Sugarvine

Heald Green and Handforth share many suburban attributes. Originally leafy little villages on the edge of the Cheshire countryside, they were built mainly after the Second World War as the nearby Ringway Airport (now Manchester International) grew in size and substance. So, by and large, you won't find many buildings of distinction here. But, increasingly, the people who live in the vicinity are demanding decent places where they can chill out after a hard day's commuting to Manchester or Stockport.

The newest arrival in Heald Green is Sangam, on Wilmslow Road (pictured above). Formerly the Ali-Garh, it's now been refurbished and revamped by the same family operation who run similar outlets in four other locations. The original Sangam, opened 12 years ago in Rusholme, is still going strong. There are other offshoots in Didsbury, Heaton Moor and Hale. But the latest is the biggest and brightest. Elsewhere in the city, Sangam has won many plaudits for its cut-above-the-usual style of Indian cooking. The menu here boasts many tried and tested favourites from the Manchester prototype. Particularly famous is the lamb "Roasti" medium-spiced lamb on the bone cooked in a home-style Indian sauce rather than the Anglo-Indian masalas which tend to be standard fare.

There's room for 150 covers (180 once the planned extension is carried out) and the menu is extensive and all very reasonably priced. Starters include the usual favourites like samosas and seekh kebabs but, more unusually, there's fish tikka or lamb chop tikka. Poppadums and pickles cost only £1. You can also order thalis -- a selection of dishes -- for about £10 a head. For mains, check out more unusual dishes like Fish Narial (cod cooked in a coconut sauce with green chilli and coriander) or, if you like rich food, Tandoori Murgh Saag (half a tandoori chicken fried with onion and garlic in butter and cream served with a garlic spinach dressing). And there's lamb or chicken piaza, a very hot dish with green chillis, herbs and coriander. You can, of course, play it safe, with the baltis, bhuna and biryanis. Seven nights a week, the Sangam is a busy place and they also do Sunday lunch -- it's open from 3pm and booking is advised at weekends. In a nod to current trends, there is also a Thai menu - and separate chef - for those who prefer that cuisine. With drinks, it would be difficult to pay more than £20 a head for a full-scale blow-out. Even the priciest of wines (Chablis, Chateauneuf du Pape) check out at less than £20 a bottle.

Five minutes' drive away from Sangam is the Fragrant Harbour -- another family-run restaurant and this one has been around forever. It's sited on an unprepossessing block of 1960s shops but once you're inside it is cosy, excellent Cantonese fare and very reasonably priced indeed. There are the usual banquets and set meals, sizzling steaks and crispy duck on offer. Nothing particularly unusual about it but this is a real neighbourhood restaurant and some families have been coming for almost 20 years.

The downside of Heald Green is that its pubs are pretty uninspiring. A couple worth checking out are the Griffin, which is a favourite with lovers of real ale and the Heald Green. Behind the mock-Tudor façade is a Travel Inn (the airport is close by) and a large restaurant and bar with plenty of nooks and crannies. It's good value for a pub meal with lots of menus and dishes like paella and Moroccan lamb offering something a little bit different.

Just on the edge of Heald Green, heading for the airport, is the Moss Nook (pictured on home page), which is one of the poshest restaurants in Greater Manchester. High prices but it's very much worth it, and has won loads of awards, including a Michelin star. Inside, the mood is one of sheer luxury with lots of velvet, silver and linen. So get properly dressed up! It's formal dining in a setting in very stark contrast to the pretty unappealing Wythenshawe housing estate nearby and harks back to the area's rural past. The owners set up here about 20 years ago and have since moved up to the Lake District (though they make regular trips back to say hello to what is a very loyal clientele). The kitchen is in the capable hands of head chef Kevin Lofthouse who turns out splendid dishes in the traditional French haute cuisine mould. Menu choices change according to the seasons and can include everything from foie gras and soups replete with cream and fresh vegetables to fishy choices like Dover Sole and halibut with scallops in a parsley sauce. Another classic is duckling with orange sauce or, more unusually, redcurrant and elderflower dressing. Vegetarians take note that another signature dish is soufflé of Swiss cheese with chives and red-pepper sauce but in truth this is not a place for non-carnivores. Saddle of venison is another highlight. With puds, cheese, amuse bouche etc expect to pay at least £60 a head. Booking essential as this is one of the best restaurants for miles and always pretty full.

Handforth, just two miles or so away, also favours the ethnic approach to dining out. The classiest Chinese in the village is Handforth Cantonese. Not the most exciting of names but it really has a well-deserved reputation for excellent seafood and lavish banquets, in a sumptuous, traditional Chinese setting. Squid, seabass and crabmeat all feature -- and there is a vegetarian banquet available too. You can dine stupendously well for under £30 a head. Over the road is Ocean City, which offers similar Cantonese fare for prices which are a little less expensive. Here they also do a wide range of special deals. Monday night has free starters, and on Tuesdays you can buy one meal and get one free. So it's great if you're on a budget.

The two other restaurants in the village are both Indian. Lal Quila, the newer arrival, has a satellite branch in Rusholme and has recently been refurbished. It's licensed, has a reasonably priced bill of fare, and is popular with families. The Handforth stalwart curry-wise is the Hilal, an impressive building that has a lavish Far Pavilions look about it, complete with snazzy lounge bar so it's a good place to go on a date. At both, you will find a vast array of Indian dishes designed to satisfy the seemingly insatiable curry palates of the British. Pub food can be found at the Freemason's Arms down the road or the Railway which is just by the, er, station.

Anglo-French fare can be found at the Belfry House Hotel, which is open for lunches, light dinners, or full-blown gourmet meals for £34 a head. They do Friday night dinner dances and it also boasts B-Bar, a retro-style café where you can unwind in the bar or conservatory, or if the weather permits, outside in the garden. There's everything from morning coffee to bar snacks and afternoon tea here. At the weekends, music too. All this plus the delights of a health spa and hotel.