You would think that everyone who knows Munch and knows that Munch will take them to lunch would be happy to eat for free.

To completely bastardize Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" -- "Munchy, you've got lots of friends/ crowdin' 'round the door/ But when lunch is gone/ and the eating ends/ They don't come 'round no more."

The New Metropolitan Cafe is in the Harbor Gardens Park, 1650 Metropolitan St., Manchester, 412-325-2853.

Enter Forgetful Friend of Munch, who, after a mutual friend suggested the New Metropolitan Cafe, expressed his interest in having lunch there.

"Great," said Munch.

Then the day came for Munch and Forgetful to go get lunch. But where was he? Out to lunch.

"How much can this guy eat?" thought Munch.

Munch searched high and low for someone else without lunch plans on short notice.

Too Busy Friend of Munch was, what else? Way too busy. The newspaper would never, ever be published if there was a break for lunch.

Luckily Munch turned and spotted Munch Wannabe (MW). Yay. Panic over, Munch grabbed the keys to the Munchmobile and off we went over the river and through the tunnel under Route 65, to Manchester we go.

The New Metropolitan Cafe is an interesting concept for an eating place.

Clearly it is designed to be a sort of corporate cafeteria. There are just two specials for lunch every day and a variety of prepared salads.

Don't be fooled by the lack of a lengthy menu. Sometimes it's the simplicity that leads to goodness. At least, that's what it seemed to be the day Munch and MW hit the cafe.

It was cold and raining that day. Munch found the only parking space available, which was as far from the cafe as possible. (Oh, how we suffer for our art.)

All that grumpiness was swept aside when Munch and MW wandered into Harbor Gardens Park, the office building owned by Bidwell Training Center. The place was clean and new and the walls were decorated with primitive needle renderings of farm scenes and landscapes, which were bright and beautiful.

The Metropolitan Cafe is tucked into a nook in the hall. At first, it just looks like a small room, with a serving station, but next to it is a room with a few tables where employees who bring their own lunches or cafe customers can sit and eat.

And while the menu is not fancy or particularly spectacular, Munch and MW enjoyed the food.

Munch had the cheese tortellini ($5.95) made with mozzarella cheese, olive oil, roasted tomatoes, spinach and garlic and then served with the option of a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Munch opted for the extra cheese. It also came with a roll and butter. And, while the side salad was really too much, Munch bought a salad because it had feta cubes and pepperoncini on it. Unfortunately, the only choice of salad dressing was an envelope of Ken's light Italian.

MW went with the New Orleans chicken gumbo ($1.75), which had a spicy bite to it, and was thick and delicious. She also got the fish sandwich ($5.50), a huge plank of fish that had been breaded and fried and was served on a roll with lettuce, tomato and cheese. The piece of fish was so big it had to be folded to get onto the roll and still was hanging over the sides.

MW brought half of it back to our "way too busy" friend to prevent the starvation that can accompany sitting in a chair and staring at a computer too long.

As for Forgetful ... who?

MW and Munch were full and glad to have spent part of an afternoon with the nice folks at Bidwell Training Center.