta feed! I’ve heard people raving about their sauces which is made from scratch in house. The Gombero Sauce is particularly my favourite sauce – it has a nice consistency and a nice tangy flavour to it. I love dipping bread in it as well as eating it with almost anything on the menu.  It’s SO good and definitely recommend to try it! Also just FYI, we went with a big family and I was sharing a bit of everything just before you think I order all of this on my own haha.

Picante Bread (£3.95) – we started things off with a good portion of about 5-6 freshly baked bread filled with melted cheese, Pomodoro sauce, chillies and spring onions. This starter is literally one of the main reasons why I come back because it’s DELICIOUS. The flavour of the Pomodoro sauce goes perfectly well with the melted cheese, whilst the chillies give a nice hint of heat to the palate, not too spicy. I can’t stress enough how amazing this tastes with their in house made Gombero sauce, it’s a perfect combination & I always order some of the Gombero sauce & use it as a dip.

Blazing Skewers (£3.95) – chicken skewers fried in a crispy crumb coating, served with garlic sauce. These are Finger-Lickin’ Good, literally, I was quite surprised that I enjoyed it. The chicken was soft and succulent, tearing moreishly in the mouth whilst the crispy crumb coating provides a delicate crunch. These were absolutely delectable and I highly recommend ordering these!

Hummus and Tzatziki Mezze (5.95) – A combination of Mediterranean flavours of Hummus and Tzatziki dip accompanied with freshly baked bread to dip with. These went down a treat with my family. Although I wasn’t too keen on the Tzatziki due to personal preference.

Loaded Nachos (£7.95) – Tortilla chips stacked and covered in Jalapenos with tender chicken pieces, melted Mozzarella and spicy tomato sauce. Although this dish is pricey, the portion is huge and definitely worth the money. They added two different types of chicken, I really enjoyed the spicy chicken, the warmth of the chilli really came through.

Chilli Chicken Basket (£5.50) – Crispy chicken breast pieces coated in a hot and sweet sauce, sprinkled with spring onion, served in a filo pastry basket. The chicken has a very subtle hint of BBQ flavour, generally, I’m not a BBQ sauce fan but this is so subtle that it just hits the spot. Whilst the sticky sauce consists of a sweet taste to tickle your taste buds. It will be a messy dish to have but let me tell you, it’s a pretty mess indeed that will be worth getting your fingers into! 

Garlic Chips (£2.50) – A helpful portion of chips flavoured with garlic and covered in garlic pieces. If you like garlic then this one’s for you. The aroma and taste of garlic makes the chips have the exact flavour as usually with flavouring chips etc the chips are still bland and normal. This was very yummy.

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A trip to @marcoandcarl is not complete without the Masala Chips ? Totally different to anything elsewhere it goes down so well ? #HFGPreston #HFGLeicester #HFGBradford #marcoandcarl **Chicken was from non stunned source at time of dining please feel free to do your own checks**

A post shared by Halal Food Gastronomy (@halalfoodgastro) on Jun 15, 2017 at 4:04am PDT

Masala Chips (£2.50) – Yummy potato chips smothered in a spicy masala sauce. This is different from any other Masala Chips and we really enjoy this every time without fail. The masala is flavoursome, with a huge depth of flavour and definitely not bland at all. Goes really well with a side of the Gombero sauce might I add!

Chicken Espetada (£10.90) – Cubed and grilled chicken breast chunks drenched in Gombero sauce, skewered with fresh peppers and onions. Served with Tzatziki, salad and spicy rice. I absolutely LOVE this dish. The texture of the chicken is very moist and juicy. Before ordering, I wasn’t expecting anything highly of this dish in terms of taste/texture as I thought it would be just standard grilled chicken with sides. But I was completely wrong. Because the chicken is so moist and juicy, it makes all the difference as it releases intensive flavours with the sweet and tangy gombero sauce. The spicy rice adds a nice flavour too. Additionally, the flavours released on the charred peppers and onions marries all the beautiful flavours together producing an exceptionally healthy dish. I LOVE ?

Chilli Chicken Noodles (£9.90) – NEW on the menu. Chicken breast coated in a hot and sweet sauce, topped with spring onions and finished off with a sprinkle of coriander, all sat on a bed of noodles mixed with peppers. The recipe for this chilli chicken is the same as the chilli chicken basket shown above. I’m generally not a fan of sweet sauce as I find it sickly, but honestly speaking, this was sooooo good. The chicken was tender and succulent as always, and the sauce produces this tangy and sweet taste which instantly dances with flavours on the taste buds. Whilst the chilli is apparent in the sauce, but it’s just the right amount of heat. Noodles were a hit too, loved how it was cooked al dente, but not too firm. also tastes amazing the next day!

