Cafe Rouge, Kensington

I have been to the Cafe Rouge on Kensington Church Street many times.  Yes, it's a chain and no, the interior is not particularly inspiring but the food has always been good and High St Kensington has such a dearth of good restaurants (please do inform me if I am missing a corker).  Anyway, this was the reasoning behind a catch up with two friends here.  The service has always been friendly too, incidentally.

We started with some house red wine, which was very good, and the waiter made a little cheer when we decided to have another bottle.  At this point, we thought it may be wise to have some food.  One friend skipped, another had a croque monsieur and I had fishcakes.  The croque monsieur looked good - a generous size on good bread with lots of cheese and some nice ham.  Sadly my fishcakes didn't hit the mark.  There were two, and they were quite a good size, but they were so dry and mostly padded out with potato.  I managed to find some flaky chunks of overcooked salmon nestled in there somewhere.  The lime and coriander mayonnaise was fine, and the fries were very good - lovely and thin and crispy.

It was busy for a Monday night yet we had no trouble with service, which always puts me in a better frame of mind about a place.  But still... I think here, stick to classics.

One course and half a bottle of wine: £18 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 27/40

Cafe Rouge, 2 Lancer Square, Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4EH.  Tel: 020 79384200.

New Culture Revolution, Chelsea

It was a Saturday night and a friend and I had intended a night in with X Factor, or perhaps the cinema, but at the last moment we fancied eating out.  Cheap and cheerful was the way forward and we ended up at New Culture Revolution on the Kings Road.  It was full but a couple were just leaving and so we were seated immediately and presented with menus.

There's nothing surprising on there but we were happy to go for classics.  To start, chilli squid and spring rolls didn't disappoint.  The prawn crackers were of the Chinese takeaway variety though - thin and cardboardy as opposed to the thick crunchy ones you usually get in restaurants.  My sauteed chicken char mein for main course was substantial and tasty.  Katy's chicken tong mein was a little bland I think but brimming with vegetables and improved with seasoning.

The service was fine - a little slow, but generally helpful.  The atmosphere was subdued for a Saturday night, with bright lighting and a canteen feel, which I suppose is what it's based on really.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £18 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

New Culture Revolution, 305 Kings Road, London, SW3 5EP.  Tel: 020 73529281.

The Mango Tree, Belgravia

A celebratory meal was in order and a friend and I chose The Mango Tree as our destination.  We booked the day before and, despite it being a very big restaurant, I was glad we did because it was packed and there were people waiting.

The atmosphere was really buzzy but not too noisy and the sleek interior is smart but not so smart that it's formal.  In short, I liked it.  We had an offer with Toptable and so we felt we could order without worrying about prices.

To begin we ordered the kong wang luam mid, which is an assorted platter for two, featuring chicken and beef satay, shrimp cakes, fish cakes, vegetable spring rolls and a papaya salad.  It was really delicious, the meat was juicy and flavoursome, the spring rolls not greasy (my bugbear) and the fishcakes had a good spicy tang.  The salad was fresh although it's a hard one to share, I find.  My main course was so so good - a panang curry with lamb shank which was so beautifully tender it literally fell off the bone.  Charlotte's yellow curry with monkfish and butterfish was full of big chunks of lovely fish. 

The service was attentive and friendly.  The house wine was very good.

My only reservation would be that without a discount it would be quite expensive and the wine list begins at about £20, so potentially, not a cheap night.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £35 per head (without Toptable discount)

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 32/40

The Mango Tree, 46 Grosvenor Place, London, SW1X 7EQ.  Tel: 020 78231888.

The Sun and Doves, Camberwell

I was a little disappointed that by the time two friends and I wandered down to The Sun and Doves on a Sunday evening they had already run out of roasts but it was hardly surprising: this is a lovely pub inside, lots of tables, light, relaxed and with a mixed clientele.

