A Brighton institution in the heart of the famous Lanes, Gars has been serving Chinese food with attitude for over 20 years. This family-run restaurant is smart, sophisticated and streamlined, with polished bamboo flooring and modern silk shades. It’s set over three floors, with a private function room and bar downstairs (with the possibility of karaoke if the mood takes you), a ground-floor section with red-leather panelling and soft lighting, and the first-floor dining rooms. The food is a clever mix of classic and modern Chinese, alongside other Asian favourites like Thai green curry and salmon teriyaki. Start with tender beef carpaccio served with sesame and chilli dressing, then dither between fresh scallops in black bean sauce, lamb shanks with ginger and spring onions or the sensationally savoury Cantonese roast duck. Your stomach may tell you there’s no room for the gorgeous toffee bananas. Ignore it.