Sugarvine

On the face of it, there have never been so many restaurants and café-bars to choose from in Manchester. Yet somehow, the choice isn't as varied as it might be. Compare what's on offer up north to the cornucopia of delights available in the capital and it's clear that there's a ways to go. Too many chain restaurants, and too many mediocre places offering substandard fare at top-dollar prices. But it's by no means all bad news. There are still a few unusual havens around offering something just that little bit different.

A long-time stalwart of the city's restaurant scene is Koreana, at the back of Kendals on King Street West. Here you will find authentic Far Eastern food at very affordable prices. They are famous for their special take-out lunchboxes full of noodles and goodies like steamed fish and chicken for about £5. If you are eating in, there are excellent banquet deals for about £12-£15 per person. Korean food has a fragrantly sour flavour (in contrast to the often cloying sweetness of much Cantonese grub) and it's very spicy. The rice dishes are superb, as are the clear broths with fish and chicken. Superlative noodle dishes, too. In its understated way, the Koreana has carved a place for itself as a great destination restaurant in a part of town otherwise undistinguished on the foodie front. The service is good, the décor perhaps a tad old-fashioned -- but who cares when you're in a place that has been Good Food Guide recommended since 1994.

Another fave if you fancy something a bit different is the Penang Village on Faulkner Street in Chinatown. This is Manchester's only Malaysian restaurant and it's been around for a good 20 years or so. Malaysian food is similar to Thai -- lots of coconut, chilli and lemongrass -- but a little bit sweeter. A speciality is the beef rendang -- a wonderful dry curry with coconut milk and spices. The laksa, steaming soup with seafood or chicken, is another goodie. Step inside the Penang and it's like a colonial film set, very old-fashioned. They do set meals and the a la carte menu is extensive. The satays and hot and sour noodle salads are also recommended. Lots of fish, too. And don't forget the ice-cold Tiger beers which go down particularly well with Malaysian food.

Just down the road from the Penang is El Macho (pictured above), on Portland Street. Following the demise of Amigos, it's the only Mexican restaurant in the city centre and though the eighties' vogue for Tex-Mex food may be long gone this place is still very popular -- particularly with the student set. The owners are from Baja in Mexico so you can be sure of the authentic Mexican experience. Portions are vast -- nachos dripping with cheese, enchiladas, fiery chilli, chicken fajitas and as many jugs of margaritas, or pitchers of beer, as you can drink. For about £20 a head a veritable feast can be yours. Best value is the El Especial dinner on Tuesdays where you get a 2-course meal and litre bottle of beer for £14. If you're visiting Liverpool, El Macho has a sister restaurant on Hope Street.

Further south than down Mexico way is the Gaucho Grill. Housed in what used to be Sticky Fingers (owned by Bill Wyman) the Gaucho offers prime Argentinian steaks (flown in from the Pampas) flame-grilled with various sauces, salads, chips, beefy red wines and very little else. Needless to say, it's a great favourite with carnivores. The huge barn of a room used to be a Methodist Hall and has been stylishly refurbished, retaining the original organ and organ pipes. There's a special deal here for sugarvine readers - dine here between 5pm and 7pm any day and you get 25% off your bill if you mention sugarvine.

A relative newcomer is Persia café-bar, in the Great Northern Warehouse complex. It's got the added attraction of being open till 3am, combining a nightclub ambience with authentic Persian cuisine (ingredients, so they say, are "directly imported from the Middle East and the Caspian Sea"). A favourite is the flat-bread pizza they do here, served with all kinds of goodies - the "house special" comes with langoustine, artichoke and fontina cheese. There are also fragrant tagines (slow-cooked stews with meat and fruit), chargrilled kebabs, meze of the Middle Eastern variety and salads with cracked wheat and mint. You'll also find an extensive wine menu, speciality Persian beers, plus live entertainment, music and dance.

In a similar vein, a brand-new Syrian restaurant - the Al Sham Palace in Rusholme - offers authentic Middle Eastern fare like kebbeh, dolma, and falafel in a huge first-floor restaurant. It's halal, serves no alcohol and has an 'all you can eat buffet' for just £6.95. Topkapi, on Deansgate, offers fantastic value Turkish fare. Aside from the usual kebabs and dips they do a fabulous firin kebab -- knuckle of lamb baked with potatoes, tomatoes and herbs and served with rice and salad. Et Sote - -a chicken casserole with fiery paprika -- is another great speciality. You can eat splendidly here for about £15 a head with house wine.