The do a BBQ menu in the summer which we were invited to select from.  There was a variety of meat/fish/veggie options and they serve your selection with a mixture of the day's salads (which you don't choose yourself).

My salmon was a decent portion and there was a great deal of salad.  The fish was plain and tasty without sauce but the dish became a little repetitive with a huge mound of raw cabbage, coleslaw, new potatoes and green leaves.  It actually sounds blander than it was but I thought for the price I could have had a bit more zing.  My companions' meals were better - a steak and Guinness pie was very tasty with a big side of fat chips and a vegetarian option (which I afraid I have forgotten) went down well.

A nice big glass of red wine rounded off the weekend.

One course and a glass of wine: £14 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 27/40

The Sun and Doves, 61-63 Coldharbour Lane, London, SE5 9NS.  Tel: 020 77331525.

Gordon's Wine Bar, Embankment

A gorgeously sunny Saturday late afternoon saw a me and a friend in the Embankment area.  What better way to while away the hours than with a bottle of rose and a ploughmans at Gordon's?

Somehow we managed to find a table to perch at and I wrestled through the crowds to order cheese (brie and applewood smoked cheddar - I asked for a recommendation) with three different sorts of bread (white, brown and one with lots of nuts and seeds) and pickled onions, gherkins and pickle.  

It was delightful - rustic, unpretentious and very good value for money - given that you get huge chunks of cheese and bread - more than enough for two people.  And, the cheese was beautiful - creamy brie contrasting with the deeper sweetly smoky cheddar.

The interior of the wine bar is underground - lots of little tables in dark nooks and romantic corners and I have yet to ever get a table there.  Outdoors, though, is just as lovely - a stone's throw from the river and lots of wrought iron tables under awning.  Definitely one to try.

Half a bottle of wine and a ploughmans to share: £11 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 29/40

Gordon's Wine Bar, 47 Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NE.  Tel: 020 79301408.

Crazy Homies, Westbourne Grove

Delicious, delicious food in Crazy Homies.  We booked for 7 on a Friday night and the place was rammed.  A table for three consisted of a small round affair, more like a cafe than a restaurant, with two on a booth and me perched on stool.  It wasn't the most comfortable restaurant experience - when I went to the loos I decided I would much rather have been downstairs which was way bigger and had more party-esque music.

However, we ordered margharitas, both original and strawberry, and shared chicken nachos to begin which was a generous portion with jalapeno, black olives and coriander as well as the usual cheese, salsa and sour cream combo.  

Continuing the chicken vibe we also shared mains - enchiladas, burritos and quesadilla.  They all tasted really hot and fresh, not like they had been sitting somewhere and getting soggy for ages, which is sometimes the case.  The chicken was beautifully marinated, too.

The service was friendly, although they were pushed to the limit as it was so busy.  A fun night out and worth a try.

Two courses and two cocktails: £30 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 29/40

Crazy Homies, 125 Westbourne Park Road, London, W2 5QL.  Tel: 020 77276771.

The Walmer Castle, Notting Hill

The Walmer Castle has an almost entirely Thai menu, as so many pubs seem to these days.  There are about 10 of us from the office having lunch together and so we choose to sit in the raised area at the back, with a sofa and two tables where we can all squeeze in.

You order and pay at the bar; the service is efficient although it could be a little friendlier.  The meals are all generous in size but arrive so quickly that they are obviously all sitting waiting to be served up.  My nasi goreng (fried rice with chicken, prawns, vegetables and egg) has quite a good amount of meat and veg but is a little too much on the greasy side.  Despite this it is tasty and I can't pretend I didn't eat it all.  A colleague's laksa looks appealing: the rice is served in a ball on the side and there are big chunks of chicken.  Sing chow mei is a big portion of noodles with various accompaniments including some nice spicy pork.  Two of our party have burgers but they are disappointed - they don't like the patties and the bun is a bit sad.  The chips are good though - hot and crispy.

