Provender

Tagine, Balham

2009-02-23T12:35:00.004Z

Sunday lunchtime. We didn't want to spend much money, we weren't too hungry, we wanted to drink champagne.

This combination of factors led us to return to Tagine in Balham as we knew their huge portions of houmous, pittas, aubergine and pepper dips and their BYO policy were perfect.

The three of us were the only customers which didn't bother us. We settled and ordered our food, which arrived promptly, with friendly service.

The problem was that they didn't tell us that shortly a film company would be using the restaurant as a set. Cameras started being set up, huge hot lights were erected, makeup and costume ladies started doing their thing. In short, we were right in the way. Staff all directed their attention to the crew and then half way through our meal someone came over and asked if we'd mind pausing our meal to be extras (we would mind, yes). Eventually we just paid up and left. The restaurant should have been shut that day, simple as.

One course: £9 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 2/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 23/40

Tagine, 1-3 Fernlea Road, London, SW12 9RT. Tel: 020 86757604.

Ask, Mayfair

2009-02-18T11:00:00.003Z

There was a 2 for 1 deal going at Ask and a little strapped for cash, three of us decided to do that and split the bill threeways. That is the only real reason I would go to this restaurant, as I have always found it to be a fairly middle of the road pizza chain, inferior to Pizza Express and certainly to Strada.

Anyway, we arrived without booking but it was only a Wednesday night and there were plenty of tables.

We waited by the door for about five minutes without any acknowledgment from staff that we were there. Eventually I weaved through the tables and asked a waitress who was standing by the till, if we could have a table. She didn't answer but turned to another more senior waiter and he gestured for us to follow him. We made our way towards the table but it then became apparent that they were still clearing it, and so we had to hover in the middle of the restaurant. Then, yet another waiter came over to us and very rudely said "Can you wait by the door to be seated please? You're in everyone's way!". We began to return that way when the second waiter called us back... A dreadful start, and no apology.

We ordered soft drinks and pizzas, which arrived in a reasonable amount of time and were reasonable themselves. My Pollo Piccante had a good amount of chicken and some nice lightly roasted red peppers, Penne del Giardino looked good with lots of veg and Spaghetti e Polpette was a triumph of meatballs for my friend, who enjoyed it very much.

The atmosphere in there was buzzy but fairly bland. The whole experience was quite meh, especially when it took an absolute age to get, and then pay for, the bill.

One course and a soft drink: £12 per head (without offer)

Value: 7/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 24/40

Ask, 56-60 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2RZ. Tel: 020 72243484.

All Star Lanes, Bayswater

2009-02-17T11:16:00.003Z

A company team-building event took twenty of us again to All Star Lanes in Bayswater. The staff provided tap water on the table before we were seated and offered drinks without hassling or annoying us.

To begin I ordered salt and pepper popcorn squid, which unfortunately they forgot and so I received just as the mains were arriving. However, it was very good - not greasy and well flavoured, a very generous portion as well.

My steak for main course was delicious, a lovely piece of meat and cooked exactly as requested.

Everyone seemed happy with what they had, from pot pie to burger. String fries are really good - hot and salty and crunchy but soft on the inside (but they are extra...).

It's a very cool venue for a group, if a little on the expensive side.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £40 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 29/40

All Star Lanes, Whiteleys, 6 Porchester Gardens, London, W2 4DB. Tel: 020 73138363.

Mr Underhill's, Ludlow

2009-02-12T11:45:00.003Z

I was so excited to visit Mr Underhill's, a birthday treat for my ma. We only got in by luck - the first date I tried for (two months away) was fully booked and the second had had a cancellation half an hour before.

It was a Saturday night and the restaurant was full.

The room wasn't quite as I had imagined. The exterior is a period building, next to the weir, but the interior is ever so slightly bland, a little like someone's formal dining room. However, the service was fantastic: we had a youngish waiter who was really friendly and the owner, Mrs Bradley, worked the room, checking everything was ok and advising the next table on wine (incidentally, after asking them a few questions she recommended they go for the house).

There is only the tasting menu available and they called me the day before to let me know we would be eating venison, and to check if anyone would prefer a different main meat (we were happy with venison). I decided to just enjoy the food and not make a note of every course and so here are a few snippets of what we had: salmon mousse in a small cone (delicate and flavoursome), butternut veloute with parmesan froth and aged balsamic (great flavour combos), monkfish with cep pasta (beautiful fish and light pasta), the venison which was the best meat dish any of us had ever had - fabulously tender with a rich, deep red wine, elderberries and thyme with soft chive mash, iced plum sponge with star anise ice cream (a gorgeous finish). You could select a pudding - I chose a Highland parfait with flapjack wafer, Scottish oat praline and Drambuie which was divine. Deeply hot chocolate tart with white chocolate ice cream, greengage crumble with verbena icecream and lemon tart with orange and marscapone ice cream were all well received too - everything was the perfect portion size too - generous but just enough. There were handmade sweets and cake with coffee and a few other amuse bouche, which I forget. All this was accompanied by a couple of lovely bottles of Rioja.

As we left we were given two packets of homemade fudge to have with our morning coffee. Mr Underhill's feels like a family operation with a professional touch. Food and service were fabulous and value wise, I have had many many meals for much more, to a much lower standard. This restaurant deservedly has a Michelin star.

Tasting menu and half a bottle of wine: £60 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 10/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 9/10

SCORE: 34/40

Mr Underhill's, Dinham Weir, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1EH. Tel: 01584 874431.

Boulevard Brasserie, Covent Garden

2009-02-10T12:43:00.003Z

I needed to catch up with a friend and Boulevard Brasserie was central and convenient for both of us. It is a very buzzy location and was packed, even on a Tuesday night.

We had a cocktail whilst we perused the menu and then to begin we had duck parfait with toasted brioche and fig chutney. It was really delicious, the sweet flavours of the fig and the brioche contrasting with the rich duck. For main course we both had steak - cooked to perfection with slim French fries and a bearnaise sauce.

This is a great place for a pre or post theatre meal, or for catching up. The service was professional and friendly. Centrally, you couldn't do much better.

Two courses and a cocktail: £29 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 32/40

Boulevard Brasserie, 40 Wellington Street, London, WC2E 7BD. Tel: 020 72402992.

Soho Thai, Soho

2009-02-04T12:42:00.003Z

Six of us were wandering through Soho looking for somewhere to eat. A plan to go to Cha Cha Moon had been scuppered by the length of the queue.

Soho Thai caught our eye and we were ushered into the back room where they had a big enough table but lacked the atmosphere of the main dining area. The service was efficient, if not overly friendly.

To begin, tom yum soup went down very well, prawn toasts were tasty (if a little heavy) and not too greasy with a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds. The menu doesn't offer any surprises, but it delivers the classics with ease: green Thai curry, chicken massaman curry, pad se-iew, pad Thai - all polished off with no problem. House wine was decent enough.

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

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Soho Thai, 27-28 St. Anne's Court, London, W1F 0BN. Tel: 020 72872000.

La Tasca, Soho

2009-01-28T15:37:00.003Z

I had a hangover. A dreadful hangover. The kind that resulted in my being trapped between methods of transport: unable to face getting on the tube and unable to return home on the bus.

When I eventually made it to Oxford Circus to meet two friends all I wanted to do was sit, and eat.

One of them suggested La Tasca as they do an offer - all you can eat tapas for a tenner. I am not a huge fan of the La Tasca chain - I have always found service, food and sangria to be lacking in pizzazz and authenticity but on this occasion I was willing to give it another go (not the sangria).

The offer has no real catches - tapas, and as much as you want.

We went slightly mad and ordered almost everything. The bread with olive oil and sherry vinegar was soft and fresh, if a little dull. Marinated chicken wings were moreish, Spanish sausage in red wine was greasy, deep fried white fish in batter was very good, squid rings were just on the wrong side of chewy but the garlic mayonnaise was good, aubergine topped with cheese and tomato was boring, patatas bravas were fine but to be fair even in Madrid they let me down - the only good ones I have ever had were at the now closed Global in Wandsworth. Finally, the paella rice was good but the chicken was bony and limited.

We ordered again and again after that and were never rushed, the waitress served us in bemused silence as we ate our own body weight in tapas. The atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon was actually not bad - the gentle hum of couples and groups of friends soaking up the previous night's excess.

All you can eat tapas and a soft drink: £12.50 per head

Value: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 29/40

La Tasca, 300 Regent Street, London, W1B 3AR. Tel: 020 76372886.

La Movida, Battersea

2009-01-27T11:08:00.004Z

It was a Saturday night and a friend and I wanted some food before a night out. Walking down Battersea Park Road we found only a handful of options and all of them fairly dead.

We chose La Movida and dashed in out of the pouring rain. It looks authentically Spanish inside - minimal decor, plain wooden tables, basic laminated menu displaying tapas and paella. We decided to share the Paella Valencia for two and were happy to wait the twenty five minutes it would take to prepare, chatting over the decent house red and eating bread.

It arrived packed with chicken and seafood, beautiful saffrony rice sticky with tomato flavour. It was a generous portion and absolutely delicious. The service was friendly and not overbearing, despite the fact that there was only one more table bar us, at 8pm on a Saturday night. A great little local.

Bread, one course and half a bottle of wine: £20 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 27/40

La Movida, 300 Battersea Park Road, London, SW11 3BU. Tel: 020 79242595.

The Prince of Wales, Battersea

2009-01-26T11:48:00.004Z

I remember this pub being the rowdy, hockey team favourite The Settle Inn. Its atmosphere couldn't have been much more different when I went for lunch with a friend and her parents. It is very much a food orientated pub (when I popped in recently on a Sunday every table was occupied by diners, there was nowhere to have a drink) and we sat in the large dining room. Everyone went for a sandwich - some of us for chicken and some for steak. Mine (a chicken version) was good, if a little dull - salad etc all fine but nothing that sticks in the memory and some decent chips. The steak, though was tough and chewy - served on a skewer to be placed into the bread yourself - and at one point a member of our party had to discreetly spit a particularly unpalatable piece into her napkin.

Determined to end the meal on a better note we had sticky toffee pudding with icecream which was delicious, and a generous size.

As it's local, I expect I will give it another go sometime but a disappointing start.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £16 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 27/40

The Prince of Wales, 186 Battersea Bridge Road, London, SW11 3AE. Tel: 020 72280395.

The Westbourne, Notting Hill

2009-01-20T14:01:00.004Z

A former colleague was over from Dublin and she wanted to revisit an old haunt - The Westbourne, not far from our workplace.

It's a trendy place, which veers much more towards gastro than typical pub food. A typical menu (which changes daily) would offer more than one fish option, possible some game, a couple of salads, vegetarian options and pasta.

On the day in question I selected a mushroom risotto, which was creamy and beautifully cheesy with the slight bite of perfectly cooked rice. The only complaint would be that there wasn't very much and it didn't come with anything at all - a little salad might have been nice for variety. Others chose mackerel, chicken pie and seafood linguine, all of which were freshly cooked and packed with flavour.

The ordering system could be better here - you must order from a till at one end of the bar and it can be very slow given the number of tables. Also, in our experience, the staff can be very brusque to the point of rude.

However, the atmosphere is good and in the summer they have a good amount of outdoor tables. The wine, beer and cider selection is excellent and for the area you can't really beat it for a long lunch.... except perhaps on price.

One course and a soft drink: £13 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 25/40

The Westbourne, 101 Westbourne Park Villas, London, W2 5ED. Tel: 020 72211332.

Tagine, Balham

2009-01-13T12:44:00.003Z

The brief was simple - good, cheap food, somewhere central London that is easily accessible from Earl's Court. As with all things simple, this didn't go to plan and thus it was that five of us found ourselves with a table reserved at Tagine in Balham for a farewell dinner. It adhered to the first two criteria at least, especially as it's BYO.

Everyone in Tagine seems to drink champagne (or at least something with bubbles) and we didn't break the mould. To begin we shared three of their dips with pitta. Absolutely delicious - smooth, creamy houmous topped with chick peas, soft aubergine with just enough garlic, peppers with a delicious bite to their marinated strips, all mixed with beautiful olive oil. The quantities, too, are very generous - we had to request more pitta (hot, soft and hugely moreish). The service is fast and friendly.

For mains tagines are, obviously, the way forward. I chose lamb shank - the most gorgeously tender meat with soft, juicy vegetables in a fabulous sauce (running out of adjectives here).

Everyone agreed that they were fantastic. A huge mound of couscous was ordered as a side. This is one of my favourite foods and this one was a simply perfect fluffy accompaniment.

