Mandarin

One of Newcastle's most popular Chinese restaurants, Mandarin operates on the banquet basis, starting at £9.80 for the happy hour banquet, and working up to the climax of the imperial at £32 each for a party of six or more.

Enter the restaurant and you are immediately conscious of the mini Chinatown atmosphere with red and gold as prominent colours, pleasantly shaded areas for those seeking an air of intimacy, and smartly dressed staff. Table settings are tastefully presented, and the restaurant is very handy for pre- or post-theatre suppers.

Their fixed price lunch - five courses, soup, two starters, main and dessert for only £5.60 from Monday to Friday, and a pound more on Saturday - represents some of the most incredible value around.

The Chef's banquet, at £25, starts with won ton soup prawn crackers, going on to two appetisers, prawn toast with ribs, and satay chicken skewers, and aromatic duck with pancakes and salad and chef's hoi sin sauce. For main course there seven choices, including sizzling beef and black bean sauce, sweet and sour pork, or fish with ginger and spring onion. Seasonal fresh fruit provides a refreshing finish.

To those for whom nothing but the best will do there is only one answer, the Imperial banquet, starting with seafood soup and prawn crackers, followed by lobster with ginger and spring onion with seafood platter. Amongst the main courses look for the fillet steak Cantonese, King boo prawn and cashew nuts, and mandarin fried rice, before finishing with fresh fruit and liqueur coffee.

The subject of Chinese cuisine linked to wine has frequently been the cause of often heated debate, but here at Mandarin the approach is fairly uncompromising, indeed positive, in that it is assumed you accept food as much steeped in history as that served here, is well able to have a satisfactory liaison with decent wine. Sparklers start with Asti Spumante, going on to Bollinger Special Cuvee.

In the view of many, white wine is an especially good match with Chinese dishes, and I am thinking of the Frascati Superiore, or a Gewürztraminer, both of which carry a dryness that seems to bring out the best in the often delicate flavours. Two Chinese wines are listed, Great Wall and deluxe sake.

Although Chinese menus tend to change less than European, it is always worth a click on their Website to see the latest listings, or if you are looking for an excellent location for a group or conference venue. Their private room seats up to forty people and is available for a variety of uses.