Nectar Bistro

Close to the ‘Four Banks’ intersection in Chorlton, a suburban area of south Manchester known for its bars and cafés, this Middle Eastern family-run restaurant provides good value food, ideal for groups of friends or a midweek bite to eat.

Like all good Middle Eastern restaurants, the menu is filled with traditional mezze (priced between £3 and £5). It would be foolish to bypass the moutabal or bhaba ganouj (baked aubergine dishes, topped with tahini and garlic or pomegranate and parsley). Best not to turn a blind eye to the kibbeh or the kubbeh either – both made with minced lamb, the former combined with mashed potato, the latter with bulgar wheat, both deep fried.

Load up on mezze and choose a main to share. The mixed mashawi prevents any food envy, consisting of marinated chicken, kofte and diced lamb. Try the mujadara as a side – rice mixed with lentils, topped with fried onions – it’s a delight, especially with the cucumber and yoghurt salad. Marinated sea bass is tenderly grilled and at under £13, is cheaper than you’ll find in many restaurants. Vegetarians might be best sticking to the varied mezze as mains aren’t quite as inspiring as the meaty offerings.

Like many Middle Eastern restaurants in Manchester, Nectar Bistro charges a small corkage if you wish to bring your own booze, though strangely also offers a well-priced in-house wine list. If you want to fully embrace the experience, there’s a few Lebanese bottles on offer, which pleasingly don’t suffer from extortionate mark-ups.

If you live in the area, or are about to embark on a bar crawl, Nectar Bistro is the perfect place to get your fill for under £20 per person.