Impress the Big Cheese

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Step Four Choose your venue, we wholeheartedly recommend…

Chez Gerard King Street. 0161 214 1120. Right in the heart of the business district, so you'll be surrounded by others doing the same thing. Has big tan leather sofas - so if you boss is a big cheese type, he'll feel right at home. Food's great too.

The Ox 71 Liverpool Road. 0161 839 7740. Relaxed pub-style restaurant with a very classy feel to it. Good wine list and a perfectly executed menu of modern British dishes.

The Lime Tree Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury. 0161 445 1217. Ok, so you've got to really want that promotion to pod out for this one, as it's not cheap. But the dishes served here are so good they're guaranteed to distract the boss away from asking awkward questions that'll reveal your blatent lack of company knowledge.

Pacific 58 George Street. 0161 228 6668. You can be assertive about your restaurant of choice, but still allow your boss to be in control as he decides which floor to dine on - one's Chinese food, the other Thai. And both are excellent.

Croma Clarence Street, off Albert Square. 0161 237 9799. A lot like Pizza Express actually - but a whole lot better, and independent (so you'll look like you've made the choice of a forward thinking individual). Proper napkins and helpful staff are another bonus.

Step Five Choosing wine? Conversation pointers? Classic 'any situation' type gags? www. itchycity.co.uk has got all this covered within its cyber pages. You're pretty much sorted.

Step Six Accomplish mission and let us know how it went. Feedback is always welcomed on our message boards, though we're not taking any responsibility for any fancy cocktail induced moments of honesty, desperation or embarrassing begging. Sorry.

Now that you've found out where to stay, check out what Manchester offers in the way of places to stay and shops