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Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolat make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of small dishes takes in pulled pork pâté with French bread, and spicy beef and lamb sausage with harissa mayonnaise. Salads and pasta feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include slices of saucisson and cured pork loin with French bread.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. No French menu would be complete without the poulet jaune grille, pan-roasted breast of corn-fed chicken served on a warm taboulé of bulgar wheat and a medley of roasted vegetables with minted crème fraîche, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Their Website will keep you updated on menu changes, news and other competitions and offers from the Café Society.

Zizzi Didsbury delivers authentic Italian cuisine in a bright, contemporary setting in the heart of this leafy suburb of Manchester The restaurant’s decor features striking wall murals inspired by the city’s history as the original home of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the spacious outdoor dining area is perfect for a relaxed al fresco meal during summer.

Zizzi is just a short walk from the Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden and Didsbury Park.

The restaurant's bustling open kitchen turns out a wide range of freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers traditional antipasti, pizza, pasta and salads, as well as seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.

Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.
 
Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu; creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.

More information can be found on their Website.

The lively La Tasca chain caters for parties, children's events and family gatherings in addition to anytime dining. These restaurants capture well the warm and vibrant spirit of Spain, and are best known for their tapas and traditional paellas.

Their star player is tapas, which can be had solo or in tandem with a meal. The calamares andaluza, deep-fried squid rings, served with roasted garlic mayonnaise and lemon, is great for sharing, while the chorizo frito al vino, spicy Spanish sausage flavoured with paprika, garlic and herbs, sautéed in red wine, offers a real treat. Chicken lovers order alitas de pollo, marinated chicken wings, or have skewers of chicken breast and pepper, marinated in paprika.

Valenciana is an interesting paella that combines seafood with chicken, and if you have a taste for trivia, you may be surprised to learn that 'la paella' actually refers to the utensil in which the dish is cooked.

Other than liqueurs and beer, there are wines from Spanish vineyards and sparkling cava. All of these, especially the dry rosé wines combine well with tapas. And you would be really getting into the spirit of things if you rounded off with the crema Catalana, traditional Spanish-style vanilla custard, topped with caramelised sugar.

La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurants and Bars today have over sixty outlets across the UK, so it is odds on there is a branch fairly close to your home.

Experience all the hallmarks of Indian fine dining at Sangam 2 in Wilmslow Road. Relax and unwind in sophisticated contemporary interiors. The spacious light filled venue which can accommodate 120 people welcomes guests with an à la carte menu for lunch or dinner. Special occasions can be hosted with the assistance of the restaurant's specialist team.

The menu features an array of tandoori, karahi and biryani dishes, alongside a wide selection of balti and curry choices. Diners can begin with fish tikka, mushroom pakora, paneer chilli, king prawn butterfly or vegetable samosa. The special mix grill offers lamb chops, chicken tikka, lamb tikka and seek kebab. Mains options include creamy shahi tikka korma cooked with butter, spices and tomato and garnished with nuts, sweet and sour lamb chasni made with a tomato and mango sauce and herbs, and fish narial, boneless cod fish in a coconut sauce with green chilli and coriander. Vegetable, meat and fish thali platters for two are also available. Customers can enjoy a cocktail or pre-dinner drink at the bar.

An attractive, contemporary venue in Wilmslow Road, Sanuk Thai Restaurant features freshly prepared food cooked with fine herbs and spices gathered from all over Thailand. Sleek contemporary interiors welcome guests for an enjoyable evening.

Lunch or dinner here could get started with prawn crackers, chicken in pandan leaves, sweet corn cake, steamed mussels, deep fried tofu or crispy aromatic duck with pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce. Choices of curry include red curry with aubergine, coconut milk and sweet basil, mild aromatic massaman curry with potato and peanut and hot and thick panang curry with coconut milk and lime leaves. The stir fried selection offers sweet and sour duck, beef ginger, chicken with cashewnuts, lamb with garlic and pepper sauce, tofu with broccoli and king prawn in a red wine sauce. Pad Thai, pad mee, egg fried rice or steamed jasmine rice completes the selection.

The Felicini chain of Italian restaurants opened its doors in northern England in 2003, and grew to become known for serving good quality modern Italian cuisine through a choice of menus all carrying the Felicini signature style of 'traditional classic with a distinctive modern twist'.

The contemporary havens are cut away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life with contemporary interiors incorporating dark wood, leather and mirrors. Each branch has a special style of its own, from being perfect pit stops for lunch, and favourite haunts of students, to places where you could enjoy a latte and watch the world go by.

The menus offers a range of tasty dishes such as starters of piatto grande di antipasto loaded with marinated olives and baby mozzarella, char-grilled chorizo, mixed bruschetta with prosciutto, tomato and basil and dips of hummus and spiced aubergine with garlic and cumin baked flatbread. Signature main courses consist of pan-fried sea bass fillet, slow-roasted confit duck leg, pizza and pasta, and delectable desserts like giant profiteroles.