NEXT time you want to feel a little special, Piccolino Caffé Grande overlooking Manchester’s grade-one listed town hall could be the place for you.
Very much a grande dame of the city’s vibrant restaurant scene, the former bank has just reopened after a tasteful refurb, giving a new sheen to the signature blue leather seats and Monte Carlo-style burnished brass ceilings.
Hell-bent on a night of swanky decadence and shucks to the cost, our coats were whisked away on arrival and we were invited to peruse the menu at the bar with a cocktail, an invitation I never pass up. 
We were soon getting outside a pair of attentively mixed negronis, but as my guest had been eyeing up the menu online for days, the perusing was a bit of a formality. But it was a welcome excuse to crowbar in a pre-aperitif.
Some of what we wanted was to share, like the antipasti di montagna, and we’d already decided to split a pasta course for our plat primi (on two plates, naturally), so I knew the truffle special was coming my way.
That just left mains to choose, and I went for the whole sea bream with lemon and rosemary, served on the bone (or off – your choice) with a salsa verde and rosemary roast potatoes. Our other main was slow cooked duck in Grand Marnier and orange sauce, with charred broccoli.
Negronis polished off nicely, we were guided to a fantastic table in one of the warmly lit dining rooms by our waiter José, which was so spacious, I asked if others were joining us. But no. Space is just part of the ‘making you feel special’ vibe. And it works a treat.
We order a couple of fizzy cocktails, an elderflower spritz and a bellini, to wash down the antipasti, and both were classic and elegant.
We also chose a bottle of their mid-range Primitivo. At £37, I expect a wine to taste like someone, somewhere has loved it, and I wasn’t disappointed.
We were impressed by the range and quality of the meats, cheeses, breads, and preserved vegetables when our antipasti arrived, and very grateful José warned us off ordering the large option. For two people, the small was still generous.
Next, the pasta, which was very simple, and all the better for it. Fresh spaghetti, parmesan, and a ladleful of salty cooking water, beaten together to make a very natural tasting sauce. What more do you need if you’re going to cover the lot in piles of shaved black truffle?
My sea bream, which followed, was plump and beautifully trimmed, and José was there at my elbow with a plate for the bones without me having to ask. It was a real treat.
The duck was pretty good too, and the sauce balanced richness with acidity very well.
Pretty stuffed by now, if I hadn’t been reviewing, I might have skipped desert, but no – I’m a professional. We went for a classic tiramisu and a zeppole, or soft choux bun filled with Nutella ice cream. Both were excellent.
Coffees and cognacs followed, just to take the bloat off, then a slow waddle back to the train station for the journey home.
As we both slept soundly on the train, anyone watching us would recognise the contended glow of a pair of half-cut greedy gobble gannets who’ve been treated wonderfully, served plenty of exactly what they asked for, and hadn’t been confronted with any unwelcome surprises.
And at the end of the day, you can’t say fairer than that.
(Price for drinks, four courses, wine, and service - £260)
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