Grilled Lamb Chop (£13.00) – Tender Grilled Lamb Chops served with fries and salad. Really enjoyed the flavour of these lamb chops and also a good portion size too given the price. My sister demolished them all, licking her fingers once she finished. Alhamdulillah at least she was fulfilling a Sunnah!! 😛

Mumbai Chips (£3.95) – This was new on the new Menu as mentioned above. Potato chips smothered in tomato chutney sauce, mixed with chicken tikka pieces, green chillies, red onions and melted with gooey cheese. This arrived cold at our table which was shocking because they finish cooking this oven with the cheese and sauce, we told the staff and they immediately gave us a new portion which then arrived hot. Just how it should be! I really enjoyed the tomato sauce and the cheese together with the chips, although I wasn’t a fan of the chicken here as I felt it lacked the flavour of masala. However, it’s a very good portion though and everything else was yummy and I would order it again.

Gazebo Fillet Burger (£8.90) – NEW on the menu. Grilled Chicken Breast coated in Gazebo sauce, topped with Crispy Sliced Potatoes, cheese, Jalapeno with salad and drenched in Garlic Mayo. Served with chips. It was absolutely DELICIOUS and it is definitely worth ordering. The chicken was beautifully tender and worked really well with the Gazebo sauce – which I think is going to be another of my favourite sauces in Marco & Carl! All the flavours come alive and the crispy potato slices were one of the best things about this dish! They tasted like how we make chips at home using fresh potatoes! it is definitely worth the money! Get your fork and Knives out for this haha

Ardente Di Pollo Pizza (£9.50 for classic, £11.50 for Grande) – Seasoned chicken, roasted peppers, roquito sweet chilli peppers, chilli flakes, melted with mozzarella cheese. I enjoyed the toppings on the bases however I found that the pizza base was not to my liking due to the soggy texture at the bottom. I prefer my pizza to be prepared as soft and crispy however this didn’t meet to my standard.

Pollo Milanese Infornare (£11.90) – Chicken breast coated in a spicy batter topped with Pomodoro sauce and Mozzarella Cheese and finished in the oven. Served with baby potatoes. When you bite your teeth into the chicken, you find that the chicken is succulent and really soft and tender, and the batter crumbles helplessly into your mouth. It’s so appetizing. The gooey cheese and the tangy flavour from the Pomodoro Sauce goes very well together. The roast potatoes are soft and fluffy on the inside and has an outer crispy skin on the outside. One of my favourite dishes!

Carbonara Linguine (£8.90) – Seasoned chicken breast and chicken rashers enveloped in a creamy garlic sauce. I really like my creamy garlicky sauces and this one just hits the spot. The flavours are all point, carrying a rich and velvety texture –  a perfect option for a winter’s meal. Although I wasn’t too keen on the chicken rashers, I definitely indulged myself in to the bowl myself. Their arrabiata sauce pastas are so so delicious as well.

Sliders ? (The Classic, pulled steak and blazing crumbed are £3.95 each, the sliders together are £11.95) – Mini burgers basically. We opted to go for the sliders together to try it out and be daring. We were so glad we did this because we enjoyed every bite of ALL of the burgers! The sliders were presented beautifully with the buns open so you could see all the vibrant colours. The classic burger came with a succulent beef patty, burger mayo, salad, topped with gherkin. The slow cooked pulled steak is a rib steak, seasoned well and slow cooked for TEN HOURS! ? Topped with burger mayo, salad cheese and gherkin. Finally, the blazing crumbed burger is a fried chicken burger smothered with chilli sauce, mayo cheese and topped with salad, gherkin and jalapeño. Loved everything and would definitely order it again! You can surely tell that all of the patties are fresh.

Milanese Crafted Burger ? (£13.50) – Fried chicken breast smothered generously with Pomodoro sauce and gooey cheese with fresh green chillies, red onions and lettuce, all sandwiched in between a MA-HOOSIVE bun! This one is a show stopper and definitely stole the limelight. It arrived enclosed in a hickory smoked dome, don’t worry there is no smokey taste to the burger at all. But wow, I quite enjoyed the fun part of my burger, I thought I was in Dubai! In terms of the taste, I did enjoy it but I would have preferred that there wasn’t a lot of Pomodoro sauce as it made the burger buns soggy so after the first few bites I had separate it all & get the knife and fork out to dig in!? Check out the video below!

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<<SWIPEY SWIPE<< Get ready for a THEATRICAL experience with this Hickory Smoked Burger from @marcoandcarl ? The Milanese Crafted Burger is served in a smoked dome! You have a delicious Thick Fried Chicken Breast, Smothered with Pomodoro Sauce, Gooey Cheese, topped with Red Onions & Green Chillies all sandwiched between a Huge Bun & finished in the oven ? Our full review of Marco & Carl Bradford is now live on site (Link in the bio) #HFGBradford #HFGBurger #marcoandcarl You can also get this delicious burger from the following branches: #HFGLeicester #HFGPreston Marco and Carl Bradford is fully @hmc_uk Certified & has prayer mats available for Salah Alhamdulillah #HFGPrayerRoom

A post shared by Halal Food Gastronomy (@halalfoodgastro) on Dec 11, 2018 at 3:13pm PST

It was very messy but I enjoyed all the flavours. The chicken definitely was the winner, it was tender and so so moreish, they always get the texture right Alhamdulillah.