No room for puddings so we lounged on our Moroccan cushions and soaked in the atmosphere - it was packed full on a Thursday night, and rightly so.

Two courses: £13 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

Tagine, 1-3 Fernlea Road, London, SW12 9RT. Tel: 020 86757604.

Breads Etcetera, Clapham

2009-01-12T12:47:00.003Z

I was excited to have a brunch with a good friend on a sunny Saturday and I was even more excited when we decided on Breads Etcetera as the venue. I had heard a lot of good things about it, and I knew a few friends had failed to get a table in the past as it was so busy but we crossed our fingers and met at 11.30. Sure enough there were a few people spilling out of the door, waiting next to the delicious smelling bread stall as they waited their turn.

As luck would have it though, a little outdoor table became free and we were happy to keep our coats on and sit in the sun. The only downside to this is that you don't get to use the Dualit toasters on the indoor tables to make your own toast. All the same, we manage to attract a waitress (the table service is very slow) and order two cappuccinos and two mushrooms on sourdough bread.

The coffee is excellent and I think the food would have been if it was a little bit warmer and the bread a little less chewy. It reminded me of a home made dish, which is no bad thing - real butter, hand cut bread...but somehow for the price I would have liked a bit more. Paying for it was a chore too, resulting in us going inside and chasing someone round until they would take our money.

One course and a coffee: £10 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 23/40

Breads Etcetera, 127 Clapham High Street, London, SW4 7SS. Tel: 020 77203601.

Rooburoo, Angel

2009-01-07T17:10:00.004Z

A friend chose Rooburoo as a last minute venue for his birthday meal and so five of us turned up at 8pm on a Saturday night, hoping we could get a table. We needn't have worried - there was noone else in there. Not a good sign.

However, the staff were very friendly and we were seated in front of the unusual (read as difficult to follow) menu within seconds. There are roasts, cooked on the tandoor and served with salad, stir fried noodles and 'lite bites' amongst the mixture of more standard offerings.

The poppadoms were light and crispy and fresh, served with a selection of tasty pickles in modern glass jars - a refreshing change. We skipped starters and went straight for the curries. I was glad I had selected a medium strength option as, despite the fact I am not a hot curry fan, my lamb rogan josh had a bit of spice to it - as opposed to the fairly bland chicken korma kashmiri that Tom had. Other chicken and prawn curries along the table were well received and the meat was tender and plentiful but the sauces were fairly watery and nothing was above average. On the plus side rices, in pots to share, were generous and service throughout was exemplary.

Two courses and a beer: £19 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 3/10

Food: 5/10

SCORE: 23/40

Rooburoo, 21 Chapel Market, London, N1 9EZ. Tel: 020 72788100.

The Champion, Notting Hill

2009-01-06T16:02:00.003Z

The Champion is a typical Notting Hill boozer. Seating consists of worn leather sofas and stools and mismatched dining chairs. It's an occasional venue for post-work drinks and one Friday we decided to eat there.

The classic burger with chips was the favourite choice, with one of us choosing the steak sandwich and the vegetarian selecting the hot falafel in flatbread. Everyone was impressed. The burger was good quality and the whole meal tasted hot and fresh, unlike a lot of pub food. To me, the veggie option looked a bit thin but apparently it was tasty and the steak went down very well. The bar staff can be a bit sharp but as a place for a bite and a few drinks, it would be hard to beat.

One course and a glass of wine: £10 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

1 Wellington Terrace, London, W2 4LW. Tel: 020 77924527.

Cha Cha Moon, Soho

2009-01-05T16:10:00.004Z

I had heard mixed reviews of Alan Yau's latest offering but the place intrigued me and, at least while the £3 per course offer remained, I thought it was worth a try.

The design is stunning, reminiscent in some ways of a ski lodge with big heavy wooden doors and a back to nature kind of feel (or maybe that's just me).

The three of us had to queue on a Thursday evening, for perhaps fifteen minutes, before we were seated at our communal table with benches. Atmosphere wise it is buzzier than Wagamama, and more grown up, with the sleeker design of Busaba Eathai. We each selected a main course and shared two sides. They arrive as and when they are ready, meaning you have to get on with it, possibly leaving, as we did, one diner waiting. However, my Singapore noodles were just the right amount of spiciness and full of meat and seafood. Others' curries were similarly good. Sides arrived in a staggered fashion towards the middle to end of the meal and the pork dumplings were a particular favourite. The red wine was very good and we were never rushed to finish and free up the table space.

Whilst the offer continues the food is very good value, especially for the location, but one glass of wine cost more than the main dish. Once the prices go up, I may revise my opinion!

One course, a side and a glass of wine: £12.50 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

Cha Cha Moon, 15-21 Ganton Street, London, W1F 9BN. Tel: 020 72979800.

Eagle Bar Diner, Soho

2008-12-23T10:44:00.003Z

It find it frustrating that in order to meet friends conveniently after work we have to go central and I feel like I am running out of good, fair-priced dinner options.

However, there are still a few places on my list to try and three of us made our way to Eagle Bar Diner, just off Oxford Street, one weekday evening. It was about half full and quite a smart interior compared to, say, The Diner on Ganton Street. We had two waiters, both extremely flirty, and we ordered some house white whilst perusing the menu. It is a pretty standard diner style menu, which was exactly what we fancied, and all we all had burgers - mine classic and my friends' Arkansas BBQ. Fries are sold separately which bumps up the price and so we shared two portions between us - one plain, one cheesy. The burgers were good, nice meat and generous fillings, and the fries more than enough for us. The meal was nothing too out of the ordinary but for the price and location a good option. My friends shared a brownie and ice cream which seemed to go down well. If you're passing this place and fancy some fries, there are certainly worse options.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £22 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 27/40

Eagle Bar Diner, 3-5 Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HJ. Tel: 020 76371418.

The Frog and Forget-Me-Not, Clapham

2008-12-08T13:44:00.004Z

The Frog and Forget-Me-Not is an unprepossessing pub which serves Thai food, recommended to me by a friend who loves her Thai food. In fact, I went with her, and another three friends, for a chilled Sunday evening bite.

The interior is tatty - dark red walls surround a mish mash of tables and worn sofas but the room lacks atmosphere and the music and lighting weren't quite right. You have to order food from a hatch, where you also pay. It arrived a few minutes later, it was obviously all waiting to be heated and served.

Tom Yum soup was good - spicy and tangy and just the right amount. Prawn toast was less successful - greasy and a bit soggy. My nasi goreng was good, nothing to shout about, but certainly not the worst I have had. Others' noodle options, such as the pad thai, went down well and one of us chose an English option - fish and chips - which was typical pub grub.

Not one to add to my list of favourites.

Two courses and a soft drink: £14 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 25/40

The Frog and Forget-Me-Not, 32 The Pavement, London, SW4 0JE. Tel: 020 76225230.

The Windmill on the Common, Clapham

2008-11-18T11:19:00.004Z

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

2008-11-10T16:51:00.004Z

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.

The Grey Goose, Clapham

2008-10-28T11:09:00.005Z

Saturday lunch with the girls outside at The Grey Goose was lovely, if the food was a bit of a mix.

We just about managed to secure a table with two big parties taking up all the other benches. Two of us went for burgers and the other two ordered two houmous with feta and pittas and two squid.

The burgers and houmous came first and they were very good, good quality meat in the former and a generous delicious portion of dip with the latter.

The squid when it came a bit later was a big greasy and soggy and actually, too chewy, although this is the nature of the dish.

The service was friendly if scatty (we had bill problems) and the menu is varied so I am sure we will be back.

The back yard could do with some beautifying as well.

One course and half a bottle of wine: £17 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

The Grey Goose, 100 Clapham Park Road, London, SW4 7BZ. Tel: 020 77208902.

Hare and Tortoise, Kensington

2008-10-21T17:26:00.003+01:00

A pre-cinema bite was needed and High St Kensington being the restaurant black hole that it is we decided that the best way to go might be Hare and Tortoise.

We scooted in rather hurriedly as we had taken too long over the pre-dinner wine and left ourselves tight. We were seated immediately and both selected the same (adventurously).

Two chicken katsu curries and two beers arrived and they were served by very polite and friendly staff. The food was presented beautifully and was absolutely delicious. Big tender pieces of chicken in a light batter, and really flavoursome sauce. I wish we had had longer, I would have really liked to try some side dishes too. The restaurant itself is a lot cooler than Wagamama, its obvious comparison, and you have individual tables. The only downside is that it is much further down the High Street (but nearer the cinema which is a bonus).

One course and a beer: £10 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

Hare and Tortoise, 373 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8QZ. Tel: 020 76038887.

Ma Goa, Putney

2008-10-10T11:44:00.004+01:00

There were five of us who fancied a curry on an Autumn evening and being in Putney we decided to see if we could get a table at Ma Goa. Diane had wanted to try it for ages and we were lucky to get a table as it's a popular place and was soon packed out, even on a Tuesday.

It's smarter than your average Indian restaurant and the atmosphere reminded me of someone's dining room -gentle chatter, soothing colour schemes and soft lighting.

We had beautiful freshly made poppadoms to begin with dips served in small white china pots. Our starter selections we shared with mixed success; ragra pattice were fried potato and herb patties served with spicy chickpeas (quite spicy but not much too them flavour-wise) and dhai puri were fried puris filled with potato, coriander, yogurt and chutneys (moreish).

Main courses are not your typical Indian choice - I went for zafrani murgh korma which is chicken cooked in saffron, tomato, yogurt, rose water and nutmeg. It was very mild, tasty but not extraordinary. The rice was very good though. Other selections from the group included a bhajee thali which was a vegetable selection, apparently delicious which is a good job because their vegetarian selection is either that or choosing three of the vegetable sides - they offer no vegetarian curries at all, which is pretty poor. A special of the day was whole Spring chicken which my friend enjoyed, although it was quite a fiddly dish to eat. The others both had hot curries which they loved. A side of spinach was really good - soft and flavoursome but cold. The service was mixed - two excellent waiters who recommended a nice wine but then when we went to order a second bottle it had run out and two scatty useless waitresses who got in the way and didn't know what they were doing.

We had an enjoyable evening but it was a mixed success - it's expensive for curry so the service and cooking really need to be top notch - they nearly are but just not quite.

Poppadoms, two courses and half a bottle of wine: £30 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 27/40

Ma Goa, 242-244 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 6TG. Tel: 020 87801767.

Patisserie Valerie, Chelsea

2008-10-09T14:04:00.005+01:00

Seriously bad value for money would be my overriding impression of this Patisserie Valerie. A coffee with a friend ended up taking place at lunchtime and so we decided to order from their limited 'grilled snacks' menu. A croque monsieur was made from average white sliced bread, some cheap ham and topped with a meagre offering of cheese. Claire's toastie was just the same - cheap bread and no better than something you whip up in five minutes at home. They had run out of fresh orange but tried to charge the same on the bill for one from the carton.

The best part of the meal was the coffee, which was very good.

I understand that the location demands high prices, and we sat in a very pleasant courtyard surrounded by beautiful shops and beautiful people, but it's just not that hard to make the food miles better. Service was also slow and scatty.

One snack, an orange juice and a coffee: £11.50 per head

Value: 3/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 4/10

SCORE: 17/40

Patisserie Valerie, Left Wing Cafe, Duke of York Square, London, SW3 4LY. Tel: 020 77307094.

Little Italy, Embankment

2008-10-06T14:20:00.003+01:00

I had intended a repeat visit to Gordon's but alas, as I suspected, we were thwarted by the flocks of post-work drinkers and lucky tourists who got there before us.

A short walk further up Villiers Street brought us to Little Italy, an unassuming and reasonably priced Italian (the clue's in the name) restaurant.

Only a few tables were occupied at 7 on a Thursday evening but the service was hurried and two different waiters hassled us for our order within the first five minutes of being there. However, we chose quickly - house white wine, seafood linguine for Clare, spinach and ricotta cannelloni for me. Mine was really good and Clare seemed to have no problem polishing hers off, the wine was ok, quite average but very cheap so who's complaining? We finished with a tiramisu each - not so good this time, I think bought in.

It was a hassle getting the bill after the over zealous initial serving but if you're in the area and would like a good value Italian meal, this could be the place.

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

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Little Italy, 23 Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6ND. Tel: 020 73210137.

Hot Stuff, Stockwell

2008-10-02T15:19:00.004+01:00

I had wanted to visit Hot Stuff for quite a while and yet I didn't see how I would ever persuade anyone to make the trek to the backstreets of Stockwell. But then it turned out that one evening my friend and I would be both be in the vicinity and wanting a cheap meal. Perfect.

