Are there any banner- waving protesters?

Will we have to run the gauntlet of the Foie Gras Liberation Front?

All is quiet.

They've been and gone quietly after chef-patron Bryan Moran told them that, yes, he did have the goose liver on his menu last year but it's not been on for some months and is not likely to return. Not because he doesn't want any trouble – Bryan's a big bloke – but because his customers don't ask for it.

Now Sheffield Animal Friends, who are the people targeting a number of local restaurants, are fully entitled to their opinions but the only person I want deciding what I am going to eat is myself.

As it was, I'd eaten foie gras until it came out of my ears in France the previous week - where restaurateurs I spoke to were, frankly, incredulous at such protests. But then a vegetarian in France runs the risk of being taken away by men in white coats.

Moran's, then, is foie gras free and flood free – it was out of action for a couple of months last year after the summer downpours.

It was mostly north and east Sheffield which got it but, as if Nature was deciding the posher parts of the city should get a token soaking, Moran's suffered as well.

Bryan, former head chef at the now deceased Aitch's wine bar in Bakewell and his partner, now wife, Sarah, opened in the summer of 2006. There's still an Aitch's connection as the wine is supplied by his former boss, now wine merchant John Hattersley.

The couple have made a good job of taking over a site which always had a good reputation. The former showroom is constrained by its shoebox-like shape and picture windows but there's a pleasing atmosphere.

Decor is relaxed (the walls painted grey or red and the tables don't have cloths) and so are the wine prices. On our previous visit the house was £17.95. The Morans have knocked four quid off it.

The cooking is up a notch or two, a lot more relaxed and pretty good – a fact recognised by the nominations in the Sheffield Area Restaurant Awards.

After good home-made breads my wife tucked into a twice-baked swede and farmhouse cheddar soufflé (£5.95).

"I chose it because I've never seen a swede soufflé," she says approvingly. It was light, sweet from the swede, offset by a different kind of sweetness from the thyme roasted apples, on mixed leaves with a mustard and shallot vinaigrette.

Bryan's really into dressings. The home- smoked duck starter has a pear vinaigrette, it's lemon and dill with the smoked haddock rarebit, grain mustard with the ham hock terrine, and caviar with the smoked salmon.

The only dish without a dressing was my cream of celery (£3.95) soup which really highlighted the pepperiness of the vegetable.

Bryan likes a touch of the oriental when he cooks and you get it with the slow roast belly pork (£16.95).
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