The Drinks

Now I must say we are really fussy when it comes to Mocktails but Marco & Carl are one of my favourites as they consistently get it just right. Usually most places just shove way too much syrup, 7up with a lime into a glass & call it a Mocktail. However Marco & Carl have subtle flavours infused from fresh fruit along with a hint of syrup that all blends together oh so well. Pro tip ask for less ice!

Strawberry Mojito (£4.50) – Now I have to admit that the mojitos here are awesome. I love that they are not syrupy in taste which for me, I find to be very sweet and overpowering. It boasted the perfect balance of sweet and … a refreshing choice!

Classic Mojito (£4.50) – a blend of mint and lime, crushed with ice and garnished with a sprig of lime. This is one of the best mint Mojito I have experienced. Really loved that the lime wasn’t overpowered with bitterness, the flavour of the fresh mint really came through and it refreshes the palate.

Bombay Breeze (£4.50) – (Forgot to take a pic oops) Fresh tamarind drink with ginger and citrusy lime. Now I was very VERY apprehensive in trying this because I was thinking “erm why would you put a tamarind in a drink?” what I can tell you is that if you like a spicy drink combined with loads of other flavours from ginger and lime boasting back at each other then you NEED to try. I loved this drink. The spicy heat from the tamarind had a kick to it. Don’t be shy ordering this! Say Bismillah and #justdoit

Berrylicious (£4.50) –  A cool, refreshing drink packed full of strawberries and raspberries. this was really nice, It had a nice consistency to it and just the right thickness. I would say this is more of a smoothie than a mocktail even though it was on the Mocktail section on the drinks menu. one constructive criticism I would give is that there needs to be more flavour of the fruits as I found it a bit bland. But Alhamdulillah for everything.

The Desserts

Marco and Carl have a small dessert menu ranging from cakes, Belgian Waffles and delicious new options which have just been added to the menu. every time we come here, we never get the chance to get dessert as we always come late in the evening a=on last orders. but finally, we went earlier and got to try something! can’t wait to go back again and indulge in more yummy goodness! 

Kunefe (£4.95) – A heavenly Middle-Eastern dessert made with cheese and rich semolina pastry, soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup. Topped with Nutella and Ice-Cream. I wasn’t too keen on this type of Kanafeh but like This is honestly one of the best middle- eastern desserts of mine! I just can’t believe I didn’t have it in Turkey as I thought why would anyone put cheese in a dessert? after coming back to the UK I tried it once in Konak – Leicester and I’ve been in love since! I think this calls for another trip to Turkey. Any excuses hahaha

Delicious Doughnuts (£5.95) – Freshly made bite-sized doughnuts, dusted with icing sugar and served with warm Nutella and Ice-Cream. Now, I am a sucker for normal doughnuts, like the ones you get in Blackpool and any normal shop, these were just like that and I am completely obsessed! they were DIVINE! They were fried to perfection, soft and fluffy on the inside, and nice and crispy on the outside, just the way I like it. I totally recommend getting these if you like normal doughnuts. alhamdulillah i was so impressed! 

The Verdict

I must say that I was very impressed in my experience at Marco and Carl to the point where I would applaud them for their customer service, beautiful presentation and good value for money. Yes it is expensive if you think about it but the portion sizes are quite generous so its worth it and to top it all off, the food here is AMAZING compared to the Preston branch so I suggest you pop down there and try the food and let me know your experience. Alhamdulillah I was really happy that they allowed me to offer my Salah here so don’t be shy to ask, InShaaAllah they will allow you (maybe depends if it’s busy or not)

Please note that this is a dining experience where customers are paying for good quality food which takes time to prepare, despite the complaints from customers often saying that the food takes long to arrive as they have a movie to watch thereafter.

The Menu

The Details

Address: Unit A2, Vicar Lane, Bradford, BD1 5LD

Phone: 01274 722788

Find it: If you have parked in the Leisure Exchange Car Park, exit through the main car entrance and on to the left you will see a flight of stairs. go up the stairs and keep walking straight and on to the left you will find Marco & Carl. alternatively, if you park on the upper floors of the car park, you can exit straight on to the leisure exchange or use the lift! 🙂

Opening times: Mon – Thu: 11:30am – 10pm | Fri: 11:30am – 11pm | Sat: 10:30am – 11pm | Sun: 10:30am – 10pm

All Chicken & Meat was from a non stunned Hand Zabiha source at the time of dining.

Musallah available for Salah near fire exit next to the stairs

All information was correct at the time of dining, however, we strongly recommend that you re-verify that Halal status before dining to ensure there have been no changes regarding certification/suppliers