I called the day before to book for a Tuesday night and they could only offer me a table for 2 at 7pm or 9pm and when we arrived at 7 I could see why. The place is tiny and it was packed out. The clientele looked entirely out of place for the locality as well, which goes to show that it really is a destination restaurant.

We had poppadams first with some lovely dips, then vegetable samosas and for main we shared a chicken korma and a chicken tikka makhani with pilau rice and a paratha. Delicious. Everything had a rich flavour, not oily and not sweet, and the rice was light and and fluffy.

The service too is fantastic - uber friendly and easy going. It's BYO and they were straight over with glasses. At the end of the meal the owner comes over and mentally tots up your bill. We will be back, in a flash, and would make a special journey any day.

Two courses: £9 per head

Value: 9/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 32/40

Hot Stuff, 19 Wilcox Road, London, SW8 2XA. Tel: 020 77201480.

Cafe Rouge, Kensington

2008-09-30T15:32:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-29T12:06:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-25T14:55:00.005+01:00

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

2008-09-24T14:51:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-23T14:42:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-22T14:13:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-17T11:37:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-16T10:14:00.002+01:00

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

2008-09-15T10:47:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-11T16:03:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-10T14:55:00.003+01:00

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

2008-09-09T15:24:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-05T09:55:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-04T13:37:00.002+01:00

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

2008-09-03T10:40:00.004+01:00

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

2008-09-01T14:10:00.002+01:00

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.

The Horse and Groom, Upper Oddington

2008-08-20T16:07:00.003+01:00

I must admit that I was a bit disappointed by The Horse and Groom. It should be good, it seemed like it would be. A simple dining room off the bar, neutrally but cosily decorated, and a big chalk board of specials supplemented a good, fairly short menu of local produce. So far so good.

To rewind a little, we had booked a good six weeks in advance as we were staying at the hotel for the night. Even so, 8.30pm was the earliest we could have dinner. We decided to skip starters and go straight for mains. I chose pave of salmon from the specials, which came with a cream sauce and pureed carrot. My ma had lamb, which came with a selection of vegetables. The problem was just that it was all a bit bland. The fish was nicely cooked but the sauce added very little and the carrots were more tasteless than baby food. A similar scenario occurred with the meat. We hoped to have better luck with puddings but both the chocolate mousse that my mum had and my poached fruit with ice cream were just ok. We rounded off with coffee. I desperately wanted to have a fantastic evening but in the end it was just ok. Staff were friendly, although one didn't speak English. One minor complaint about the atmosphere was the big light directly over our table which was a bit headache-inducing (I did in fact leave with one).

Two courses, half a bottle of wine and a coffee: £35 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 26/40

The Horse and Groom Village Inn, Upper Oddington, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0XH. Tel: 01451 830584.

Daylesford Organic, Daylesford

2008-08-18T16:04:00.004+01:00

Having had such beautiful food at the Daylesford Organic in Pimlico I was very excited at the prospect of treating my mother at the one in Gloucestershire. We weren't disappointed.

We had to wait twenty minutes for a table which didn't seem too bad for a heaving Saturday lunchtime. Our table, when it was ready, was in a great spot - upstairs at the edge of a mezzanine floor overlooking the busy farm shop below.

The interior is very chic and minimal, with comfortable wooden chairs and a clean, fresh vibe.

We had a glass of their featured rose and requested some nuts to nibble on before our main meals arrived. I say main meals but, in fact, we both chose starters as we were having treatments at the spa and didn't want to feel too full and bloated. The drinks arrived but the nuts did not. When we reminded the waiter he scurried off and then another guy brought us some, seconds before the rest of the food turned up. Then the other waiter brought more nuts. Once that had been sorted I noticed our side order of bread had been forgotten but by this point there were no staff to be seen.

However, the food was divine. My chicken liver and foie gras parfait was smooth, creamy and filling - a huge chunk served with two thin, crispy slices of toast and some salad. Ma's beef carpaccio was fabulous as well and she raved about the beans she had ordered as a side dish. We eventually managed to request more bread again and we shared the remainder of the parfait with this (that's how much there was!).

For pudding I had a big chocolate mousse - very rich but not too sickly and served in a big chunky glass. Mum had poached apricots with ice cream which she enjoyed but not as much as the savoury course.

The scatty service, although annoying, at least meant that they forgot to charge us for the bread.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £23 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 28/40

Daylesford Organic, Daylesford, Near Kingham, Gloucestershire, GL56 0YG. Tel: 01608 731300.

Out Of The Blue, Battersea

2008-08-14T15:27:00.005+01:00

Out of the Blue is one of the closest restaurants to my flat and I have always been happy that it is so. My parents are of the same opinion and when they were down they took me and my cousin for dinner.

I booked the day before for 8.30pm and we were seated at a good table but whilst I think of it I feel I must mention the lighting here. Above some tables hang large lampshades, very low and very bright - intended for use as a main light. Hence by the end of the evening it was giving us a bit of a headache and casting a horrible light over our table.

Anyway, we ordered tap water and rose when we were seated which came promptly. To start we selected breads with olive oil and balsamic and some fried Spanish beans (apparently broad beans). Well, it took ages. I think our waitress was new because she appeared to be serving several tables very scattily and not really apologising for the fact that it was 9.30 and our starters had only just arrived. And they brought a side order of green beans in pesto instead of the Spanish beans. We pointed out the error and she looked flustered and confused. Then she offered to bring the right thing but we reassured her we would eat these as they were here and we were starving by now. Luckily another waitress, I think probably an owner/manager, noticed the situation and brought the correct order free of charge. When they did arrive the beans were interesting - very dry but had an unusual flavour. They were very obviously butter beans though and not broad beans at all.

And so the wait continued - it was 10.15pm when our main courses (our very easy main courses I might point out) of a beef burger, a chicken burger, a vegetarian pasta dish and a risotto arrived. The food was very good except that the burgers came in the most pathetic buns I have ever seen - literally from a pack and you could see where they had been ripped apart. Far too small for the burger. It made me a quite cross that this was what they deemed acceptable - this isn't, after all, a particularly cheap restaurant. My chicken was good quality though and tasty. My dad enjoyed his beef burger (although they didn't ask how it should be cooked) and apparently the risotto and pasta were good. I didn't hear any rapturous praise but we were hungry and tired by now. As the clock crept towards 11 we headed home and I, for one, was disappointed.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £25 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 24/40

Out Of The Blue Bar and Kitchen, 140 St John's Hill, London, SW11 1SL. Tel: 020 72078548.

All Bar One, Battersea

2008-08-13T15:36:00.003+01:00

I would never generally choose to eat or drink in an All Bar One. This isn't because they are unattractive, quite the opposite in fact they often have some of the best locations and buildings around. It is mainly down to the fact that they are overpriced and full of people who haven't got enough imagination to go anywhere more original.

But now I am going to have to eat my words - literally. I had a very excellent burger in All Bar One on Northcote Road. I eat out on this road often and its restaurants are far superior to its bars hence we met here for drinks and then couldn't be bothered to move. Our seats were low leather stools, the table one at the archways. It was a warm night and it was a good spot, watching the world go by outside.

We ordered from the bar food menu and it didn't take long to arrive. The staff are friendly enough here but they are slow and fairly incompetent when it comes to making drinks, knowing their menu and processing cards etc. The burger, though, made up for this - it was a tasty bread bun, a big juicy burger and plain fresh salad. It wasn't the most adventurous meal I have ever had but it was competent and the chips were good too - skinny fries, actually, and a generous portion.

I stick to my guns about the chain in general though - here it is a pleasant bar and setting but spilt drinks and old napkins are left on tables and a beggar was allowed to wander around and pester customers. Still, I have had worse nights.

Two gin and tonics and a main course: £17 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 25/40

All Bar One, 32-34 Northcote Road, London, SW11 1NZ. Tel: 020 78019951.

Cafe Kaslik, Battersea

2008-08-11T16:48:00.003+01:00

We had a hot Sunday a couple of weeks ago and so four of us decided to wander to Battersea Square to the Lebanese cafe there, for lunch.

We selected a table at Cafe Kaslik which has an enviable location with plenty of outdoor seating.

Menus were brought over and orders taken. We all opted for a diet coke and a minced chicken wrap.

Much as we enjoyed basking in the sun and taking our time we rather wished our food wouldn't. The service was scatty and our food took about forty minutes but when we eventually tucked in it was delicious and came with some complimentary pickles. If you are in the area this place does provide a cheap, tasty meal.

Soft drink and a wrap: £8 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 26/40

Cafe Kaslik, 11-12 Battersea Square, London, SW11 3RA. Tel: 020 79785374.

Il Pagliaccio, Fulham

2008-08-01T10:45:00.002+01:00

Il Pagliaccio, or Paggs to those in the know, is a firm locals' favourite. We booked on Saturday for two people to eat the same day which wasn't a problem and when we arrived we were seated outside under the canopy, as requested. The outside area is large - probably 15 pavement side tables, adorned with bunting, overlooked by a naked statue of a man - his modesty preserved with a napkin.

The service is a special mix of over-friendly waiters and attention to detail. Shy and retiring types should probably steer clear as they will fuss over you and your food, complimenting you and helping you with your chair and napkin. If you are celebrating a birthday a gaggle of waiters will serenade you with happy birthday, brandishing a huge cucumber for girls, fashioned into a shape (you can imagine what) surrounded by two tomatoes and topped with whipped cream, which the 'lucky' recipient must take a bite of. For men, a similar situation but with melons and glace cherries...

But I digress. Claire and I began with garlic bread and bruschetta to share, with a lovely bottle of red. It is beautiful bread - homemade - and the toppings are fresh.

For main course we both go for pizza. You don't come to a restaurant like this for haute cuisine, you come for good Italian food, prepared by Italians. I love the pizza, cooked in a big open pizza oven in the middle of the restaurant. A margherita with mushrooms went down very well with my friend, and my choice - served with chicken and mozzarella was really very good. Thin bases with lots of topping - so tasty.

We know we will be back, we've been a million times before - but book, this place is always heaving.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £23 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 30/40

Il Pagliaccio, 182-184 Wandsworth Bridge Road, London, SW6 2UF. Tel: 020 73715253.

Fish in a Tie, Clapham Junction

2008-07-30T16:00:00.004+01:00

I don't think you would stumble across Fish in a Tie if you didn't know of it. Pass under Clapham Junction's railway bridge, with the sound of trains rumbling in the distance and down a distinctly average looking road, enter a corner restaurant which has an interior belying its odd facade. It is eccentric - jam packed with tables, chandeliers hang casting light over old church chairs.

The service is very friendly, we have been before and found it so then as well. We are offered a choice of tables and are offered a drink immediately. Throughout the meal tap water is refreshed and more wine offered. A 7pm it is already half full and has a lovely buzzy atmosphere.

To begin my friend has the beef carpaccio which is a beautiful slim translucent piece of meat, served with crisp salad. My goats cheese is deep fried and a generous portion. It is delicious and again comes with salad. In fact, everything here is generous, from portions to pricing to service.

My swordfish is a large piece of fish which is really flavoursome and light. I squeeze lemon over it but it has been left undressed which I like. It sits on a bed of slightly warm vegetables/salad which I am less keen on (warm lettuce is revolting) and leave. Abby's red snapper is similarly well cooked and she likes her veg. We are also served a dish of very soft boiled potatoes which are topped with a peppery seasoning and are delicious, if a little cold.

Fish in a Tie is a scatty and friendly operation - you have a hit and miss experience with food but smiley service, friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices more than make up for it.

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

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 29/40

Fish in a Tie, 105 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2PF. Tel: 020 79241913.

The Prince Bonaparte, Westbourne Grove

2008-07-29T12:34:00.004+01:00

Another Friday and another lunch with colleagues at the Bonaparte. There's not much more to say about here so I'll do a quick round up.

We were a bit squashed on our table - there are only really a couple that accommodate ten people and they were both taken but we didn't book so it wasn't their fault. Down at the end of the restaurant area it is quite hot and quiet compared to the light, airy front bar.

Only one man was serving at the bar and with our party, and two other large groups in, service was extremely slow with him having to dash away from the bar to serve food to tables.

However, when it all arrived it was good as it usually is and from the sausages to the club sandwich all were pleased.

One course and a soft drink £8 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 28/40

The Prince Bonaparte, 80 Chepstow Road, London, W2 5BE. Tel: 020 73139491.

The Big Easy, Chelsea

2008-07-25T12:28:00.003+01:00

I love The Big Easy and it had been far too long since my last visit. The opportunity to take someone who had never been was perfect.

