McCoys at The Cleveland Tontine

When the McCoy brothers bought the Tontine in 1976 it was in a terrible tumbledown state, but despite that disadvantage they were soon awarded "Restaurant of the Year" courtesy of Egon Ronay, a huge accolade for a Northern restaurant in those days!

Since then it has gone from strength to strength, winning almost every award in the book, but, most importantly, sending generations of happy diners home, either from its more informal bistro and snug, or from the main restaurant.

They describe the restaurant as 'Slightly faded elegance is the thought here - bit like a bordello, in fact. Chandeliered, gilded and fenestrated with wooden louvres the room twinkles at night and is heated by candle.'

Dishes in the restaurant could include chicken liver terrine with tomato chutney and brioche bread or king scallops with caviar, beurre blanc and sweet onion purée to begin with. Followed by marinated corn fed chicken with buttered spinach, white bean and ham puree and mushroom jus or fillet steak with wild mushroom sauce.

Leave room though for puddings - chocolate marquise, sticky toffee pudding, crème brûlée or cheese.