The Walmer is a quick, good value lunch option and definitely a useful alternative to the burgers and wraps served ad infinitum in other pubs in the area.

One course and a soft drink: £8.50 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 25/40

The Walmer Castle, 58 Ledbury Road, London, W11 2AJ.  Tel: 020 72294620.

The Big Easy, Chelsea

Another visit to The Big Easy was requested when my friend returned from working at the Olympics in Beijing.  We booked for a Tuesday night and went to catch up.  It is a good job we booked.  The Big Easy is rammed every single time I go.

The service was lovely as always, smiley and ready with a recommendation or a joke.  We sat at the front this time next to the window with a good view of the whole restaurant. Sipping frozen margheritas we couldn't resist the golden chicken tenders to start with again.  The strips of chicken are so tender they literally fall off the skewers and are coated in light crunchy breadcrumbs.  The honey mustard sauce has a delicate flavour - divine.

For main course this time I had the Chicken "Lux" burger... wow.  A huge piece of chicken breast with streaky bacon, home made guacamole, farmhouse cheddar and mayo.  Everything was great, even the ubiquitous lettuce was fresh and added to the experience.  The French fries and home made coleslaw were beautiful and the focaccia was soft and tasty.  The Big Easy and Gourmet Burger Kitchen truly do the best burgers.  James's chophouse burger delivered similar results - a simpler affair with big juicy beef tomato, red onion and dill pickles.

I always wish I could fit in a pudding but never can here - next time I am skipping on the starter on purpose.

Two courses and two cocktails: £30 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 32/40

The Big Easy Bar B. Q. & Crabshack, 332-334 Kings Road, London, SW3 5UR.  Tel: 020 73524071.

The Bellstone, Shrewsbury

The Bellstone is somewhat of an institution amongst me and my friends.  Ever since we first discovered 'going for a coffee' or meeting for lunch on a Saturday we have been frequenting The Bellstone, which is right in the heart of Shrewsbury, and a stone's throw from our old school.

Unfortunately, the standard of food and service has slipped so much over the years that were it not for so many fond memories I would certainly have stopped going there a long time ago.  However, I haven't and one Saturday while on a trip home over the August bank holiday I met with my best friend to discuss her wedding plans and to dissuade her from putting me in a peach taffeta bridemaid's dress.  We were seated immediately in the restaurant section at the back, which is a very nice room with black marble-esque tables and sturdy metal framed wicker chairs.  It has light wood floors and lots of natural light making a very nice atmosphere for a chat and a glass of wine.  We didn't want a huge meal and both chose a jacket potato - mine with tuna mayonnaise and sweetcorn and Hannah's with coronation chicken.

I was so very disappointed.  The potato was pretty small and seemed to have been baked in the microwave as the skin was not at all browned or crispy.  The filling was fine but basic and needed a lot of seasoning.  Hannah's was of a similar quality with a bland sauce.  Neither came with anything - not even a meagre side salad.  For the price (£6.25) this seems stingy.

The service was fine, not particularly friendly or attentive.  The staff seem to constantly be talking amongst themselves and you do not get the impression that they welcome an interruption.

Will I be coming back?  Hmm... perhaps not.

One course, a soft drink and a glass of wine: £14 per head

Value: 4/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 5/10

SCORE: 22/40

The Bellstone, Bellstone Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1HU.  Tel: 01743 242100.

The Angel on the Bridge, Henley on Thames

It's a funny thing but there is only one place, really, to eat on the river in Henley.  On a soggy turned sunny Sunday three of us out for a birthday out of London entered the beer garden of The Angel on the Bridge in the hope of securing a table.