We arrived half an hour before the 7pm booking and sat at the tall wooden tables for a frozen margherita (2 for 1 during happy hour). The staff are great in there - friendly and competent. They led us to our table but there was another, tucked away in the corner on the raised platform, that we preferred. Not a problem.

They came back for our order shortly and we chose to share a starter - golden chicken tenders - and for mains I chose surf and turf (8oz strip sirloin with four shrimp) and James the chicken lux - grilled chicken breast with bacon, cheese and guacamole in focaccia with fries.

The starter was beautiful - four skewers of chicken, breaded and crisp fried. They weren't greasy and the chicken was falling off the stick it was so tender. They also came with some tasty nachos and a honey mustard dip. There was more than enough to share

The main courses were similarly good: James's burger was generous and delicious (I can vouch for the fries too!) and my steak was cooked exactly as requested, topped for four huge, juicy shrimps butterflied and skewered. Homemade creamy coleslaw and big onion rings sealed the deal. I would have loved a pudding but as too often is the case, I was just too full!

Throughout the evening the waiter enquired about the food and offered drinks. A live singer provided a great background of country and western music.

Lovely lovely night.

Two courses and two cocktails: £28 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 33/40

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

L Restaurant, Kensington

2008-07-23T11:48:00.005+01:00

I hadn't seen a friend of mine since she announced her engagement and, seeing a Toptable offer for 50% off food, I thought L Restaurant off High Street Kensington might be a nice place to celebrate.

It is an attractive place and, as it was a warm evening, they had set up tables outside on the pavement. We asked to sit there which was no problem and sipped tap water whilst we chose from the menu. Despite promising to give us a couple of moments to select wine, noone returned to take our order and eventually, after around twenty minutes, we gestured the waiter and ordered wine, sparkling water and food together. The chicken breast I ordered would take about ten minutes he advised: 'Ok, well then may we have some bread and olives please?'.

The bread came (three pieces of average white loaf and some very hard butter) but no olives. We asked again and then the most delicious olives I have ever had arrived: a mixture of black, green and a pale red variety arrived, marinated in lemon and garlic and so tender. On top were three huge green olives, stuffed with warm goats cheese and breaded. They were divine. Still waiting for our main courses twenty minutes later Daisy asked if we could have some more of the goats cheese variety.

The main courses arrived before they did (I heard others complaining about the wait for food throughout the evening) and my friend had pan fried salmon - a fair sized portion, not huge, served with piquillo pepper sauce and normally with patata bravas but Daisy had requested to swap this for green beans. Although this was done without fuss, I fear she may have taken away from the dish with her substitution - it was a bit dull she confessed. My char-grilled chicken breast was in no way char-grilled at all and was two slices of breast and then a portion on the bone. Sitting on a bed of very soft and sauteed leek and shitake mushrooms, it was surrounded by a grey thyme sauce that had a foamy appearance and tasted of very little. When I ordered I asked if I needed any sides with it, to which the reply came "It's hard to say". I was glad I decided on a salad of rocket with manchego cheese because this added some much needed variety of texture and flavour. Mid way through the meal, our extra olives arrived.

We skipped puddings and had coffees, which were very nice. The bill arrived without the discount applied, and I noticed we had been charged £6.00 for the olives - I think it's steep to charge twice when the second time we only had a few but once our offer had been applied the value wasn't too bad.

Bread and olives, one course, half a bottle of wine and half a bottle of mineral water: £27 per head with the Toptable offer

Value: 5/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 24/40

L Restaurant and Bar, 2 Abingdon Road, London, W8 6AF. Tel: 020 77956969.

Numero Uno, Battersea

2008-07-22T10:49:00.004+01:00

I met for a friend for lunch on Sunday and, no destination in mind, we wandered up Northcote Road in the sun. Again, Lola Rojo caught my eye but she wasn't in the mood for Spanish food and further on, noticing Numero Uno, we both stopped.

It was a very traditional looking restaurant with small wooden tables, starchy white table linen and a selection of friends and families tucking into pasta and wine. As if waiting for us, one table for two in the middle of the little outdoor terrace sat empty.

The service here is traditional, old school Italian. An older man, presumably the owner, walks the restaurant and makes sure everyone has drinks and is enjoying their food. He is a real charmer. We begin with the bread, provided under the £1.50 cover charge, which is soft French stick - fresh if a little boring. It is, served, with a delicious paste that is a deep green and tastes of beautiful black olives and garlic.

Over tap water and a bottle of very decent house white Hannah and I indulge in 'Suzannah York', an apparently delicious pasta dish served with truffles and creamy sauce, and the homemade tagliatelle with clams, squid and prawns in a rich tomato sauce. Often, I find pasta dishes with a tomato, as opposed to a cream base a little boring but this time it was utterly delicious. The seafood was fresh and generous, too.

I was sad that we were far too full for a pudding as they were displayed inside on a dessert trolley - homemade apple pies, tiramisu, custard cream tart...

However, as the proprietor said, we were sweet enough as we were.

One course and half a bottle of wine: £20 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 31/40

Numero Uno, 139 Northcote Road, London, SW11 6PX. Tel: 020 79785837.

Daylesford Organic, Pimlico

2008-07-21T11:20:00.004+01:00

So often I intend to eat at one place yet end up at another and so it was on Saturday when my cousin and I planned to eat at The Ebury before she caught her train home.

Upon arriving though I felt that the gastro pub term had been stretched to the limit in describing this place: red rope on silver stands marked the entrance, which displayed a framed menu - the cheapest option being £12.50 for one course. The interior looked austere and every table was laid up as a restaurant, which frankly is what it looks like. It just looked too formal. We moved on.

A short stroll down the road brought us to Daylesford Organics. As it was a sunny day the tables outside were full of well heeled locals eating Eggs Benedict for brunch or sharing fabric baskets of rustic breads. There was space for two at the long marble bench that runs the length of the window inside, affording a view of the lovely street outside. A couple next to us chose expensive furniture from a brochure over coffee and further down another couple sipped champagne. Despite this it did not have a snobby or overbearing atmosphere at all and we were brought menus by a very pleasant waiter.

We ordered drinks - a fruit juice and a sparkling water - and food. I decided on a crab salad and Arabella went for a wild rice and quinoa salad. The food arrived about ten minutes later and was beautifully presented. The crab was shredded and mixed with thinly shaved vegetables and a light seafood sauce, moulded into a cylinder, drizzled with olive oil and served with a long slim slice of French toast and a side of green salad. Arabella had a very large portion of her salad in a simple white bowl. I had to try some and it had a lovely delicate flavour, hints of lemon and coriander contrasted with the earthy brown wild rice. Mine too was so lovely - no flavour overwhelmed another and it was just enough. I savoured every mouthful. Whilst we were eating we realised we had no drinks. I summoned the waitress and she hurried over with them. No detail was overlooked here either - the glasses were chunky and tall with a blue rim.

Slightly distracting were the various complaints we could hear going on down the counter - one couple had been overcharged, another had things on their bill that they hadn't had. Indeed, when our bill came we had been charged for a freshly squeezed juice, not the bottled one we had, and a larger size of water. I pointed these out and the waitress said "Oh yes, the bill's wrong" in a very matter of fact way, as if it happens all the time, which I suspect it does, and she whisked it away without apology. She returned with our amended bill, and the amended bill of our neighbouring diners, and I studied it again, noticing that the juice was now a different price again, slightly more expensive than it is listed on the menu. Upon enquiring about this, she looked puzzled, looked at the bill, looked at the menu and then just looked at me. "Erm... this price is right." she said. "So the juice is actually more expensive than listed?" I said.

"Yes." Again, no apology.

As it was only 25p more, and we were now in a rush for the train we left the cash and left the building, slightly irked about the 12.5% service charged.

Even so, we would both return - the building and food were stunning, and we will give the sporadically smiley staff another chance at good service.

One course and a soft drink: £11 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 28/40

Daylesford Organics, 44b Pimlico Road, London, SW1W 8LP. Tel: 020 78818060.

The Prince Bonaparte, Westbourne Grove

2008-07-19T16:53:00.003+01:00

The Prince Bonaparte was the venue for another Friday lunch with my work colleagues. We chose a table and ordered at the bar. The staff were very friendly and smily, if a little scatty (forgot a couple of drinks and had to ask us to repeat a couple of orders).

The food this time was even better than the last. I had a club sandwich and chips which was beautifully done - toasted brown bread with generous smoked bacon and grilled chicken, lettuce and really fresh and flavoursome beef tomato. Everyone else had a burger - some the larger 10oz and some the 80z but everyone was more than happy. It's the details in the Bonaparte's food that give it the edge - corn on the cob and a pot of chutney, homemade onion rings and lots of oozing cheese. The Commander could take some tips.

Once course and a soft drink: £8 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

The Prince Bonaparte, 80 Chepstow Road, London, W2 5BE. Tel: 020 73139491.

Santa Lucia, Chelsea

2008-07-17T10:51:00.003+01:00

An original plan to visit Sophie's Steakhouse had to be written off: it was just too busy and only had one vegetarian option. Wine Gallery was similarly packed and again had limited veggie appeal (eating out as a vegetarian can be hard and boring I have noticed). Therefore we wandered across Hollywood Road and into Santa Lucia. What a happy chance.

The six of us were seated immediately at a great table, despite having no reservation. It felt just like being on holiday on Italy - authentic and relaxed but with crisp starched linen and excellent service. The friendly staff brought menus over and happily provided tap water in large jugs.

To begin we had two portions of their delicious garlic bread - more than enough for us all. It was made from a thin circular pizza base topped with a light garlicky oil - not greasy and incredibly moreish. Two of my friends had pizza which was served as one long metre length - half for each diner and presented on a wooden stand. It was thin crust with fabulous fresh toppings. They were delighted. The pasta dishes were divine. My rigatoni mamma mia consisted of giant pasta tubes, cooked al dente with five big homemade meatballs in a simple tomato and garlic sauce. It was fabulously simple. The seafood linguine was a sight to behold - atop with huge mussels, the pasta was full of fat prawns and squid. Diane declared it delicious. Both vegetarians chose the same - penne with a tomato sauce with aubergine and mozzarella. The mozzarella sat on top of the dish, the size of an egg and both diners said it was beautiful.

I have run out of adjectives for the food - it was just simple, well done Italian fare.

The service too was great - I didn't notice it, yet wanted for nothing which is, of course, perfect. Unusual requests such as removing the parmesan from the vegetarian mains and adding two extra toppings to a pizza were carried out without fuss. Wine was refilled, as was water, without question. The bill came with a complimentary biscotti. I have made myself hungry again just writing this. Needless to say, we will all go back.

One course, garlic bread and half a bottle of wine: £22 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 32/40

Santa Lucia, 2 Hollywood Road, London, SW10 9HY. Tel: 020 73528484.

The Chutney, Wandsworth Town

2008-07-16T10:17:00.004+01:00

The tables were turned and my cousin and aunt were now visiting London. A relaxed evening was in order and walking to the East Hill, a lovely pub on Alma Road, we passed The Chutney. I have eaten here twice before, once with my cousin in fact, and have had an average experience each time. She, however, raved about it and its great choice of vegetarian options. As neither of my fellow diners eat meat I agreed to give it another go. We popped our heads in and reserved a table for 8.30.

The interior is fresh and modern: blood red walls and leather chairs with crisp clean white tablecloths. We were led to a circular table set for four and they hurriedly removed a setting. 'They could have done that before we arrived' remarked my aunt. I agree: it is so easy for places to get the details right, I am always surprised at how many don't. To start we had a poppadom each, served with very tasty chutneys and raita. I noticed we were the only table without a vase of sparse carnations.

It was only when we had finished these, and half a bottle of wine, that we noticed noone had yet taken our order for main courses. When side plates were cleared a waiter appeared with a pad and we selected. I went for chicken korma razala (I reasoned that if my previous more adventurous meals had not been excellent, perhaps this simpler dish would win me over), my aunt for handi subje (seasonal mixed vegetables cooked with pepper, tomato, ginger and ground spices) and my cousin for vegetable jalfrezi. The korma was very good, the sauce was creamy and coconutty but didn't overwhelm the tender pieces of meat. My only complaint would be that it was a bit too runny. The pilau rice too was lovely and not too dry as it often is. The handi subje was raved about - lots of gorgeous veg in a flavoursome sauce - and likewise the jalfrezi which was quite spicy but not too much so. The vegetarian options on the menu were apparently the best they had ever seen in an Indian restaurant. The naan was soft, fluffy and not at all greasy.

