Zouk

The winner of the 2012 Manchester Tourism Award for Restaurant of the Year is an impressive 300 seat space just off the Oxford Road corridor.

Modern and sleek and a far cry from the curry mile, Zouk offers Indian cuisine of the highest standard in a large, two-storey restaurant where you can also dine alfresco in the outdoor shisha lounge.

It's not only the dark wood and glass interior that give Zouk a modern feel – so does the menu. An extensive vegetarian and seafood range ensures that everyone has plenty to choose from, and regularly changing specials promise something new on return visits. Traditional favourites sit nicely alongside modern fare; you can have burgers, steaks and if you're brave enough, there’s pan-fried sheep's brain. You can even treat your party to a whole stuffed lamb.

If your passion for Indian and Pakistani food extends beyond just eating it, Zouk also offers a cookery school. For half a day, you can learn how to make authentic grilled starters, curries and naan breads in the capable hands of the Zouk chefs.

This Manchester restaurant is the second in the Zouk empire, having been preceded by the well established Zouk in Bradford. If this is anything to go by, look out for more in the future.