Tatyan's is something of a Cirencester institution having been established in the town more than 20 years ago.

It has a reputation around the Cotswolds for excellent authentic Chinese food served in pleasant and friendly surroundings.

And it seems to be well deserved.

We visited on a midweek lunch time and the place was bustling.

There were single diners, couples and some mums and daughters who looked like they'd been on a shopping spree.

Some must have been regulars as the helpful, friendly staff greeted them like old pals and seemed to know what they would order.

It was our first visit, attracted in by the appealing decor, tasty looking menu - and a good lunchtime special deal.

The restaurant in Castle Street has large windows at the front, just right for watching the world go by.

Inside the decor is of vibrant shades of green, red and yellow. It's light and bright and has a modern Oriental feel. There are ceiling fans, big gilt mirrors, plenty of greenery and cane chairs, making you feel that you just might have wandered into a restaurant in Shanghai.

We were presented with a complementary bowl of prawn crackers while we settled down to study the menu, which is always a nice touch.

And no eyebrows were raised when we ordered just one glass of wine (£3.25) and asked for a jug of tap water. That, and the fact we had a lunch special each, meant the bill was reasonable enough.

But if I had one criticism of Tatyan's it would be that although the dishes live up to them in terms of quality, the prices are high. For example, starters include sesame prawn toast at £5.75, steamed scallops at £9 and Wan Ton soup. A quarter of Peking Duck is £9.95 while many of the main course chicken and pork dishes are around the £7.50-£7.95 mark and beef dishes £7.95 to £8.95; steamed rice is £2.50.

However the food itself, on our visit, couldn't be faulted. The menu consists of dishes from the classic regions of Chinese cuisine: Peking, Sichuan and Canton and has an emphasis on freshness and healthy ingredients.

We enjoyed one of the lunchtime specials at £8.95 each for two.

There were prawns and pickled cabbage, chilli chicken with bean curd, and noodles.

And we added a couple of starters - of deep fried courgettes and crispy wan ton - both £4.75 each but with a total of £4 off because we were having a lunch deal. The courgettes and chilli chicken were particular hits but it was all good and clearly freshly prepared. They say you get what you pay for and, if you don't mind paying Cotswold prices, Tatyan's won't disappoint.

Tatyan's

27 Castle Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1QD

Telephone: 01285 653529

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday noon to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm; Sundays 6pm to 10.30pm