Our tap water was constantly refreshed and the service was very polite. Despite a slow start we had a great evening and agreed it is always better to have a bit of chatting time than the courses arriving seconds apart (which was another previous experience of mine at The Chutney). It has redeemed itself, and I'll be back.

Poppadoms, one course and half a bottle of wine: £17 a head

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 29/40

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

Rococo, Shrewsbury

2008-07-15T17:16:00.004+01:00

My cousin booked for us to visit Rococo, in Shrewsbury, during a weekend visit to Shropshire. It was once Owen's, a reliable and good quality option that I have frequented for many years, and so I was interested to see if it could be bettered.

We called on Tuesday for a Saturday reservation, which was no problem. I was glad we did for, within half an hour of being seated at 7.30, the place was full. It is a large room filled with dark wood furniture, large potted plants and mood lighting and is very attractive. A long bar runs along the back.

We chose a bottle of pinot grigio and a jug of tap water whilst we perused the menu and eventually decided upon a mezze platter to share for starter, a vegetarian option of linguine for my cousin (I'm afraid I forget the sauce but I know it came with wild mushrooms and was creamy) and for myself a special - the crab and cherry tomato risotto.

The platter was very good - lovely bread (although only one piece each), generous squares of feta, big juicy stuffed olives, homemade tzatziki and smooth garlicky houmous. The main courses were good but not excellent. Apparently the pasta dish was tasty but a little overfacing and Arabella couldn't finish - it looked a little bit greasy as well. My risotto was a lovely texture and consistency but was just a bit bland - the crab was tasteless and the cherry tomatoes were cold and hard instead of soft and oozing into the rice as I imagined they would be. It seemed that they had just been chopped on top of the dish straight from the fridge.

We were too full for puddings, although they looked appealing, and pressed on with two cocktails each from their attractive menu. They were very fairly priced at £5-£6 each and really added to the fantastic atmosphere. From 9pm a guy played guitar and sang a mixture of old classics and current chart hits which wasn't intrusive but made a lovely backdrop to the evening.

We stayed until gone midnight and were never made to feel like we should pay up or move on.

A great night and nice restaurant which could be made fantastic with a few tweaks.

Two courses, half a bottle of wine and two cocktails: £35 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 29/40

Rococo, 18 Butcher Row, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1UW. Tel: 01743 363633.

The Commander, Westbourne Grove

2008-07-14T17:25:00.003+01:00

If only the right management could get hold of The Commander it would be a great gastro pub.

It is situated just off Westbourne Grove in a quiet street and has been very tastefully refurbished with sofas and booths in the front bar and wooden tables and chairs in the more formal restaurant. There is also a conservatory, closed for a party when we went, and a patio garden reserved solely for eating in (except for the gang of smokers hanging around out there when we went). We chose to eat in the restaurant as there were eight of us and no table was large enough at the front.

As we perused menus the only other table occupied, a group of three, were complaining over the wait for their food. Not ideal as we only had our lunch hour. The menu is at the higher price bracket of gastro pub food. I had called before we came here to check prices and as an example had been told that a burger was about £8.95 and fish and chips similar. The burger was indeed £8.95 but this was for a 6oz, listed without cheese. The fish and chips were £10.95 and all other main courses about the same.

Four of us chose the burger, two medium well and two rare, all with cheese except one of the rare, one of us went for a croque monsieur, one fish and chips, two sausage and mash.

There was about a thirty minute wait for food but eventually the lad serving brought out two burgers, both medium well and both without cheese. We asked about the missing dairy element and he became flustered saying perhaps the other two would be right and scuttled off. The next two arrived both rare and both with cheese. One person was happy, one accepted the rare with cheese anyway and the two remaining requested some cheese be brought out.

The croque monsieur was served open - two slices of white bread laden with two slices of ham and absolutely smothered in melted cheese (must have been where ours went). It was so overfacing Mel had to scrape the majority off but said it was quite tasty. The fish and chips looked good and were well received. One sausage and mash arrived along with the disconcerting question to my remaining colleague: 'What did you order again?'. Needless to say the remaining sausages arrived once the rest of us had finished. Both diners proclaimed these delicious, though.

The burger was good. It was small and the cheese that eventually arrived was cold sliced Edam I suspect. The meat was delicous and cooked as requested. It came with a small bowl of wedges that I enjoyed but the others thought were soggy.

It was, overall, a very disappointing lunch when it really shouldn't have been. The Commander's food is good but it is too expensive and the sizes are not uniform. The staff are friendly but incompetent. The bar and restaurant are attractive but too quiet.

So nearly there, but yet so far.

One course and a glass of wine: £14.50 per head

Value: 5/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 21/40

The Commander, 47 Hereford Road, London, W2 5AH. Tel: 020 72291503.

Fresco, Westbourne Grove

2008-07-09T10:32:00.004+01:00

Bored of our usual sandwich or salad options we walked up Westbourne Grove yesterday to have lunch at Fresco.

They have a large takeaway counter with wraps, kebabs and salads galore but we squeezed through and chose one of the little tables tucked away at the back. I knew what I wanted: chicken, hummus and feta in pitta bread. The chicken is always delicious here and yesterday was no exception - it is so tender and there is lots of it. The same goes for the accompaniments. My colleague had similar - chicken, hummus and tabbouleh. They also serve us complimentary pickles which I love. We didn't fancy a juice (something they are famous for, but they will cost you £2.50), just a tap water, brought over in a large glass with ice without fuss.

The service is relaxed and you usually have to call someone over to order or pay but it's fine - it's a good lunchtime spot and you can take your time without issue.

Sandwich: £4 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Fresco, 25 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 4UA. Tel: 020 72212355.

Racine, South Kensington

2008-07-08T12:24:00.004+01:00

I had booked Racine two weeks early, as I knew my mother would be staying and would enjoy the food (from what I had read anyway - I hadn't actually been before).

There were meant to be three of us dining but at the last minute there were only two. When the restaurant called to confirm the reservation the day before, I had just heard that we would be dining as a pair and the person calling was fine with that, and very friendly. On the evening in question, a Wednesday night, we found ourselves in the area, and ready to eat, a good forty five minutes before we expected and so we went in to see if we could eat earlier. There were two other tables taken at 6.45pm - a largeish group and a couple who obviously there a lot. The waiting staff were delighted for us to eat earlier and the whisked us to our table, which was against the banquette.

The restaurant itself is very authentically French and classic. The heavy purple curtain surrounding the door keeps the bustle of Brompton Road firmly outside and the cool calm atmosphere inside. That is not to say it's stuffy, though, it's really not. The staff are perfect - friendly, professional and discreet. We ordered a glass of white wine each and tap water whilst perusing the menu. The water came in glasses, which were refilled throughout the meal, without request.

We were early enough for the set menu - which you can order from before 7pm, a bonus of arriving early! To begin, we both chose goat's cheese, which came with French toast and garlic. It was a beautifully simple dish, very tasty and just enough. There was a lamb dish as a main option which we both wanted but unfortunately it was the last portion. My mum was not disappointed, however, with her beef onglet - tender and cooked perfectly rare. My lamb, too was medium as requested and full of flavour. Served with a selection of vegetables and new potatoes we had a really lovely meal and, at £17 for two courses or £19 for three, it was excellent value.

We were both too full for puddings and noone pushed us to have one, or more wine, although we were offered. The service was truly exemplary - unintrusive yet attentive.

The only downside was the missing third diner, who I missed very much.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £25 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 31/40

Racine, 239 Brompton Road, London, SW3 2EP. Tel: 020 75844477.

Tapas Variadas, Battersea

2008-07-06T18:01:00.003+01:00

It was a very muggy Tuesday evening and my mother and I walked down to Northcote Road in search of a light dinner. Lola Roja caught our eye and we would very much have liked to eat there: when we entered its serene white decor and cool air conditioned atmosphere was bliss but it was all booked up. We walked on. I had Niksons in mind but en route we spotted Tapas Variadas. With a family eating outside and another few tables taken inside it looked like a local's spot. Inside, it seemed authentic, a view reinforced when a Spanish waitress came to seat us.

After studying the menu we asked the waitress how many tapas she recommended for two diners (I find portion size varies between different restaurants). She didn't understand the question and summoned another Spanish waitress to help us. She also did not comprehend and informed us that no, we couldn't mix the dishes up. In the end we ordered four to have alongside the bread and olives they had already supplied. Tap water was no problem, and the house white wine was very nice, as was the service - despite the language barrier both waitresses who served us were pleasant and smiley. The only issue was that they were really rather slow.

The green salad was plentiful, simple and fresh - more than enough for two and we couldn't finish it. Lamb kebabs were really beautifully marinated and flavoursome and goats cheese with roasted vegetables was a pleasant dish too. The Spanish tortilla was my favourite - I was surprised that it came as a circular omelette and not cut up into smaller portions - very generous.

A nice night, and good to know about locally.

Tapas and half a bottle of wine: £20 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Tapas Variadas, 124 Northcote Road, London, SW11 6QU. Tel: 020 79243566.

The County Arms, Wandsworth

2008-06-30T11:40:00.005+01:00

It was a weekend of scuppered plans. We had fancied a trip to one of local favourites, Ditto, to round off a relaxing Sunday but despite checking the website, which says they shut at 10pm, upon arrival discovered that they now shut at 5 on a Sunday evening.

I was disappointed. I had been looking forward to it all day. Nevertheless, it was a balmy evening and a pleasant walk across Wandsworth Common brought us to The County Arms.

It is a large pub with a big garden which we intended to sit in but discovered that a private party being held in the conservatory was spilling outside, with Cher blaring from a music system. Inside it was then.

You can eat in the bar or in the restaurant. The bar tables were all taken at 8.30pm except for three at the back, in an area that feels distinctly like a hotel lobby. We decided to eat in the restaurant and were the only ones, which surprised me as the menu was appealing and decor really lovely - a hotch potch of wooden chairs and tables and a huge open fire (obviously not lit at the end of June but a great centrepiece) with two squashy leather sofas next to it. It was homely but not shabby.

The waitress came over, offered drinks and asked if we would like the air conditioning turning off, which we did as it was really quite chilly. She told us it was extremely quiet for a Sunday, I think by way of apology for the large empty restaurant. The menus were printed on cream paper, a little worse for wear by now - type fading and edges battered but we happily perused over a nice glass of rioja.

To begin, we shared a platter of rustic breads with olive oil, balsamic, roasted garlic and pesto. It was a very generous portion for £4.50: about sixteen slices of bread, in four varieties (one focaccia was a little stale but the others delicious) with large pots of dips. We were careful to only share about half, as we would have been absolutely stuffed if we'd eaten the lot. There were still roasts on the menu but the particularly tempting pork was sold out and so my boyfriend went for fish and chips 'County style' and I selected the Ploughman's.

I was glad we had kept some bread back as the three slices of white loaf that came with mine were a little uninspiring. The brie and cheddar were gorgeous though and served in two huge chunks. A fresh salad provided a nice contrast, there was a decent sweet chutney and crunchy red apple but the celery was a sad, spindly little offering. Two big pickled onions topped it off.

James's fish looked lovely atop a bed of what were more like wedges than chips with the skins still on. A side of mushy peas was a nice surprise, pureed with, I think, mint added.

Despite appearances, the fish was apparently quite tasteless.

There were a couple more tables occupied by the time we left which provided a little more atmosphere than the streams of people trailing through from the conservatory to the toilets and back.

Reading this back it sounds like we didn't have a nice night, which we did, but I think if we eat there again we'll go on a different night when there will be more atmosphere, perhaps in the winter, and give a couple of different meals a go.

Two courses and a glass of wine: £22 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

The County Arms, 345 Trinity Road, London, SW18 3SH. Tel: 020 88748532.

The Alma, Wandsworth Town

2008-06-29T16:59:00.006+01:00

For a lazy Saturday lunch with a friend staying for the weekend we had planned to try The Waterfront by Wandsworth Bridge. However, when we arrived there were signs announcing a private function and no food was being served. This ended up with us eating in The Alma's beautiful garden.

My boyfriend and friend both chose the burger with brie and bacon, whilst I had the feta salad with avocado, new potatoes, roasted peppers and olives. I was really looking forward to it but was disappointed - the lettuce was bitter and the dressing very bland. There was quite a generous amount of cheese but not many potatoes and the green olives were pitted but the black ones still had stones in. l had a terrible case of food envy seeing the creamy brie melting on the thick, juicy burgers (cooked exactly to order). Luckily I was able to finish Al's gorgeous skinny fries.

In contrast to the mixed success with food, the service was brilliant. From the moment we arrived our waitress was friendly, professional and helpful. She happily provided bread with my salad, which we weren't charged for, which was incidentally a selection - some with rosemary, some with nuts and all very good. I would certainly give it another go and I know my boyfriend can't wait to go back.

