Francs is a long standing French restaurant in Altrincham; three minutes from the tram, it’s been going for over ten years and is owned by Nick Banks, the region’s biggest chef. Nick is a Francophile and this is reflected in the décor of his restaurant in Goose Green, which has a lovely, lively high-end brasserie feel to it. It’s lively and great fun. An all rounder, birthdays mix with young couples and groups of friends catching up. It’s a very French affair.

Nicks food is big, bold and brassy, mixing colour, ingredients and flavours as only a veteran of the kitchen can do. Nick is not interested in food fashions. His cooking is brilliant and has been for a good while. Breasts of duck have crispy skin and pink, blushing meat, scallops are seared on the outside and translucent in the middle.

A rack of lamb is Welsh, with a covering of fat that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall would applaud. The meat, protected, is tender heaven. Green vegetables are al dente and an onion soup is caramelised to the point where you need to check on whether it’s a savoury or a pudding, but the shot of brandy pulls you back to the dark side. Did I mention the gruyere croutons on top?

Puddings are straight out of Elisabeth David. Pancakes are exactly that, the ones your mum did for you on pancake night with ice cream so sexy you need to find a room. Cheeses arrive at room temperature and by all the Gods in heaven, the trifle….

We've got this very special menu on offer throughout February. It's a bargain at £25 for three courses and half a bottle of house wine.