Red Chilli, Great Portland St, Manchester

Great expectations after reading in the Guardian a couple of weeks ago that this was worth a detour, if only to look at the names of the dishes. Would you eat something called Mrs Spotty's Bean Curd, a confection devised, apparently, by a leper? You ought to - it's lovely. I could not bring myself to order His 'n' Hers Sliced Lung, however. The predominant flavours on the menu are Sichuan, but there's other stuff for less robust appetites.

To start: prawn crackers and spring rolls - both quite okay; shredded mange tout in a sesame dressing and shredded chicken in a sauce. The mange tout was wonderfully refreshing and the perfect foil to the sauce on the chicken which, on a first tasting, seemed almost like a Thai peanut sauce but then, after a few seconds, shot flame from the bituminous regions of hell, detonating pepper corns in the back of the throat.

Mains were the aforementioned bean curd, served with a minced beef sauce and with a side order of Beijing dumplings, both pictured, filled with meat paste and veg, and, for the girls, shredded chicken with peanuts, peas, beans and pepper. A little too spicy for them, but the whole thing was so nicely done and with such nice staff that they want to go back to eat something like sweet and sour battered chicken. £48 for three including soft drinks.

Cappuccino count: 8/10. Some like it hot. Lots of favourable reviews on the web.

The Angel, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Eighteenth century grandeur in the town square and slap bang opposite the abbey ruins and the cathedral. Pictures show a building encrustulated with ivy, although most of it has been cut down. Still very grand.

A quick lunch: terrine of Suffolk ham with piccalilli served in a few leaves; rare tuna steak on green beans and skinned blanched peppers. My companion opted for mozzarella salad followed by beautiful little hand-wrought tortellini parcels with a cheesy filling. All delicious and beautifully presented, though this is another place where photographing the food would be to invite ejection.

£35 with a couple of drinks and a couple of double of espressos.

Cappuccino count: 7/10. A genteel experience. Food very good.

EV, Isabella St, Waterloo

Sorry there's no photo. I was so hungry, flustered and impatient that the plates were half empty before I realised. EV is in railway arches and includes a bar, deli and restaurant. Close by (20-minute walk in different directions) are branches of Tas, part of the same firm.

Started with a meze sampler with humus, kisir (crushed walnuts, oil, mint etc), dolma, tarama, kozda platlican (egg plant, tomato, garlic), felafal, some yogurty things, bit of bread. Followed with deep-fried squid in a sweet sauce and, slightly disappointing, koftie of lamb and pine nuts. But overall, very good and a lovely location. Just very relaxed.

Cappuccino count: 7/10. Staff really lovely but run off their feet on an unexpectedly busy Saturday afternoon. Will go again.