One course and a cocktail: £17 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 29/40

The Alma, 499 Old York Road, London, SW18 1TF. Tel: 020 88702537.

Pizza Express, Notting Hill

2008-06-27T11:19:00.004+01:00

I have said it before and I'll say it again: Notting Hill Gate and Westbourne Grove are a restaurant black hole. There is nothing decent, affordable and tasty, bar a couple of ok-ish options. This is why, despite every fibre in me wanting to go somewhere individual and exciting, four of us went to Pizza Express last night. And, hey, we had a nice time.

We didn't book and had no trouble getting a table, although it was almost full in there. Our dough balls were fresh and hot and came with plenty of garlic butter. The house white was good, tap water not an issue. Our pizzas were prompt and tasty. The only complaint would be that I requested a margherita with chicken and green peppers and what arrived was a margherita with chicken, red peppers and two black olives. As she put my meal down the waitress said, "We didn't have green peppers so did red ok?". To be honest, it wouldn't have taken two seconds to check before they made the pizza and the olives were a mystery.

Despite this, we were full and satisfied, and our wallets didn't leave too light either.

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

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 29/40

Pizza Express, 137 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3QG. Tel: 020 72296000.

All Star Lanes, Bayswater

2008-06-26T10:07:00.003+01:00

I seem to have been eating in American style restaurants an awful lot over the last couple of weeks. Whilst this can be boring from a culinary point of view it does allow me to compare dishes whilst they are fresh in my mind.

All Star Lanes in Bayswater is the most stylish of the three I have visited (the others being The Diner and Dollar Grills and Martinis). It is high end luxury bowling for grown ups, with a sideline in cocktails. It also has a very cool, sleek diner overlooking the lanes, which is where our party of 16 ate last night. Our booking had to be made a month in advance, which wasn't so much down to the eating, but due to the bowling (we wanted three lanes together at prime post-work time of 6.30pm). We then made our way through to our table at 7.30. The staff were wonderful. They constantly passed by our bowling lanes offering drinks and removing empties, and then when our games finished earlier than expected we were able to take our table without any fuss.

I was very happy to note that big jugs of tap water with ice and lemon were placed on the table before we were seated and regularly refreshed without request - big brownie points for that.

To start I had the shrimp cocktail which consisted of about six huge, juicy shrimp which were sadly drowned in a ketchup salsa combo which managed to be spicy and tasteless all at the same time. All this was sitting atop a sad pile of shredded, limp lettuce. A bad start - but not for my colleague who had a big bowl of gorgeous salt and pepper squid. Not greasy, exactly the right amount of batter, just fab.

It only seemed right to have the burger for main course, which needed sides ordered separately. I went for shoestring fries and coleslaw. We weren't asked how we would like our meat cooked, which was surprising (two diners specially requested rare, which was lucky as the rest were very well done). They came in a sesame seed bap with some fresh lettuce and tomato and delicious relish. The fries were great, served in a metal beaker with greaseproof paper: it was all very stylish and the attention to detail was very good. The steaks ordered were fabulous and tender, a vegetarian option of grilled vegetables with goat's cheese was a tad boring but apparently tasty. It wasn't ground breaking or amazing but I enjoyed my food and we were regularly offered drinks.

Puddings were hard to choose between - New York cheesecake and brownie with hot chocolate sauce both sounded good but I went for a chocoholic sundae. This came in a large round glass bowl with a stem and long spoon, three big scoops of icecream, topped with cream and decorated with chocolate sauce. It was rich and indulgent, but could have been a bit more adventurous. It was really more like plain icecream than an actual sundae.

Overall, I enjoyed myself and the food very much. I wouldn't rave about anything individually but as an experience it was brilliant. Give it a go.

Three courses and half a bottle of wine: £35 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 29/40

All Star Lanes, Whiteleys, 6 Porchester Gardens, London, W2 4DB. Tel: 020 73138363.

Al Duomo, Brighton

2008-06-22T13:37:00.004+01:00

A friend of ours booked this restaurant and I have to admit that I wasn't overly excited about it before our day trip to Brighton. We arrived for our 8.30pm table on a Saturday night and it wasn't terribly busy - never a good sign. Despite this we were seated on a very small table that would have been much better suited for two diners.

The menu is very long: three sections of starters (hot, cold and antipasti) and sixty main courses (pizza, pasta, salad, meat and fish). It was hard work to trawl through but eventually we had all selected: two Bresaola with mozzarella, one pate al brandy and one bruschetta to start and, for main courses, a seafood pizza 'Al Duomo', one Diana (tomato, mozzarella, sausage and mushrooms), one American hot and one cannelloni ripieni (ricotta, spinach and goat's cheese in a tomato and cream sauce). We also ordered a bottle of prosecco and a jug of tap water. The service was attentive and friendly.

The starters were good: the beef was apparently delicious with a generous serving of mozzarella. The only complaint was the generous and unnecessary lettuce and fairly tasteless tomato on the side. The bruschetta were a good, safe option which didn't disappoint Daisy and my pate was gorgeous but the way it is so often served in restaurants flummoxes me: why so little bread? Surely this is the cheapest part? Indeed in this case there were three flattened triangles of white toast (where was the other quarter of the slice of bread?!) and two sachets of butter with a huge mound of pate and another huge mound of fridge cold salad. Only the details of the starters let them down - generous bread, more exciting greenery (grated carrot-ugh) and butter removed from its wrapper would have taken the whole experience up a level.

Unfortunately, this is where the meal went wrong. There is a huge pizza oven in the open air kitchen and I was excited to see the chef making them. They should have been so good. Mine tasted of absolutely nothing at all. I know this is hard to comprehend but from the tiny prawns, no doubt recently defrosted from a bag, small flabby mussels and the odd bit of squid to the smearing of tomato paste over the boring base, the whole thing was a massive letdown with no promised 'hint of garlic and chilli'. The boys seemed to enjoy theirs in fairness, although the basic elements must have been the same. Daisy's pasta dish was huge, served in a boiling hot ceramic dish with absolutely no salad or accompaniments at all. The overfacing size of the portion meant that she barely finished half. I tried her leftovers and they were good but again, not enough seasoning, herbs or, frankly, love had gone into the cooking.

We requested the bill that came without fuss and then everyone seemed to disappear. A boy of around twelve, perhaps the owner's son, wandered around the kitchen and so we asked him if he could find someone we could pay. He immediately brought us our bill again.
No, we said, we would like someone to bring over the card machine and so he picked up the cash we had on the table and started carrying it away. One of us got up and followed him, eventually locating a member of staff proper and tried to explain that we wanted to split the bill and needed change from the cash. He didn't understand and it ended up being the easiest thing to pay how they wanted us to and sort it out between us later. This service spoilt what had been the best part of the Al Duomo experience: competent and efficient staff.

Two courses and a glass of prosecco: £17.50 per head

Value: 5/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 4/10

SCORE: 22/40

Al Duomo, 7 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton, BN1 1EE. Tel: 07710 161562.

Dollar Grills and Martinis, Farringdon

2008-06-20T09:48:00.003+01:00

I am getting a bit bored of writing about poor service, but it is so very integral to a good restaurant experience or, should I say, a poor one.

That's not to say Dollar Grills and Martinis was a poor restaurant experience, it just wasn't a great one and it could be. I booked a week in advance for a table for two at 7.30pm. We arrived bang on time and were very glad we had reserved because it was heaving, full on packed to bursting with several large tables of, I think, office parties. There were four people in front of us, queueing to speak to the guy on the front desk who was doing his best to accommodate people. He was very good at his job, polite and apologetic about the wait and the confusion: there had been a table of 13 arrive that they had lost the booking for and he had had to rearrange lots of tables to fit them in. Therefore, we now had two options - a truly terrible table for two which was actually a table from outside squashed in a corner at the top of the stairs that lead to the toilets or a large round table for four. Neither were particularly ideal for a romantic meal but we chose the larger and sat next to each other, avoiding the side of the table next to the open view kitchen, where waiters frantically grabbed (and dropped) orders.

As he hands us our menus he explains that as the very large party has just ordered there may be a wait for our food, for which he is very sorry in advance. Ok, well we've been warned. We choose from the menu straight away, but noone comes to take our order for ages... eventually we grab a waitress and begin with a cocktail. They were good: a beautiful bling bling with a huge juicy blackberry perched on the side and a long , sweet lemon collins. Our starters arrive at 8.15, 45 minutes after we arrive, but again they are very good. My boyfriend's pan fried scallops are gorgeous: soft, fresh and beautifully complemented by a carrot and cardemon sauce. Similarly my chicken liver and foie gras parfait is smooth and slightly sweet, served on a fairly small slice of brioche (was it a bit stale? perhaps...) with, for once, a leafy side salad and fig chutney that actually complement the dish. I would have liked another drink at this point. No, revise that - I would like to have been offered another drink at this point. God knows there were staff around - waiters constantly moved my chair in, or worse, pushed behind it to serve the large table. I spent the whole evening shuffling back and forth on my chair (which incidentally had once had arms but didn't any longer, just two ripped holes with sponge showing through) and breathing in. I accosted a waiter for a glass of house white.

It's not too much longer before main dishes arrive - both of us have chosen burgers, mine with jack cheese and James's a 'million dollar burger' with bacon, cheese and cashew nut sauce. He deliberately asked that the avocado and relish and be left off, oddly the larger burgers only come with a myriad of extras. They are served on a wooden board with a steak knife speared through them. Mine was so firmly wedged through the food and into the board that removing it was difficult and really quite dangerous. But anyway, although one burger which was requested well done came thoroughly pink in the middle, they were tasty and fresh and filling. I must confess though there wasn't a lot of cheese on mine and James couldn't taste the cashow nut sauce (which I suspect is a good thing). The fries were good - nice and skinny, and it was all served with a smile and sauces without having to ask.

The atmosphere in Dollar Grills is good - very friendly, buzzy and fun but the decor has seen better days. It's shabby chic that has become just shabby in parts. Although still looking very trendy, some elements (the toilets would be a good example) desperately need sprucing up. My boyfriend's chair had one arm remaining, mine wobbled. You get the picture, comforts could be improved. I noticed all these things whilst waiting for someone to offer me a pudding. Why does this seem so hard in so many restaurants? We managed to stop another member of staff and request a menu and then miraculously, order a NY chocolate cheesecake to share. It was divine, just a fantastic cheesecake. I am glad we shared - it was rich but oh so good.

Needless to say there was another fifteen minute period in which we attempted to give someone our hard earned money. Dollar Grills accepts Taste London and the discount (in this case 2 for 1) was applied without a fuss. The value was good with the card but I think at full price I would expect a lot more. I must point out though that all four staff that served us throughout the evening were very friendly.

Three courses, a glass of wine and a cocktail (without taste London discount): £42 per head

Value: 6/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Dollar Grills and Martinis, 2 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4PX. Tel: 020 72780077.

The Diner, Soho

2008-06-19T10:00:00.006+01:00

The customer service industry in the UK is much undervalued. From the woman in the bank who talked to other customers whilst checking something on my account to the man in the local shop who, despite receiving my custom every day, still talks on his phone whilst serving me. I was similarly underwhelmed by the shoddy and disinterested service at The Diner.

I booked for Wednesday night on Monday for five of us at 7.30pm. We arrived at 6.30 and had a cocktail at the bar from a very nice and helpful bartender (good mojitos, and I hear very good spring flings). At our allotted time we proceeded to the restaurant section. For some reason they had our booking down for 2 people but said it wasn't a problem (so far so good, although if they couldn't have seated us I would have been cross). In fact, they gave us the best table in the house, a large four sided booth in the window with a view of the long queue for Cha Cha Moon's opposite, snaking down the road.

We looked at the menus, we chatted, we waited. At 8 o'clock our waiter wanders over to see if we would like to order. Not even a drink offered before this point. We request a bottle of house white and a jug of tap water: "We can only do tap water by the glass." he says, slightly apologetically. Ok fine, so five glasses please. Foodwise, we select two Californian burgers (with Monterey Jack and guacamole), a BBQ chicken burger, a chicken burrito and chicken fajitas plus fries, cheesy fries and wet fries (with gravy).

