Red Chilli - York

The delights of the Chinese dining experience, outside of China, are perhaps nowhere more beautifully presented than at Red Chilli restaurants. In the Red Chilli kitchens, highly skilled chefs - who have worked in various five-star hotels and Chinese embassies - create flavour-packed authentic cuisine, specialising in Beijing and Sichuan dishes. Perhaps begin with the five most popular cold starters from northern China - salty duck, five-spices beef, 'wonder' chicken, shredded mangetout salad and beancurd skin with spring onion. Mains offer a romp through the flavours of China, with the finest meat, vegetarian and seafood dishes, not to mention dumplings, buns and noodles.

One of the Red Chilli chefs worked for the original Beijing roast duck restaurant, and his version - charmingly named 'one-duck-two-dishes' - is exquisite. He slices the crispy skin in front of diners and serves it with honey sauce, shredded chives, cucumber and pastry. The rest of the bird can be used in soup or a stir-fry - the choice is yours. For those wishing to put their tastebuds in the safe hands of the chefs, a range of set banquets are offered, named 'First Date', 'Courtship', 'True Love' and 'Forever Vegetarian'. There are dim sum too - perfect for sharing with a bottle of wine. Ray King from the Manchester Evening News described the wine list as 'exemplary' and he wasn't wrong - there's a quality tipple to suit every taste and budget.

The warmth that welcomes you, in whichever Red Chilli you visit, is a perfect prelude to the meal that follows. It's no wonder Red Chilli's trophy case is heavy with accolades - named one of the top ten Chinese restaurants in the UK by The Sunday Times in 2006 and 2007, 'Chinese Restaurant of the Year' by the Leeds Evening Post 2007, and winning the Tsingtao Legacy of Taste 'Best Chinese Restaurant in the North of England 2008' award, Red Chilli is in a class of its own.