DIMITRI'S: Tapas is real delight

 July 2009

Dimitris

Campfield Arcade,

Tonman Street,

Castlefield,

Manchester.

M3 4FN

0161 839 3319

IT is always good to make an occasional dip into culinery delights of the big city to make sure that the monthly comments are not too parochial.

So it was that we got the chance for a midweek evening with two friends in Manchester and when he mentioned he knew this delightful tapas bar on Deansgate it sounded right up our street.

In fact we drove into town via the M60 and came in at the far end of Deansgate and Dimitris is there on your left-hand-side under a big clock and just beyond the Hilton Hotel on the other side.

There's a real Mediterranean feel about the entrance to the place with chairs and tables all the way down a covered alley.

As we passed the alley's twinkling bush, we had the option to sit inside or out. As it was not the hottest of nights we chose the former but you can certainly see the appeal of lost hot afternoon.

Inside some might say it could probably do with a bit of modernisation but I think its quirky decor and lazy look is part of the charm.

Lazy is certainly not something of which you could accuse the team of waiters and waitresses. They are constantly on the go retrieving the myriad of dishes coming from the small but efficient kitchens to the rear.

One of the advantages of going to such a meal with someone who has dined there before is guidance through the menu.

I think it was clear from our drive down that we were definitely going for the tapas rather than separate main meals and they already had some must have recommendations that we were happy to follow.

We started with a drink and a dipper starter (4.85) two hot pittas and choice of dips - we chose Hummus, Tzatziki, Melinzana (aubergine and tomatoes) and Instanbului (tomatoe and coriander).

They were excellent so much so that when the pitta had all gone and there was still some dips left we couldnt resist getting more bread to polish them off.

It would be worth saying here that you dont want the main dishes to come too quickly. The timing for us was perfect but I did see another table where they got their mains tapas while still dipping at the starters and that seemed unnecessary.

The mains excelled: Stifado - beef with red wine and onions (£6.95) Keftedes - lamb meat balls with a tomato sauce (£5.45) Fish bites - deep fried and served with Alioli (£5.95) Pourgouri - goats cheese, sundried tomatoes, olives and cous-cous (£6.35) Gigantes - giant butter beans in a spicy tomato sauce with crumbly feta (£5.35) Potatas a lo Pobre - potatoes simmered with sweet peppers (£5.35). The Pourgouri and Gigantes got our votes as dishes of the night.

Well be back for more ... in fact we have been already! We rounded the night off in the exclusive Cloud 23 the Hiltons bar with a view.

Expensive but worth a visit.