The wine arrives (no ice bucket, not poured) and shortly afterwards, so does the food. A waitress who did not take our order brings the order and therefore has no idea who chose what. When informed she holds the plates out for us to take off her. I know these may be small quibbles but they were building up a poor picture by now. The food is good to be fair, in a homemade sort of way, which of course is miles better than a manufactured, factory sort of way. The burrito and fajitas came with plenty of chicken, the burgers were cooked as requested etc but it really did feel like something I could easily make without much effort. The fries were good too, if unremarkable. My friend enjoyed her wet fries but another's cheesy fries only had a small sprinkling of cheese on the top layer - go deeper and they were just fries. We enjoyed it though - the food was not the problem.

The plates were cleared and we sat for a while. One of us had been to The Diner's sister restaurant in Shoreditch and said the desserts were good. Unfortunately we weren't given the option of dessert. We waited a while longer and wanted some more wine. Attempting to attract the waiter's attention failed and so one of us got up and ordered from him. There are only about 10 tables in the whole place and at least three serving staff. The wine was duly dumped on the table but still no menus or offers of coffee. In truth, none of us were very inclined to spend more money with them at this point. Once the wine had been finished a good while we decided we'd try and pay. Our waiter was actually dancing with another waitress, spinning around the restaurant floor, not even glimpsing up at his tables (of which there were only two at this point). We resorted to waving our arms in the air to attract attention, which was eventually noticed by the barman who alerted the waiter. I almost felt I was putting him out when he made his way over and we requested our bill. He brought it, with the 12.5% service added. We added cash and cards to the mix and waited. By this point I was pretty angry and I wish we had disputed the service charge, I don't know why we didn't actually. More arm waving and he came over - "May we pay please?!". "I'll just get the card machine". For the love of God bring the thing over when people want to pay, just on the offchance that they might pay by card.

Finally we left. None of the staff said goodbye or thank you as we made our way out although we, the dutiful diners, did - absurdly. It took three hours to eat one course and drink two glasses of wine. Next time I'll try my luck in the Cha Cha Moon queue.

Update: I wrote an email of complaint to the manager about the service to which he responded five days later. He said he had discussed the issue with the staff and thought the bad service arose from a communication problem. As recompense he offered me two free cocktails. Unfortunately, as there were five of us dining, this wouldn't cover everyone affected and neither would it cover the original service charge paid.

One course, half a bottle of wine and a cocktail: £24 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 23/40

The Diner, 18 Ganton Street, London, W1F 7BU. Tel: 020 72878962.

The Stage Door, Waterloo

2008-06-14T14:10:00.004+01:00

Friday night drinks with friends inevitably led to perusing The Stage Door's menu. There was a typical pub selection of nachos, bangers and mash, burgers etc. The rest of the group chose to share a meat and vegetarian platter, onion rings, chips and nachos. I didn't fancy it - I wanted a burger.

It came about twenty minutes later and was a very decent sized portion. Left open for easy addition of sauces, it had fresh lettuce and beef tomato, a rather measly slice of pickled gherkin, cheese which was plentiful and oozing down the side, and a good big rasher of bacon. The meat was good: it was a thick burger which seemed to be good quality and tasted slightly smoked, as if cooked on a barbeque. The chips were equally delicious, not greasy and again, tasted fresh. The others made quick work of the sharing plates which were apparently very good. I was very pleasantly surprised. Washed down with a glass of red wine I have had much worse meals for much much more.

One course and a glass of wine: £11 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

The Stage Door, 28-30 Webber Street, London, SE1 8QA. Tel: 020 7928 8964.

Alounak, Kensington Olympia

2008-06-13T11:11:00.012+01:00

We had been planning to go to the outdoor showing of Atonement at The Scoop but forecasts of rain the day before forced us to reevaluate. If it was going to be miserable we'd go for some good food instead. My boyfriend fancied some Middle Eastern fare and I was more than happy to go along with that - the reviews I had read of Alounak had me drooling at my desk...

We rang the night before and booked for 7.30 - what a good job we did. When we arrived three or four other tables were occupied but by 8pm the place was heaving, no point walking in on the off chance. It's BYO, a corkscrew was offered immediately, as were two extra glasses and tap water. A good start. The clay oven at the front tempted us to the taftoon bread with Mast-O-Maasir (yogurt and shallots) and salad Olivieh (a mixture of chicken, onion, egg, dill pickles and mayonnaise, resembling in colour and texture a homemade houmous). My boyfriend was disappointed as he felt the dips lacked flavour but I loved them - they were really subtle and moreish. In the salad you could taste each flavour individually, as well as part of the mixture.

For our main meals we opted to share - baby chicken kebab with rice and loobia polo, Thursday's special - saffron rice, lamb and green beans. The latter dish was divine, the lamb was the best I have ever tasted, huge tender chunks with just a bit of fat, soft fluffy rice and lots of beans. We both agreed it was fabulous. The chicken dish was also good, it was very well marinaded but the pieces were so bony it was fairly hard to eat.

Our plates were cleared and noone came to offer us any drinks or desserts. Forty minutes must have passed before we eventually accosted someone to request the bill. It didn't really matter (we were chatting and finishing our wine) but it didn't reflect the best service and, actually, I might have had some icecream.

Our verdict was that it was tasty but, for us, not one to revisit.

Two courses: £13 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

Alounak, 10 Russell Gardens, London, W14 8EZ. Tel: 020 76037645.

Aqua, Bath

2008-06-12T15:58:00.006+01:00

The second restaurant of our trip had a lot to live up to after Circus. From the moment I stepped into new Italian restaurant Aqua I knew it had already surpassed it aesthetically. The former church house has high beamed ceilings and beautiful light is cast through the stained glass windows. It has been glamourously yet sympathetically converted: beautiful chandeliers, soft muted colours, comfortable table and booth seating and the piece de resistance - a galleried area with piano.

We had booked about a week earlier for a pre theatre dinner and arrived at 6pm. There were already several other tables occupied and by the time we left at 7pm it was really quite busy. We began with a selection of breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The breads were varied, a good mix of white, brown and granary, some softer than others and plenty enough fort two pieces each. Along with tap water we had a bottle of superb red wine - unfortunately I can't remember its name and they don't have their winelist on their website, but it was the second cheapest and so very smooth. Incidentally, they also had some great, and reasonably priced cocktails on their menu.

There is a very wide selection of main courses. Two of us went for pizza - one prosciutto funghi (mozzarella, tomato, ham and mushrooms) and one pollo bianca (mozzarella, chicken, pancetta and rosemary). Both were delicious - nice thin base and reasonable size, not overfacing which I hate. My pancetta was generous and gave a lovely salty accompaniment to the rosemary, really very good - a sentiment echoed by my boyfriend with his funghi. My ma had pumpkin, sage and gorgonzola risotto, which I simply had to try. It was quite a mild dish but that's not to say it wasn't tasty. Risotto can be hit and miss but this had a great texture and consistency and the cheese didn't drown the delicate pumpkin flavours. Finally, a fillet of beef with peppercorn sauce and chips for my pa provoked cries of jealousy from all: cooked exactly to order, it was so tender that he didn't need to use his steak knife. Chips were generous and not greasy, the peppercorn sauce didn't drown the meat. A rocket and parmesan salad was a great side dish, with plenty of cheese.

After such main courses how could we not try pudding? Sicilian lemon sorbet with crystallized ginger was refreshing, my vanilla bean ice cream with espresso and Frangelico was very good although could perhaps be improved if the coffee was warmed to contrast with the icecream. I love hazelnut and the Frangelico didn't disappoint.

Two of the best meals I have had in a very long time, both outside of London.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £30 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 31/40

Aqua Restaurant and Bar, 88 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BD. Tel: 01225 471371.

Circus Cafe and Restaurant, Bath

2008-06-11T16:20:00.006+01:00

Sigh. The memory of a wonderful weekend away. A trip to Bath had been planned for a while. Our reservation for the Friday night was made three weeks in advance as my mother had passed this place everyday on her way to work and wanted to try it. We were seated at the last table on the right (looking at the photograph), the one at the back with the divider behind it. It was a lovely spot with a view of the whole room, in which all the tables were occupied at 9pm. Downstairs was much bigger and also pretty full, with perhaps a slightly buzzier atmosphere.

However, we were happy where we were. I would have happily chosen a starter, in fact would have been spoilt for choice but nothing jumped out at my three fellow diners and so we decided to leave room for pudding and go straight to main courses.

We selected food and a bottle of prosecco. Bread was offered from a basket and wine poured, tap water ordered and served without fuss. The bread was lovely - soft white centre with a floury, rosemary tasting crust. The prosecco was light and fruity (pear flavours bursting through). My main course was beautiful - swordfish steak with cracked black pepper - the fish was tender and perfectly complimented by the sides we had ordered - baby carrots, which came with the bright green stalks still on, fresh green salad, skinny fries and new potatoes. My parents both went for lamb, which was tender and pink and flavoursome and my boyfriend went for turbot, so delicate that it fell apart when the fork hit the food. Just fabulous mains.

There was still room though. Still room for a double chocolate cheesecake which was indeed very chocolatey - by the end it had become a bit cloying, simply as it was so rich but a raspberry sauce offset that slightly. I actually forget what everyone else had (one perhaps a creme brulee), but I know they were good. Everyone raved. The atmosphere was relaxing and the service attentive. They even heard us discussing taxis and offered to order one for us, which was there within minutes. The toilets were spotless too. All in all a really great experience at Circus.

Two courses and a glass of prosecco: £25 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

Circus Cafe and Restaurant, 34 Brock Street, Bath, BA1 2LN. Tel: 01225 466020.

The Oyster Rooms, Fulham Broadway

2008-06-10T12:48:00.008+01:00

Don't be fooled by the upmarket sounding name - The Oyster Rooms is a Lloyds Bar, part of the JD Wetherspoon chain. Normally I would avoid places like this at all costs but we were on our way to the cinema, everything else was busy (SATC you see...) and we only had 30 minutes.

The fact that you can be seated, order, be served, eat and leave within half an hour gives you an idea of the type of food they serve. There are various offers displayed: two of us opt to try two meals for £7.30 and another friend goes for a burger with glass of wine for £5.95.

Everything arrives super speedily. My cottage pie with chips is an ok sized portion, which tastes, again, ok but is very luke warm verging on cold. Chilli con carne goes down better - tasty my friend says, with a decent portion of basmati rice. Hannah's burger oozes juices which make the thin bun, already falling apart, off-puttingly soggy. Wines, on tap, are the wrong temperatures: a cold red and a warmish rose. The waiter only grunted and pointed when asked about salt and pepper.

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. (Unless you want to try your luck with the chilli).

One course with a glass of wine: £7 per head

Value: 3/10

Service: 3/10

Atmosphere: 3/10

Food: 3/10

SCORE: 12/40

The Oyster Rooms, Unit 3, First Floor, Fulham Broadway Centre, Fulham, London, SW6 1AA. Tel: 020 74710310.

The Rowbarge, Midgham

2008-06-09T14:50:00.007+01:00

We arrived at The Rowbarge at 2pm on a glorious Saturday afternoon. We (12 of us) were on the way to the evening races at Newbury and a friend had recommended we eat here, on the banks of the canal. We had no problem finding two tables outside. Other clientele were a mix of families, couples and groups; dogs and children played by the waters edge and climbed trees (the children, not the dogs) and it was a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

I chose scampi, which was delicious - for once you could really see and taste the huge prawns, which were cooked in a light, crispy batter and weren't at all greasy. The chips were a bit generic but tasty, a side salad although boring was fresh. Others chose burgers, mezze platters and sandwiches - all apparently good. Some mains came with an option of small or large portion which made a light meal very affordable.

This may be a chain and the food may not be adventurous but it is good and it is reasonable and on a summer's day it might just be perfect.

One course and a cider: £10 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 27/40

The Rowbarge, Station Road, Woolhampton, Berkshire, RG7 5SH. Tel: 01189 712213.

Kiasu, Bayswater

2008-06-06T10:13:00.008+01:00

I am often in Notting Hill but not often in Bayswater. Despite it only being a stroll down Westbourne Grove the atmosphere becomes more fraught, the clientele shifts, the bars thin out. True to form, as my boyfriend and I headed down there at 9pm on Friday night a man was being questioned by police for deliberately 'bumping himself' into women... However, we had a craving for noodles and some of the best places are down here.

We were actually off to try our luck at Royal China, which I still haven't tried but along the way we spotted Kiasu. I have read a lot about it and forgot it was down here. We only wanted a quick meal so decided to save RC for a more relaxed occasion and darted into Kiasu. It was busy but there were a few tables free and we were seated immediately. The tables are very close together (my neighbour had to move her bag along as it was infringing on my seat) and very light and very noisy. I didn't like the atmosphere at all, actually.

