Farewell foodie tour of the North West

Hi Vindaloo Kings and Queens!

I have upped sticks and moved- to Dubai! I am so lucky to be living in such a melting pot of cultures, which also means a melting pot of cuisines. Since I have been here, I have tried Indian (of course!), Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese- you name it, I've ate it. Believe it or not, I've succumbed to a few chain restaurants, which unlike in rip off Britain,they offer impeccable customer service and value for money. Before I left Blighty though, I made a flying visit to some of my old faves- it would've been rude not to.

A fond farewell was said to the best curry house in Liverpool- the U.N.I. As I have previously mentioned, this curry house is for old-school traditionalists who love British curry in its spiritual home, a 1970s style curry house with cosy booths and a garish carpet. I had a farewell Veggie Madras mopped up with a peshwari naan- who knows when I'll get the chance to savour such tandoori purism again?
Around the corner from the U.N.I is another Liverpool foodie gem, Kimos, who I also made a flying visit to. Kimos is still a pleasant place to spend the afternoon with a stash of mags, endless coffees (their coffee is potent and really hits the spot) alternated with a chilled Rubicon juice, and plates of Arabic inspired yumminess. Sadly, their prices have risen and portion size declined, but Kimos will forever remain on my Liverpudlian food itinerary.

Manchester came up with some farewell treats for me too. Kosmos Taverna in Withington told me 'kalo taxidi' (bon voyage in Greek!) with a bounty of Melitzanosalata and an array of dolmades bulging with spicy rice filling. I love Kosmos, it has taken over from Liverpool's Zorbas as the best Greek in the region. In a similar style to the U.N.I, this long established restaurant relies not on fancy gimmicks but word of mouth and a loyal customer base. With its retro style and seldom changing menu, this place is a great example of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

I squeezed in a business lunch in Chinatown's Great Wall for a bargainous £4.50. Admittedly the quality and possibly the hygiene aren't the best in here, but in a sea of rip off merchants, £4.50 for a three course lunch seems too good an offer to turn down! However, the waitress admitted that the 'veggie' soup is made with meat stock- at least she was honest.

I couldn't leave Britain without having a traditional roast, so I took advantage of yet another old fave, Manchester's Britannia Carvery in Portland St. Despite the hotel rooms being a small step up from Fawlty Towers, the restaurant is pretty good and the food varied. At £6.99 for a 3 course, all you can eat lunch with a daily veggie option and 2 meats, everyone is pleased and goes home with a full belly!

So,goodbye for now England and hello sunshine! Bring on the falafel!