MANNINGS has been a cornerstone of Truro's dining scene for decades, but does it still have the star quality that has ensured its longevity?

After spending 20 minutes loosening up the taste buds with a crisp G & T at the cocktail bar, my partner and I headed into the restaurant for the main event.

We opted for an Asian sharing platter to start, which was £19 for two of us.

There were two oddities with it - firstly, we had a "platter" each - so no sharing required - and secondly, it was served in an authentic wooden bowl.

In itself, not odd, but a strange choice given the fact that a quantity of the Asian salad slid through the slits in the bowl and ended up obscured from view on the plate below.

The tastes, however, were sensational. Tempura prawns, a Cantonese duck roll, chilli chicken bao buns and San Choy Bow which were fresher than a boy band haircut.

I even removed the bowl and hoovered up the escaped salad after I'd finished. Disgusting table manners, but very necessary.

Buoyed by the Asian occasion (there is an entire section of the menu devoted to it), I opted for Chinese Surf n Turf for main course.

This was Szechuan crusted 6 oz sirloin steak and Tempura sweet chilli king prawns served on Chinese wok fried greens, served with hand cut chips (rice was an option, but steak and chips should never be separated).

I asked for medium-rare and it arrived exactly as I'd hoped (ie not mooing). The Chinese greens took it to another level, with a smokey, crunchy element which complemented the meat perfectly.

The chips were also the winning combination of crunchy-and-fluffy, rounding up two splendid courses. 

My partner opted for the steak and stilton sizzler, an old-stager on the Mannings menu but one which did not disappoint.

Try as I might, I couldn't summon the strength for a dessert, partly because I didn't want it to take away the lingering joy of my Asian experience.

The wine list was fantastic (we plumped for an Italian red) and the service was the ideally delicate balance between friendly and intrusive.

Our cost (two people, including two courses and a bottle of wine): £79

Address: Lemon Street, Truro

Hours: 11am-9pm Mon to Thurs; 11am-9.30pm Fri and Sat; closed Sundays

Phone: 01872 270345

Ratings

Atmosphere: 4/5

Décor: 4/5

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Overall: 4/5

Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating: 5/5

In order to ensure objective reviews, the Mystery Diner is carried out on an independent basis without the prior knowledge of the establishment.