Tampopo - Manchester

Those of you who've watched the Japanese film Tampopo will agree that it is a light-hearted take on the quest for a perfect bowl of noodles. Whilst the film may have hit the screens in 1985, its storyline is still alive today as it draws a culinary parallel to the mission of its namesake in the UK. Tampopo's attempt to recreate the flavours and aromas of Eastern Asia signalled the start of an adventurous gastronomic journey.

Your inhibitions about street food will be put to rest with the arrival of sesame prawn skewers, and griddled dumplings of minced pork, bamboo shoots and spring onions with a soy dip. The star attractions are undoubtedly classics like sesame-scented glass noodles with shiitake mushrooms, cucumber, carrot and chilli, and spicy wok-fried rice with shiitake mushrooms, chilli, lime leaves and onion flakes. It's all too common to give desserts a miss at Asian restaurants, but not so at Tampopo where there are choices such as ginger crème brûlée and Malaysian sticky black rice pudding made with creamy coconut milk and luscious palm sugar.