Red Chilli - Manchester

WOW! Well, honestly that's the reaction of most people to this gregarious Chinese restaurant in the heart of Manchester's Chinatown, and it could relate to any one of a number of things. The bulk of their dishes come from the cuisines of Beijing and Sichuan with the result that they are hot, hot, hot.

But it's not so much the heat as the appellations given to the awesome dishes, amongst which feature Mrs Spotty's hot and spicy tofu, husband and wife lung slices and pig's maw with bamboo shoots. Well, I always knew a certain robustness ruled north of the Cotswolds, but really . . . .

Make no mistake many of the usual suspects are there as well, all contributing to a medley of tastes and flavours that explore excitingly the wealth of sensations that exist within the Chinese domain, though not everyone will get too thrilled over the pig's intestines with Chinese black pudding. Braised sundried sea cucumber, sea bass with prawn and a fish dish called Blessed the Whole Family combines well with what most would regard as normality and the bizarre nomenclature. The value for money is almost as extraordinary as the assault on the senses, with few dishes over £10, nor are the portions in any way sparing.

Connoisseurs of décor will be left free to concentrate on the food - there is a limit to what can be done with a former textile warehouse, but it's comfortable enough, and there's a decent wine list to console the cultural conscience.