Filling up

When tall uncle called to ask if I'd join him for lunch at Moulin d'or (French for 'golden mill'), I gladly accepted. When I think of Moulin d'or, I think of Jean. Those of you who have visited Stellenbosch's Lebanese restaurant Man'ouche will know Jean: the big, gold-chain-wearing chef with the strange accent who flirts with all the girls. Well, he arrived in Stellenbosch straight from Moulin d'or's kitchen. He and the tall uncle recognised one another instantly when the tall uncle visited me in the Cape - a true coincidence at the time.

So off we went for lunch. Mine was a man'oush topped with Lebanon's hakewe cheese (similar consistency to feta, with the same richness), with a brown crust - which, the menu says, makes it 'light' - and ordered it mashrouha (extra-thin, therefore extra big). Mine was made in the furn (pizza oven) but some are made on the saj (a round dome).

I could also have chosen zaatar (a mixture of thyme, sesame seeds and sumac), labneh (Lebanese cream cheese), lahme beajine (a creamy mince-meat mixture) or kashkaval (pronounced ash-awem here; a popular cheese made in Bulgaria), but I chose my local cheese and I loved it - as you can see by the empty plate!

Sahtein!