This award-winning Szechuan chinese restaurant is a destination for food lovers and a favourite of the Observer’s Jay Rayner. There’'s a sister outlet 403-419 Oxford Road opposite the University which is more spacious and airy, but Chinatown’'s cellar space remains the original - and is considered by MFDF critics to be the better of the two. Food is hot – either hot with dried or fresh chillis, or hot with lip-numbing Szechuan peppers, or both. So it’s not for the faint of heart. The rich, unctuous hot pots offer a traditional experience, served with bowls of boiled rice, while side dishes include crispy fried potatoes (like a bird’s nest of carbo-sprigs, dressed with chillis), spicy whelks, and lily bulbs (a delicate take on leeks) with…chilli. Whole fish is a great option, boned at the table, as are spicy fillet steak rolls. The truly adventurous will find plenty to enjoy too, with offal a feature across the menu. Best enjoyed as a selection of dishes to share in this warm, bustling space, with functional service and a simple colour scheme. A surprisingly varied wine and beer list completes the occasion.

This venue is listed in our Taste of Manchester Taste Charts: