Ego, Lichfield

Monday is a notoriously quiet day in the restaurant trade,

, hence the reason many decide to stay shut at the start of the week.

It's a frustrating custom though for us foodies, don't you think? Even now, it's only while stood in the cold, peering into a deserted, darkened and locked building that it occurs to me that much of the nation is holed up in front of the fire watching a double dose of Corrie and wouldn't dream of venturing out this early in the week.

The tradition of closing at the start of the week certainly hasn't been adopted at this week's chosen spot. Arriving at around 7.40pm last Monday night, at Ego in Lichfield, I was surprised to see more than half the tables at this very large restaurant full.

The friendly fellow who greeted us checked what looked like a rather complicated timetable to ensure they could fit just the two of us in.

Ego opened in Lichfield in 2008 and has grown to become one of the city's most popular restaurants. It's actually part of a chain, but certainly one I was not familiar with. The nearest one to its sole Staffordshire base is Kenilworth in Warkwickshire, while the rest are concentrated in the northwest of the country, around Cheshire and Warrington.

Mediterranean in style, it proclaims to make its guests "feel like you've entered a little oasis a thousand miles from the stresses of daily life".

The Ego concept began up north 11 years ago, has steadily grown ever since and is set to expand even further. Its owners say they are on the lookout for only "affluent suburban and city centre properties," which gives you an idea of the kind of standards they want to maintain.

They've certainly picked a prime spot in New Minster House in Bird Street. Floor to ceiling windows look out onto the picturesque Minster Pool, and in the darkness we could just about make out the spires of the cathedral – a truly beautiful view during the day I'm sure.

Spotting an alfresco dining area on the other side of the window, I made a mental note to return in both sunnier and brighter climes.

It wasn't just the outside that was impressive. Inside, the place was buzzing. Thanks to its many packed tables, it had a lively and vibrant atmosphere but still felt chilled and relaxed.

Its decor is simple and not overbearing – polished wooden floors and matching tables and chairs set against red walls and the lovely large windows. A raised area in the middle of the room features more seating, with many tables seating 10 people or more.

There were a couple of large groups in there celebrating something or other, while the rest of the room seemed to be made up of smaller groups of friends and couples. A very bright and bubbly waitress announced she would be looking after us.

After my work colleague and I ordered a glass of wine, priced around £5 each, our server advised us the popular Monday night offer might be more economical. Two courses and a bottle of wine, for just £17.50 each.

It sounded perfect, although my friend had chosen to be the designated driver, which meant I would be getting the lion's share of the vino. Only hours before I'd been telling my other half I was planning to cut down, but hey ho, all in the name of research.

Within minutes a lovely chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc was being opened at our table.

"I'll keep the other one behind the bar for now, shall I?" our smiley waitress inquired. We looked at each other confused.

"The other..?" my pal started, until it dawned on us that the Monday night offer actually included a bottle of wine each!

Only moments earlier I'd been professing that I was going to cut down on the old alcohol intake and here I was, eyeing up an entire bottle.

My preferred choice to start was moules mariniere, but we were informed they were off the menu. Instead I had chicken liver and rosemary paté, with two slices of crusty bread and redcurrant chutney. As often is the case with this meal, the bread-to-topping ratio was biased towards the paté, but nevertheless, it was rich and meaty and the chutney bursting with fruity flavour.

My friend had a delicious plateful of bruschetta – grilled ciabatta smothered in juicy vine-ripened tomatoes, pesto and garlic.

I went on to have lamb osso bucco – a spiced lamb shank with slow-roasted vegetables, a dish which hails from Milan. It was divine – huge chunks of meat came off the bone, it really was beautifully cooked. I ordered a generous helping of creamy olive mash to accompany it at an extra charge of £2.95 – a price I didn't mind paying after our bargain deal.

My colleague cashed in with her choice of steak frites, which is usually priced £13.95. She opted to have the 28-day aged, chargrilled sirloin steak cooked medium to welldone and said it was just to her liking. It came with thick cut chips and the choice of sauce for £1.25.

Once again bouyed by our bargain, we decided to splash out on dessert, both opting for a crepe with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream. It was devilishly delicious and left us both feeling very satisfied indeed. Bottles Neither of us felt sickly full despite our feast, a sure sign of well-cooked, well-designed food if ever there was one.

Our bill came to approximately £53, an astonishingly good deal considering the same meal and drinks would have cost us £80 without the offer. If Monday night's not your thing there's 'prix fixe' – two courses for £11.95 or three for £13.95, 4pm to 7pm Monday to Friday and all day Sunday.

We left, rather more tipsy than planned, with our bottles in hand.

"So are you opening any more round here?" I asked one member of staff as we approached the doors.

"I reckon so, yes. We've done quite well during the recession. We're always busy," he replied.

It's no surprise with eye-opening deals like this. What a great way to start the week.

ADDRESS

Ego, Bird Street, Lichfield WS13 6PW

Phone: 01543 258234

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Grilled goats cheese on toasted brioche – £4.75; Dolcelatte and garlic mushrooms – £4.95; Warm chicken and

chorizo salad – £4.95; Chicken liver and Rosemary paté with crusty bread and chutney – £4.95; Rope grown mussels in a garlic, shallot, cream and white wine sauce – £5.75

Mains

Tuscan meatballs in rustic tomato sauce – £7.95; Sicilian seabass with salsa verde – £11.95; Beef bourguignon with

parsnip crisps – £8.95; Pesto Gnocchi with toasted pine nuts and pancetta – £7.95; Moroccan Lamb Tajine with vegetables and cous cous – £9.95

Desserts

A selection of crepes with various toppings – from £3.95; Warm chcoclate fondant with ice cream – 4.95; Mascarpone and vanilla cheescake with blueberry sauce – £4.75; Mediterranean cheese board with tomato chutney (for 2 to share) – £8.25; Tiramisu – £4.95