The Dining Room

@ The Living Room
80 Deansgate
Manchester M3

Fellow students, you know the drill: open all windows as far as possible and begin spraying vast quantities of deodorant and expensive Eau de Toilette - not even the slightest whiff of wacky or not-so-wacky 'backy' must be smelt; race around the room with the crappy hoover that spews out more than it sucks up and bin that bra that's been hanging over your computer screen since Freshers' Week - whose was that anyway? Mum and Dad are on the way!

Yet this is the least you can do. After all, there's much to be gained from their visit, not least a trip to Sainsbury's for some real food - courtesy of their credit card, of course. And there's even the chance you'll be treated to a meal in town.

We dined at The Dining Room - the Ronseal of Restaurants i.e. it does exactly what it says on the tin. Located upstairs at Deansgate's ultra-smart The Living Room, it is the perfect venue for that special family meal. The award-winning décor is modern and minimal, but still warm and cosy, and neither the food nor the service can be faulted. The Piano music (think Ally McBeal) piped in from downstairs is the perfect complement to any meal.

However, as any good economics student will tell you, there's no such thing as a free lunch - not even with your parents. Good food comes at price. Despite my insistence that we all choose something different from the extensive menu (for review purposes, of course,) the parents both opted for the same: Grilled Goats Cheese with an onion marmalade and pesto tart (£4.75) followed by Sea bass fillets, roasted onions and peppers and beurre blanc (£13.95). I chose the smoked haddock and parsley fishcakes (£4.75) and the Monkfish Loin Brochette with wok-fried noodles, coconut and coriander jus (£11.95). This isn't a seafood restaurant of any kind, and it certainly wasn't Good Friday when we visited; we just felt like having fish (despite deciding against Livebait because no-one wanted fish earlier. Families, who'd have 'em?)

But the food could not have been better. The starters were beautiful both in terms of presentation and taste. The seafood dishes were "pukka," (to steal a phrase) and the portions very substantial, though we still managed dessert. Mum's just returned from France but was pleasantly surprised by the Crème Caramel (£3.95)- "mmm not bad at all." - that's about the best you'll get out of my mum. Dad opted for the Belgian Waffles with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream (£3.50) - "superb" - which I should have had instead of the chocolate fudge cake (£3.95), which was heavy and bit dry.

We drank too many bottles of wine from the varied wine list, which incidentally changes monthly and offers grapes to suit all palates and wallets. We managed to get through a bottle each of the French Alain Geoffroy Chablis which, at £23.95 a bottle, had quite an impact on the bottom line. (It doesn't help when the bill separates the food and wine totals.) The £146.20 bill forced my Dad's eyes out of their sockets and my mum into her handbag.

As the non-paying student, though, I was able to appreciate Oscar Wilde's observation: people today know the price of everything, and the value of nothing. And for what we ate (and drank), and where we ate and drank it - Posh and Becks dined there just the week before after all- this was excellent value.

I've since been invited back by fellow students for a celebratory meal. This time, I've had to decline: "Not this side of the student loan."