Smiths Restaurant, Manchester

My mother and I visited Smiths on Tuesday. I booked a table for 8pm having been warned that it is busy almost every night. I now understand why.

For non-residents of Eccles, unfamiliar with the precinct and the one way system, this is a devil of a restaurant to find by car. My A-Z of Manchester did not help much as I failed to find the right end of Church Road, which Smiths is on, but split by a pedestrian area in the middle.

I later discovered that if you go along St Mary's Road, it is a two-way street and leads straight to the right end of Church Road, where the restaurant nestles.

Tuesdays at Smiths is the night when there is a live jazz duo performing - keyboard player and sax/clarinet/flautist - and there is a set three course menu for £13.95.

In addition there is a large selection of specials on the chalk board, which looked very appetising.

When we arrived nearly all the tables were occupied and the jazz men were in full flow.

We were seated opposite the door, which is unfortunate because every time someone came in I could feel a cold draught round my legs.

Nevertheless, the ambience in this restaurant is right up my street - when I can find it, that is. It's very laid back and friendly, with the subdued up-lighting complementng the terracotta decorated interior, and candles on the tables.

Even on the set menu there was a wide variety of attractive dishes on offer.

Starters on offer included such delights as cream of fish and seafood soup; chicken and sweet corn soup; black pudding wrapped in bacon; grilled and served with a creamy mustard sauce; a salad of mozzarella cheese, red onion, tomato and basil with an olive oil dressing; greenlip mussels topped with garlic butter, parmesan and breadcrumbs - then grilled; a potato, cheddar cheese and chive croquette, deep-fried and served with a sunblushed tomato dressing; a salad of artichoke hearts, watercress, parma ham and spring onion with a balsamic vinegar dressing.

My mother opted for the black pudding, while I had the mussels. Both these proved to be excellent choices.

What I particularly liked was the quality of the food without unnecessary volume, which may have destroyed our appetite for the main course.

For the main course, my mother opted for lamb casseroled with mushrooms, garlic and rosemary and finished with cream.

I chose the salmon fillet served on fried onions and peppers, topped with pesto dressing. Pesto is made with basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan and pine nuts.

Our dishes arrived with a generous supply of potatoes, mange tout, and courgettes in a tomato dressing.

Mine was simply delicious, the pesto added to the flavour of the salmon perfectly, while my mother reported her that lamb was simply delicious.

We were in the mood for sweets, and Smiths duly obliged with a superb creme brulee for me and a sweet pastry case filled with mixed berries topped with creme fraiche and berry sauce for my mother.

Both these puddings turned out to be a superb way of rounding the meal off. Two fine cups of coffee followed were satisfied.

The service was friendly and attentive, even if the staff lost the plot a little towards the end when I found it difficult to get their attention. But this is a minor criticism.

Certainly, the live music added to the enjoyment of the evening.

Car parking - once you've found Smiths - is right next to the restaurant.

Access for the disabled could be an issue, my mobility impaired mother struggled a little bit with the deep steps up to the front door as did the woman who came in on two crutches shortly after us.

Smiths would be an excellent restaurant for a romantic date or night out - if you can get a seat way from the door.

This was a highly enjoyable eating out experience.

Smiths, 3 Church Road, Eccles, Manchester

Tel: 0161 788 7343

Open Tuesday to Sunday

Star rating: ****