Manchester's "Curry Mile"

[Harters]

BEIRUT

The name's a bit of a giveaway. It doesnt do curry and is one of the growing number of very welcome additions to the "strip" that serve middle eastern food.

A fairly restricted menu means they can concentrate on doing things well and quality is well up there with the likes of Petra and the Cedar Tree. It's well worth trying if you're in the area - but not a place to make much of a trip for.

I was on my own for lunch so couldnt give the menu a full bashing. I ordered some pickles as one of my starters and was invited to go the salad bar and fill a plate. So I did. Along with the pickles, I added some olives, moutabal, salad, and a fiery chilli sauce (for me, overly fiery) and got myself a Sprite (Beirut doesnt serve alcohol, BTW). By the time I got back, some flatbread had arrived.

Much as I love this region's food, one of the things that pisses me off is that dishes will arrive when whenever the kitchen has cooked them. It doesnt seem to matter if it's a more cafe style of place, like Beirut, or somewhere up-market, like Knightsbridge's Ishbilia. So, my main course arrived while I was still nibbling through the pickles and before my proper starter. I guess it's all about the mezze style of eating, but I wish they wouldnt do it.

The main was freikeh with chicken. Freikeh was a new one on me, the menu only saying it was the house speciality. I ordered, then asked what it was I was going to eat. It's a green wheat, that's sun-dried on the stalks. The stalks are then set on fire so the grains take on a roasted smokiness but are not burned. Skill or what? Anyway, it was delicious - in that bland way that basmati rice or a good spud can be delicious - and had pine nuts and herbs stirred through. Texture is a bit similar to pearl barley. And it came with two large roasted chicken joints. Very large.

I'd just about scoffed half of it when my starter turned up. Arayes can be excellent or shite. This one was around the "pretty good" mark - fairly flavoursome meat, crisp bread with the right bit of charring.

Bill came to £9, which I thought was a cracker of a bargain.

Then I waddled off to do some shopping in the asian supermarkets.

[Harters]

A lunchtime revisit in the company of Mrs H and we managed to gorge ourselves for fifteen quid (inc. tip, flatbreads and a couple of soft drinks).

Tabbouleh - lovely lemony dressing on the parsley.

Hummus - not bad, although probably bought in. Came topped with chickpeas and a nice drizzle of olive oil.

Mixed pickles - out of a jar, as always, but a good mix of cabbage, green tomato, pepper and cornichons.

Falafel wrap - generous portion of falafel, bound together with tahini.

Lamb sharwama - posh doner kebab, but with good flakes of identifiable tasty meat (a bit fatty as expected). Very generous portion. Came with rice, a different set of mixed pickles and some salad.

Do give it a try if you're in the area - a far better experience than most of the Bangla curry houses on The Mile.