The last picnic bench beckoned and we sat with pinot grigio watching boats cruise by.  There are a lot of outdoor tables which all share one big blackboard style menu.  To order you must weave your way into a very small inside bar and carry sauces and cutlery back with you.  But this is, I remind myself, a pub and not of the gastro variety.  In fact for this we were quite glad as we cheerfully tucked into Brakspear beer battered cod, chips and peas, roast beef and Cajun chicken with salsa (not all at once).  The food was as you might expect.  Served respectively with a mound of chips, veg and chips, it was of a pretty good quality - nothing remarkable but we managed it all and the service was with a smile - the guy who brought over the food brought us extra condiments without request, just in case we needed them.

One course and a third of a bottle of wine: £15 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 27/40

The Angel on the Bridge, Thameside, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1BH.  Tel: 01491 410768.

L'Antipasto, Battersea

Its location, midway between all our homes, and the fact that it offers 50% off main courses on a Thursday (among other nights) led us to select L'Antipasto for a friend's leaving meal.  She was off on a nine month trip to Australia, via Japan and China, and then later visiting New Zealand and Thailand to finish in the US.  We didn't, therefore, mind sending her off with some simple European fare.

I booked about ten days earlier as I suspected it might be busy.  I was right - the queue was out of the door when we got there.  They don't allow bookings for smaller parties - I don't know what the cut off size is but as a party of 8 we were able to reserve.  Another suspicion of mine that was also proved correct was that this is not a place for posh nosh.  This is a neighbourhood trattoria serving traditional Italian dishes at fair prices.  We began by sharing garlic bread, which came as a slim pizza base cut into around 10 slices.  We had ordered two but only one came and as it was more than enough we didn't mention it.  It was very tasty and light but if I had a complaint it would be that it was a little bit greasy.

For main courses we all stuck with firm favourites as this seemed the sort of place where that would serve you well.  My lasagne came in a white dish with no sides or salad etc.  It was very nice - nothing remarkable but the rich tomato sauce tasted fresh, the meat was flavoursome and there was a generous cheese topping.  Other choices such as the bolognese and the seafood spaghetti prompted a similar reception - good value, nothing to write home about but certainly nothing to complain about.

The portion size is generous and we couldn't force a pudding, although I was sorely tempted by a tiramisu.  The house wine was more than drinkable and we weren't rushed at all, despite the fact that it was heaving and the queue still snaked out into the rain.

Two courses and a third of a bottle of wine: £15 per head (with 50% off main courses)

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 28/40

L'Antipasto, 511 Battersea Park Road, London, SW11 3BW.  Tel: 020 72239765.

Leon, Strand

Another friend was staying (August was busy) and we found ourselves on The Strand on a Thursday lunchtime.  I wasn't tempted by the usual options of Pret, McDonalds or Starbucks and so was happy when I remembered that there was a branch of the Leon chain in the locality and I had been wanting to give it a try.

The outside is kitsch and eye-catching, inside there is ample seating and a large counter where you order your food and take it away to your table.  There was so much delicious choice that we dithered for a while before Alex chose the roasted sweet potato falafel and I chose the Moroccan chicken tagine, both served with organic pilaff rice and slaw.  The food is served to you in a cardboard b0x - a little like how Chinese food is delivered in America.  It surprised me, though, that they didn't serve food on plates if you are eating in - is that not more environmentally friendly?  

At any rate the food was very good - tasty and filling with lots of flavour.  My only complaint would be that I didn't have a huge amount of chicken. Both of us washed lunch down with a fresh Leon-made lemonade which was big and a nice combo of sweet sugar and lemony zing.

Post-lunch we were full and satisfied - not something you can often say after a quick bite at a sandwich/salad chain.

One course and a soft drink: £6.50 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 27/40

Leon, 73-76 The Strand, London, WC2R 0DE.  Tel: 020 72403070.

The Chutney, Wandsworth Town

Another visit from my cousin meant another request to visit The Chutney.  This time we didn't book and got the last table for two.

Again, the service was exemplary.  You are never rushed but can always attract someone's attention when you would like to.  The poppadoms were crisp and freshly made, the chutneys were so tasty.

