Luso

I had to face up to it.After a period of denial, I was still in mourning for Mourinho. With a heavy heart, I had to admit that my unrequited affair with the special one was over. To start the healing process, I invited pal Andrea to lunch at newish Portugese eatery, Luso.

With thankfully no discernible interest in football, Andrea is an erudite conversationalist with a European educated palate. We started with Clams Cataplana , Piri Piri chicken livers and academic life, moving on to Lamb Castelo Branco, Piri Piri Chicken, art, film and with no mention of Jose, my admiration of some of Kevin Costners' sports output [Bull Durham and Tin Cup].

It proved to be a restorative encounter and we parted replenished. As for me and Jose, he will always have a place in my heart. But, with the 6-0 gubbing of City, I can finally move on.

Fatoosh

Of all the crimes Lebanon has had to suffer, the tackiest has to be the Human Leagues' attempt to explain the complexities of that country to bepimpled new romantics, 'Lebanon'.While no apology could ever make up for this cultural insult,I can only say sorry for this even tackier segway to 'Fatoosh',a Lebanese restauarent on the edge of Rusholme. It offers a selection of mezze from which Brian and I chose fatoosh ,tabbouleh,hommos beruity,naqaneq and fatayer as well as refreshing mint tea.

Mezze were made for sharing [ mentioned obliquely by HL as in "life was cheap on bread and wine,and sharing meant no shame".] It could have only been improved by a glass or two of Cheateau Musar, but B and I shared until we could eat no more
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I can also commend the architecture which served to enhance the food. The downside? The Human League are reforming.

Sandbar [part 2]

With Oktoberfest over and German food banished from the menu at the Sandbar, Wisia, the superbly talented Polish chef, returned to her roots.At the behest of your correspondent, Wisia recreated what many consider to be her masterpiece, Golabki.Roughly translated as 'little pigeons', golabki are cabbage parcels stuffed with pork and rice and smothered in a rich tomato gravy. Like the Shredded Wheat advert of old, we managed to convince the ever generous Wisia that 3 golabki was too much for anyone.


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I was joined by my friend and colleague ,Di, for this handsome feast. We came, we saw, we conquered and we were filled.

Around the World in 15 dinners

Sandbar

With number 15 coming up, not to mention 14 stone on the scales, the enormity of my task is beginning to weigh heavily on mind and body. So I hope you will forgive me if I cut the odd corner. As in the Sandbar is my favourite lunch-time haunt but usually serves Polish fare [more of this at a later date].To celebrate the arrival of October, they put on a Baverian feast of Bratwurst, warm potato and bacon salad and red cabbage with a free pint of Pavlaner Oktoberfest beer thrown in for good measure.

For those students of modern European history, you have to imagine the Sandbar as the Danzig of Manchester cafe/bars and it was annexed by German food for the day. Jan even dressed the part.