Comptoir Libanais.....

I had a couple of hours free this afternoon and I'd missed lunch. To fill the time I thought I'd go to Pret á Manger on Spinningfields for a sandwich, a coffee and one of those delicious chocolate mousses they do. It would have cost me about £10 and then I did intend to have a glass of wine later.

I was walking down The Avenue and past Comptoir Libanais, one of Manchester's new restaurants. I like The Avenue, you can eat in Barcelona, Bangkok, Rio or, in this case, Beirut. Comptoir Libanais means Lebanese counter and it's a rather smart version of a Beiruit canteen. They were offering two courses for £9.95 and, even with a glass of Lebanese wine, it still came in for under £20.

The food was delicious and the restaurant is well set out, part restaurant, part delicatessen, part souk.