When the Lowry Hotel and its River Restaurant opened in the early Noughties, it spelled a new dawn for discerning fine-diners who were hankering after a high-end eatery and, along with the subsequent work carried out by the likes of Michael Caines at Abode, it has a provided an award-winning dining experience in a city that's not exactly overflowing with starry options.

The Venue
Positioned slightly off the main Deansgate drag, the Lowry Hotel lies on the Salford-Manchester border in the redeveloped Chapel Wharf area. This is easily reached from the main shopping streets by the Trinity Bridge, which straddles the River Irwell. The River Bar and Restaurant occupies the first floor. The décor is stylishly modern throughout; red leather chairs surround wooden tables in the bar and panels divide the seating areas to create cosy alcoves. There is also a summertime terrace with river views. In the restaurant, starched linen, low lighting and leather booths are set against a pastel green hue that is echoed throughout the room’s furnishings. Futuristic floral displays sit atop surfaces and eye-catching artwork adorns the walls.

The Atmosphere
This is a fine dining restaurant without the stifling stuffiness that you often come to expect from a venue of this ilk. Being that stars of the screen – and the soccer pitch – can regularly be found eating here, it would be easy for the ambience to adopt an air of pretension – but it doesn’t. The exquisitely trained staff are genuinely sincere in their welcome to diners and the service is consistently good – whether you’re famous or not – and the atmosphere is simply relaxed.

The Food
Head chef Oliver Thomas champions a bounty of local produce on his beautifully executed modern British menu. Seasonally sourced ingredients include Worthington Farm Beets, Leagram’s Lancashire cheese, Ribble Valley chicken and even local beer from Manchester’s Marble Brewery appears on the menu in a fish batter disguise.

Starters are an irresistible option here. The delicate dish of Whitby crab with cucumber and tomato (£13.50) is a stunningly simple serving of soft, fresh crab meat that has been bound with chives and served alongside dices of the salad vegetables. You should also try the dived scallops with Bury Black Pudding and cauliflower puree (£12.50); the plump scallops are cooked expertly opaque and sit well alongside the subtle spiciness of the local black pudding.

The culinary thrill continues with the main courses and carnivorous customers should not come here without trying the braised Cheshire beef with celeriac puree, bacon and button onions (£22.75). Cooked slowly for four hours, the feather blade steak (which comes from the top shoulder) is meltingly tender and bursting with a beefy flavour that isn’t found in the more common cuts. An intensely rich jus is given a salty edge with bacon lardons and the puree delivers an earthy kick. Also try the Welsh Salt Marsh lamb rump with minted pea puree and pan fried sweetbreads (£23.50). The meat, which has a slightly saltier edge than normal lamb, is cooked sensitively to your liking and, when served pink, is beautifully tender. A vibrant pea puree echoes its sweetness and the sweetbreads bring richness. Side orders of vegetables, such as buttered spinach (£3.95), are a wise choice to accompany the main courses.

The kitchen’s culinary wizardry is certainly showcased in the desserts. The Earl Grey flavoured parfait with miniature chocolate Battenberg (£7) uses a vertically positioned ring of chocolate to surround the gently perfumed parfait, which has a notably smooth texture. Creativity also comes to the fore with the Snickers creme brulee with peanut butter mousse (£7). Toe-curlingly rich and unashamedly addictive, it screams naughtiness in the most delicious of ways.

The Drink
The wine list is excellently balanced to satisfy those on either end of the scale. A South African Oude Berge Chenin Blanc 2007 punches pear and citrus notes for just £17.50, while the Argentinean Malbec Alamos Mendoza 2006 comes in at £25. Fine wines also appear, with a bottle of Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2ieme Cru Classe St Julien 1982 available for £600. The offering of creative cocktails is also worth sampling and a choice of world beers is available.

The Last Word
This is an accomplished restaurant that celebrates skill, local ingredients and creativity in an honest way. While a meal at the River Restaurant may come at a price, the quality of food, the innovation with which it is cooked and the cosseted surroundings in which it is expertly served ultimately make it worth dipping into your pocket for.

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