IS it a bird, is it a plane… No, it’s one of the quirkiest and most talked about dining experiences out there – and it’s right here in Bolton.

The Steak Out gives street food lovers the chance to enjoy precisely that on board a Boeing 737 in Deane.

The decommissioned 1970s Russian airliner has been saved from the scrap yard by a family business run by seven brothers with an eye for the unconventional.

The Steak Out in bustling Deane Road, began life as a trailer nearly 15 years ago, before upgrading to a double-decker bus in 2012 when demand grew for a seating area.

But Zahid Kadva says he and his siblings were determined to outdo even the bus with their latest venture.

He said: “We just thought ‘how can we expand as a business which is very aged now?’ “Let’s go and buy a plane!”

“We’ve outgrown the bus in the sense that the novelty had worn off. We had to do something new, more innovative.”

The new venture was immediately nicknamed Steaks on a Plane after the Hollywood movie Snakes on a Plane, starring Samuel L Jackson.

Mr Kadva said: “That’s where the idea came from, everyone was saying you have to call it Steaks on a Plane.

"The first time I heard it I thought ‘what a brilliant name’, I didn’t even know it was a film. We’ve put the Capital One advert (which makes the same pun) on our Instagram page - but we thought of it first!”

And while the plane’s flying days may be over, the diner has certainly taken off with those who have come on board to try the cuisine.

“We’ve had a fantastic reaction, it's been absolutely amazing” said Mr Kadva. “People who’ve never been to Bolton before have come just because they have seen the plane on Facebook or Instagram. It’s been great.”

“We didn’t expect it to be this popular, it’s street food - not a restaurant - it’s informal , but it’s about the whole experience on the plane. People get to go in the cockpit, which you can’t do even on a flight."

READ MORE: Steaks on a Plane restaurant during its transformation 

The Kadva brothers search for a plane nearly didn’t get off the ground as salvage companies didn’t believe their enquiries were serious.

“Some wouldn’t entertain us,” said Mr Kadva. "They didn’t believe what we were going to do it and put the concept into reality."

And he says it’s providing a memorable experience for all his customers that makes the venture so worthwhile. He said: “It’s a business and it’s fun. We have to move with the times and people love it. It’s all about putting a smile on the customers’ faces. If someone walks out saying ‘I loved that, I enjoyed that', that’s an achievement on its own.”

And while it will be some years before the Steak Out’s plane flies off into the sunset, the Kadva family have already begun thinking about what could ultimately replace it.

“It’s been an adventure from beginning to end,” says Mr Kadva. “Who knows what’s coming next?”

Nick's verdict on The Steak Out

ONCE on board customers can choose from a variety of steaks and burgers from the Steaks on a Plane grill, writes Nick Statham.
These range from the ‘original menu’ thinly sliced beef rib eye/rump steak and chips – to the Insanity Burger, which pairs jalapeno bombers, egg and cheese with The Steak Out’s trademark grilled chicken and beef slices.
I had the chance to try the Steaks on a Plane experience for myself – and wasn’t left disappointed. Keen to get the best of both worlds, I order the mix steak and chips, which combines the thinly sliced beef steak with pieces of chicken breast steak.
Diners can also select the sauce of their choice, and I go with medium chilli but mild, hot and mayonnaise are all available, too.
I take a seat in one of the plane’s comfortable dining booths, my meal arrives and the first thing that strikes me is how generous the serving is.
The chicken and steak slices are piled high on the bed of chips, and there’s a side salad to boot.
But despite the almost daunting amount of food, I’m soon making my way through it. The medium chilli sauce gives everything just the right amount of bite for me, while the steak slices proving particularly moreish — all for £7.30p.
With its unique surroundings, friendly service and intriguing range of options (Insanity Burger, I’m looking at you) I’m sure I’ll be flying with Steaks on a Plane again very soon.