The Windmill on the Common, Clapham

 It was a sunny Sunday and a roast called.  Settling into one of the last remaining outside tables at The Windmill we congratulated ourselves on our choice.  There is a lot of outdoor seating and inside is cavernous too.  A mix of trendy twenty-somethings and groups of thirty-somethings with prams are the core clientele.

It's a Youngs pub and so the menu is pretty standard fare but what we order (two roast beef and a pollock and chips) is very good and the portions are generous (even of the lovely medium rare meat and light flaky fish).

It's probably not a destination venue, only because you could get the food in a million and one pubs across London, but it's friendly and location is pretty good too.

One course and a glass of wine: £20 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

The Windmill, Clapham Common Southside, London, SW4 9DE.  Tel:  020 86734578.

Albannach, Westminster

My parents were in London and we wanted an early dinner before the theatre.  Their hotel was moments from Trafalgar Square and so I suggested Albannach.

We didn't have a reservation on a Saturday night but it was early enough that we managed to get a table for three at about 6.30pm.  We were seated upstairs in the restaurant area after having a lovely Rioja in the bar.

The decor was attractive if a little bit nineties.  The staff were very friendly and directed our attention to a set menu available before 6.30pm, which suited our purpose perfectly.  My ma and I both had roasted peach and tomato salad with grilled Inverness goat's cheese to start, which was delicious - the sweet flavours of the peach and cheese melted together, complemented by the zingier tomato.  My dad had North Sea herring with grain mustard potato salad and horseradish creme fraiche, which he enjoyed.

Main course for all of us was a Scotch Broth of braised lamb neck, baby turnips and herb dumplings which was lovely - the meat was so tender and the dumplings sat in a lovely rich, meaty broth.  The portions weren't huge but I almost expect this on an 'offer' menu, perhaps wrongly.

Two course set menu and a glass of wine: £25 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

Albannach, 66 Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DS.  Tel: 020 79300066.