Have you even gone to a restaurant for the first time and just…I don’t know, fell in love? That is exactly how I felt when I went to Ignite in Manchester, NH. There are very few times in which I just love every single thing I try at a restaurant. I mean I typically always like what I am getting but love? No, that’s a whole different ball park. This place is truly the newer definition of what the cool kids call “fire” which is appropriate because the place is called Ignite. So a little bit about this place just based off what I saw. It’s on this little street corner in Manchester, NH and it is definitely smaller than most restaurants. Ignite has the bar side and some other seating on the other side. It is definitely a quaint little place and you will most likely have to wait but that is where the kicker, well one of them, comes in; if you cannot get a table at Ignite, you can go next door to the seafood restaurant that is owned by the same people called Hooked to check and see if they have any seating. Even if they don’t, your name is on the list wherever you started and if a seat opens up at either restaurant and you’re next, you are golden. You will be able to sit in Hooked if you got to Ignite first and vise versa. Now you may be thinking “Well, you’re talking about Ignite and that is what I want to try….? What is going on?” and duh, I get that. If you are going to Ignite, you want to eat Ignite’s food and not be forced to eat seafood at Hooked just because their table opened up faster. Here is the second kicker; you can order from either menu at both restaurants and that is just one of the things that makes this place special.

We had gone out to Ignite per recommendation by an old friend because I wanted to get familiar with the Manchester area as I just started a new job in the area. We got here during the dinner rush on a Friday night, so we knew we would have to wait. The hostess told us that it would be 45 minutes to an hour but we had nothing to do and were willing to wait. Kev and I got to the bar and ordered a couple of beers then we chilled in the bar area until we were called, smelling and admiring all the food that came out. Maybe 15-20 minutes had gone by before we were called, which was cool. It is always awesome to be told “hey you’re going to have to wait a while” and then be told “let’s go” pretty fast. The hostess took us next door to Hooked, which at first I thought was the other side of Ignite, not a completely different restaurant that you would have to leave out the door for. To be honest, it was actually really cool being able to leave one restaurant with a half glass of beer, go out the door, and not be stopped, even if it is for .3 seconds.

We sat down and we were so ready to eat. I saw they had chicken tacos and I also saw that they were tenders instead of grilled chicken, so I immediately knew I would be satisfied. Our (amazingly sweet) waitress immediately came over and asked if we wanted a couple more beers and an appetizer when it looked like we were ready. She was so attentive to us all night but wasn’t in our face and she was still punctual AF. We put in our orders and they arrived in a timely manner, which is a plus when you are 2 beers deep and haven’t had anything to eat in nine hours. The smell of the tacos were maybe the equivalent to heaven, but the taste was a definite. I never have had a chicken taco this good. Maybe it is because I am in New England and therefore I am not exposed to all the different types of tacos but whatever, it was really damn good.

Our waitress waited to ask if we wanted to order more but didn’t wait extremely long. Really, it was the perfect amount of time to wait and she didn’t ask when our mouths were full, which is always appreciated. Kev ordered the brunch burger (you’ll learn that he typically always does) and I ordered the steak and cheese. I am super particular about my steak and cheese and really, I will only eat them if my dad makes it but the chicken tacos were so good that I have to force myself to try something I would never normally order. So you know that feeling when you take a risk and it actually pays off? That is how I felt about my dinner. The steak and cheese was cooked perfectly and was just so goddamn good. Kevin was also blown away by his meal. He never willingly offers me to try a bite of his food because it’s good but he did this time. I had to try it and holy hell was it good. I don’t particularly like fried egg on my burger but I could have had maybe three of these if my stomach allowed it. Truly, some of the best food items I have ever had. The icing on the metaphorical cake was the fact that the price was AFFORDABLE! In total we spent around $60 plus tip and that was for four beers, an appetizer, and two entrees. It isn’t something you I personally could afford everyday but I could swing every week because of how damn good it is. I cannot wait to go back and try everything else because it was some of the best food I have ever tried. If you find yourself in Manchester, NH, check it out because you will not be disappointed.

xoxo – laukat