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hand picked restaurants

Should you feel an American moment coming on, get straight into the mood at a TGI Friday's. First thought of in New York in 1965, introduced to Birmingham, UK in 1986, they now, like so many other American concepts, are to be found on a global basis and have 48 outlets in the UK alone. According to Newsweek and The Saturday Evening Post, the opening of the first Friday's restaurant heralded the dawn of the singles age.

In many ways, TGIs are more representative of the American approach to eating out than some of their imitators. Their food is fresh, the portions generous and the cocktail list exhaustive. They also tend to represent the all-American classlessness that can produce a meal at any time, for any social group, for any reason, under the same roof, without a problem.

So what's on offer? The quick answer is, it depends rather on where you are, as menus do vary from one restaurant to another, but the essential message stays the same - American grub, fella! Appetizers - no starters please - could include Jack Daniel's wings, chicken wings coated in Jack Daniel's sweet 'n' smoky glaze, or spinach and artichoke hearts coated in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, served with crisp corn tortillas.

For a group assault try the Times Square big share, more of Jack Daniel's wings, cheese and bacon skins to the very brim, with crispy breaded mozzarella dippers and served with a battery of accoutrements.

The steaks are awesome, topping out with a 12oz rib eye. A range of burgers, ribs, chicken, fish, sandwiches, fajitas, salads and pasta embraces virtually every known twist in the repertoire of American cuisine. Chocolate fudge fixation perhaps sums up best, but by no means exclusively, the TGI approach to desserts.

From a list of over 500 cocktails, all mixed with exuberant charm, let's take just one. You thought Long Island Iced Tea was something polite Americans sipped after some gentle sailing? Think again. Vodka, gin, rum and orange liqueur, topped up with Coke, spin and pour. The popular drink was in fact, invented by TGIF. As with all cocktails you can choose between regular or ultimate, no questions asked. Beer, wine and soft drinks cover enormous range and they also offer good coffee.

It is not important which outlet of TGIF you visit, for if you enjoy the American style of eating, just look out for red and white stripes and you are likely to be happy.

To locate a Friday's nearest to you and get the world famous Friday feeling on any day of the week click on their Website.

Vibrant, stylish interiors and warm hospitality set the stage for an enjoyable dining experience at Panama Hatty's Grill, The Radius, Fairfax Road. A Latin American inspired menu sprinkled with dishes from around the world offers abundant choices from steaks to seafood while an eclectic good value cocktail menu and reasonably priced wine list enhances the pleasure.

The menu's popular hand picked selections include succulent slow roasted ribs, chilli beef tostadas, fajitas, jambalaya, char grilled steaks and Thai curries. The Panama super sampler for sharing offers barbeque ribs, deep fried potato skins, seasoned chicken goujons, firehouse corn-on-the-cob, tortilla chips and spicy coated onion rings with barbecue sauce, tomato salsa and soured cream. Fragrant lamb sizzle is presented on a hot skillet with coconut rice and a delicious lemon grass and sweet basil sauce; or tenderloin Creole, oven baked fillet of pork dressed in a mustard sauce and served with potato and caramelized apple mash. Exotic specialities of Thai fish cakes, tunayaki steak, moroccan tagine and messa risotto offer more variety. Desserts of melted chocolate fudge cake or rich toffee meringues bring the meal to a fitting end.

On Bury New Road in Prestwich, China Sun has started making oriental waves, creating an excited anticipation amongst locals with its friendly ambience, cheerful staff and above all, top quality food. Fresh ingredients and a skilled hand create some marvellous dishes which have become popular and well loved in the short space of time that they have been up and running.

Amongst soups, the crab meat and sweet corn is an enticing combination of the traditional with contemporary while the range of appetisers includes aromatic crispy duck with pancakes or sesame prawns on toast. Main courses demonstrate interesting variations with sizzling fillet steaks with green pepper in black bean sauce, tasty noodle and rice dishes and numerous stir fries. A tropical melon boat vies with the more well known banana fritters to provide a sweet ending to the meal. The wine list is a balanced compilation of some French and Old World selections that serves China Sun well.