Main courses didn't disappoint either.  You always get a decent amount of meat and rice, sometimes a factor that lets an Indian meal down, and the naan was warm, fluffy and not greasy.  

The Chutney is such a popular local favourite and now it's one of mine.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £20 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 30/40

The Chutney, 11 Alma Road, London, SW18 1AA.  Tel: 020 88704588.

Konnigans, Wandsworth Town

I have never had a good experience in Konnigans: from noone coming to take even a drinks order or bring a menu after half an hour to soggy Thai food and draughty tables, there always seems to be something wrong.  Unfortunately, last time I ate at Global that was bad too and with my friend still down, and not wanting to stray far, I thought we would give Konnigans one last chance (they are owned by the same guy anyway so he wasn't losing out either way).

I will not be going again.  It should be a lovely restaurant - it's front windows open fully onto the pretty and quiet Old York Road, their chairs are reclaimed from a church, the menu is modern but with old favourites.  This time it wasn't the service but the food that let it down.  Their lunchtime menu has a sandwiches section and that was the kind of thing we wanted - two of us went for a tuna cheese melt and another of us for a steak baguette.  The cokes we ordered came in glasses that were slightly scratched and the noise and smell from the open kitchen made us feel like we were in a cheap cafe.

The food arrived exactly as described on the menu-there was zero presentation effort, just a greasy ciabatta and chips on a coloured plate.  It wasn't a particularly nice ciabatta - not dreadful but certainly not in keeping with the style of the place.  Another to be struck off the list...

One course and a soft drink: £7 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 5/10

SCORE: 24/40

Konnigans, 344-346 Old York Road, Wandsworth, London, SW18 1SS.  Tel: 020 88711496.

The Thai, Wandsworth Town

Having lived in the area for a long time I cannot believe that I have never eaten in The Thai before.  We had a takeaway from there once, years ago, and I remember the green Thai curry being very hot - perhaps it put me off.

But anyway, I had a friend staying for the weekend and we decided to try it.  At 8 on a Friday night we went down, having booked, and were delighted at how pretty it was inside.  Dark wood and twinkling fairylights create a very romantic atmosphere, and indeed a lovely setting for two old friends to catch up.  The staff are very friendly and attentive.  We had the platter for two to start, accompanied by a really good Rioja.  There was no greasy batter or chewy meat to be had - everything was superbly cooked and good quality from the prawn toast to the chicken skewers.  A chicken massaman curry for main course was just delicious, too, with light fluffy rice.

It's a good job this restaurant is in Wandsworth Town because if it were anywhere more central you would never ever get a table there.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £28 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

The Thai, 362 Old York Road, London, SW18 1SP.  Tel:  020 88772725.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Fulham Broadway

We turned up at Gourmet Burger Kitchen at 8pm on a Wednesday evening and were seated immediately.  The inside is fairly plainly decorated with plenty of wooden tables and chairs.

A waiter brought over menus and took our order of a bottle of house white, telling us we need to order food at the counter.  I am still surprised by the fact that GBK does not offer table service and in fact it caused a bit of confusion because we wanted to pay separately, not all of us having cash, and when my friend placed her order they asked her to pay for our wine.  A system that needs tweaking I think.

However, we ordered a variety of mains: a beef burger with cheese and bacon for me, a chicken burger, small 'children's' burger with salad and vegetable stack with melted cheese for the others.  They arrived together and were absolutely delicious.  I cannot fault their burgers, they are simply the best I have had.  The patties are thick and juicy, buns and salad fresh and the chips (although charged separately) are not greasy and are very filling.  

The atmosphere and fact that you must order at the counter doesn't encourage you to linger here, and with there often being a queue I can see why they encourage this vibe.  We'll be back again though - the food was universally praised by our group.

One course and a glass of wine: £15 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 28/40

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, 49 Fulham Broadway, London, SW6 1AE.  Tel: 020 73814242.