It took a long time to order - there were plenty of staff but none came our way. Eventually we accosted someone and selected a starter of Malay chicken satay to share, one Nasi Goreng Istimewa and one beef Wat Tan Hor. The Nasi Goreng can be ordered in three different strengths and I chose the mildest. Our server said that the satay would arrive at the same time as the mains as they take a while to prepare and so we cancelled them, ordering some crackers instead. All we wanted to drink was tap water, which was no problem.

The food didn't take long. My boyfriend's noodles were soft and tasty with a thick egg white gravy, full of flavour, with a lot of tender beef and beautifully salty pak choi. The Nasi Goreng was hot. That is the overriding memory of the food as I could barely taste the flavours. I dread to think how hot the hottest one would have been. To be fair the prawns were good, and so were the satay. The fried egg was cooked perfectly. In fact, all elements that made up the meal were good but it was just too hot and that's all I can really say about it.

My boyfriend loved it and I didn't. There wasn't one particular thing just average service, average atmosphere, average food (for me).

One course: £8.50 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Atmosphere: 4/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 22/40

Kiasu, 48 Queensway, London, W2 3RY. Tel: 020 77278810.

The Prince Bonaparte, Westbourne Grove

2008-06-02T20:50:00.009+01:00

The Prince Bonaparte used to have a reputation as a trendy Westbourne Grove establishment - a celeb hangout and place to be seen. Over the last couple of years it lost its sheen and service slipped.

Now, it's hauling itself back into favour. It's got a lot on its side - good location, big, bright, airy room, a big three-sided bar and good beers on tap. Besides, we weren't here for alcohol, we were here for food. It was Friday lunchtime and ten of us turned up without booking. We use the Bonaparte quite regularly, if only because it's a bit of a barren land for restaurants and we occasionally get bored of the Thai at The Walmer Castle.

There is a fairly big restaurant section at the back of the pub but it's gloomy in comparison to the large wooden tables and bench seating at the front, where the sun streams in from the huge windows. The only table able to seat us all had dirty glasses and plates all over it and, despite there only being two other tables taken, it took them fifteen minutes to clear it. They left a bunch of dying flowers. We also noticed a rather twee sign: 'Look after your belongings and we'll look after you, The Prince Bonaparte xx'. Are kisses really necessary?

But I digress: the food. I ordered the 8oz handmade West Country Casterbridge beef burger with maris piper chips and tabasco ketchup. Others in the group order the 10oz version, that comes with corn on the cob and coleslaw as well. The meat is delicious and it's nice to see it cooked in the open air kitchen located to the right of the bar. The bun is a little too weak to cope with the massive beef tomato and crisp lettuce but there is just the right amount of chips. The corn on the cob is apparently a little tough but the coleslaw very good. Leffe battered haddock with chips and mushy peas is devoured eagerly, as is a chicken wrap.

All in all a very good lunch.

One course and a soft drink: £10.50 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 28/40

The Prince Bonaparte, 80 Chepstow Road, London, W2 5BE. Tel: 020 73139491.

Chowki, Piccadilly

2008-05-31T09:51:00.008+01:00

I like the idea behind Chowki: each month three regions of India are highlighted and from each one there are three starters, three mains and a dessert on offer. For someone like myself who loves Indian food but who, like many, is guilty of selecting the same sort of thing everytime, it's perfect.

There were six of us and I booked our table two days in advance for 7.30pm, mentioning we had a Taste London card, which was no problem. It was also no problem when, on Thursday night, we were still finishing drinks in the Dog and Duck and I called to move it to 8pm.

We were seated on a table for eight, with two other diners at the end. This was fine - we hardly noticed and this is, after all, the style of the restaurant. The service was lovely from the start: they took our jackets and were prompt with offering drinks, extra tap water was brought without fuss. We all decided to order the three course menu for £14.95. In order to take advantage of this you must order your starter, main course and pudding all from the same region. This was actually really fun and prompted much debate and discussion. It also meant that instead of my usual chicken option, I went for a vegetarian starter of cabbage and lentil dumplings, deep fried with a spicy tomato chutney and a queen prawn curry for my main course.

The dumplings were really tasty, if a tiny bit hard, and the salsa was just the right amount of zingy to set them off. Everyone seemed to enjoy their starter, in fact, and indeed their main. Served in four small bowls, set in a semi circle around your plate, each section of the meal is separate. Prawns in sauce in one, more sauce in another, vegetables in the third and finally rice. This made me try the flavours individually and really appreciate what I was eating. The portions were the perfect size. Selections from other regions included a chicken stew with potatoes and cauliflower, Murg Possani (chicken on the bone with chilli, poppy seeds, ginger and garlic) and Keema Mutter (lamb mince cooked in yogurt). My only complaint would be that I only appeared to have three queen prawns, a rather measly offering. This aside, it was delicious and everyone said the same.

I never really have a pudding in an Indian restaurant, they tend to be too sweet for me, but on this occasion they were included. Mine was green ripe banana and rice flour steamed with coconut. It had a texture alike to marzipan and a pleasant taste which everyone else hated. Fresh curd cheese dumpling stuffed with nuts and saffron was universally shunned, and par boiled rice, stir fried with almond flakes in butter and sprinkled with sweet saffron milk tasted just like pilau rice with sugar on top but tasting all these gave rise my much hilarity amongst our group. In fact, we discussed food preferences and flavours as we chose and ate.

When the bill was brought the Taste London discount had already been applied without us having to ask, the first time this has ever happened and made everything much less stressful. It was incredibly good value, wonderful service and great food. Chowki - see you soon.

Three courses and half a bottle of wine (without Taste London discount): £20 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 9/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 31/40

Chowki, 2-3 Denman Street, London, W1D 7HA. Tel: 020 74391330

Global, Wandsworth Town

2008-05-29T15:07:00.010+01:00

THIS RESTAURANT IS NO LONGER OPEN

We have been to Global many many times. By 'we' I mean myself, my boyfriend, my friends, my family... You get the picture - we like it - and as a local option it's always been perfect. Good food, excellent service, relaxed atmosphere, reasonably priced. That is why last night was such a disappointment.

My friend and I always go there, we never even discuss a venue when we are going for dinner and so I arrived and ordered a bottle of pinot grigio from the menu. It was 7.30pm on a Wednesday and only about three tables were taken. I hadn't booked, we never need to which up until now has seemed crazy, given how good it is (was). When Katy arrived the waiter said we could choose our table. He was quite busy being the only member of staff for both the restaurant at the back and bar at the front. Shortly after being seated he brought us the menu and scuttled off. That was the last we saw of him for half an hour. We were so deep in conversation that we hardly noticed it had gone 8 but our stomachs reminded us and we found him and asked if we could order - four dishes from the tapas menu to be precise, advertised as coming with rustic breads. He didn't write anything down and two minutes later he was back - "I have forgotten one..." he admitted.

It didn't take too long for the food to arrive and it was pretty good. Mini risotto cakes filled with mozzarella and sunblushed tomatoes were a lovely consistency, although a little more tomato wouldn't have gone astray. The deep fried calimari was limp and greasy but chicken and chorizo quesadilla were beautiful, with homemade guacamole and 'salsa' (which was actually chopped pepper to all intents and purpose). Moroccan lambcakes have always been one of my favourite dishes at Global and they didn't disappoint this time: the meat was really flavoursome and not all all fatty: the fresh tzatziki is a lovely flavour combination.

I always wonder with tapas, if you put everything you have eaten on one plate, how much of a meal you actually get. We weren't exactly hungry when we finished but we fancied a pudding, and some more wine. The plates sat in front of us for ages... eventually Katy went up to the bar to order. The waiter informed her they had run out of the pinot grigio but recommended a suitable alternative (which, incidentally, was ok but a lot richer) and said he would ask the chef about puddings.

The wine arrived with fresh glasses but no mention of puddings. Another twenty minutes went by and eventually another diner noticed us straining to see the waiter and sent him over.

"Oh sorry I forgot... I'll go and ask now." By this point it was 10pm and we had finished eating a fairly long time ago. He returned, "No we don't have any desserts on tonight I'm afraid but we could do you some ice cream or a liqueur coffee." We politely declined.

Upon regaling the sad tale to my boyfriend later I realised we had never received the rustic breads.

Tapas and half a bottle of wine: £23 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 4/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 6/10

SCORE: 23/40

Global, 350 Old York Road, Wandsworth Town, London, SW18 1SS. Tel: 020 88705491.

The White Horse, Parsons Green

2008-05-27T20:40:00.003+01:00

It was the smell of the barbecue, smoking away in the weak bank holiday sunshine, that attracted us into The White Horse. It is another place we had never eaten before. The main menu is expensive for pub food and I had never heard anything much about it, but it seems we were lucky. Since visiting I see that Timeout recommends the burger and that is exactly what we had.

We managed to get a table, a big one with bench either side and we were able to order food from the barbecue and eat it indoors. The only downside to this was the paper plates and self service and you added your own salad and sauces so quite a canteen feel really. We asked at the bar if we could order some chips and they told us we needed to ask a waiter. We successfully accosted one: 'We don't do chips.' he replied. He offered wedges as the alternative with either sour cream or bacon and cheese. We ordered one of each and the rest of us (three to be precise) waited while my boyfriend collected the burgers.

Ten minutes after the burger was finished we were still waiting for wedges. Upon enquiring after them we discover that the order is still in the pocket of our waiter's apron... In fairness, he apologises profusely and the rest of our meal doesn't take too long.

The burger was delicious - good quality meat, fresh tasty salad. No cheese was available though, which was disappointing. The wedges were nice, nothing special, but nice and generous portions.

I told a friend we had been and she said she loves the food at The White Horse, especially the butternut squash and goats cheese. I think it's definitely one to try again.

Burger, wedges and a glass of wine: £15 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 7/10

SCORE: 26/40

The White Horse, 1-3 Parsons Green, London, SW6 4UL. Tel: 020 7736 2115.

Santa Maria del Sur, Queenstown Road

2008-05-26T12:22:00.005+01:00

Queenstown Road is a rather unlovely part of Battersea with very little to recommend it except, it seems, a couple of excellent restaurants. I say this somewhat based on hearsay as I have only been to one of them, on Saturday night in fact, and the other is next door - Tom Ilic.

We had passed Santa Maria del Sur several times on the way back from friends' houses and it always looked extremely welcoming, especially in winter with the grill flaming in the window and fairy lights twinkling. We had no problem booking a table for 2 at 8.30pm (I called on the Monday) and when we arrived it was half full already, buzzing with chat and unobtrusive music. They seated us at a table near the door (where the man in the orange jumper sits in the photo) but there was a draught from the open door and people stand there whilst they wait to be seated. It was no problem when we asked to move and we were much happier near the back of the restaurant, tucked in next to a pillar with much more privacy.

There is a very good wine menu and I chose a mid priced red, my boyfriend opted for beer. To start we shared chorizo and the provoleta. The chorizo was tasty, very flavoursome if quite small but at only £3 that is probably to be expected. I was looking forward to the cheese - I had heard good things about this Argentinian speciality, served with oregano and grilled. It arrived in a small metal plate, which was then placed on a dinner plate, a rather unappetising prospect which was actually very bland - much like eating melted mild cheddar. There was a nice varied bread basket provided free though, with olive oil and balsamic.

All of this, though, is delaying the real reason we are there - the steak. We both plump for sirloin, me the 8oz and my boyfriend the 14. They are beautiful pieces of meat, fabulously tender and, unusually I find, cooked exactly as requested. The chimichurri was delicious as well - a traditional sauce made from mixed herbs, onion, salt pepper and olive oil. The menu advises that the steak comes with 'garnish' and so we order a side of chips between us, more than enough. The garnish is chopped iceberg lettuce, tomato and red onion. I find this a trend in many restaurants now and cannot understand it - it is such an unappealing combination of bitter ingredients, rarely very fresh and rarely dressed. This was no exception and, confusingly, we were also served a large bowl of chopped tomatoes and red onion, again with no dressing.

Despite being very full we do share a pudding - milk toffee cheesecake which is not as sweet as it sounds like it would be. In fact, it's got a very subtle flavour and is a very satisfying end to a very enjoyable meal.
The only cock-up was the aforementioned bowl of onion and tomato which turned up on the bill for £3.50. Once pointed out it was removed immediately.

Three courses and half a bottle of wine: £35 per head

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 31/40

Santa Maria del Sur, 129 Queenstown Road, London, SW8 3RH. Tel: 020 7622 2088.

The Plough Inn, Wolvercote Green

2008-05-25T14:12:00.005+01:00

The Trout Inn is the 'almost equally attractive alternative' to the Plough Inn, according to my guide book. My boyfriend and I are walking along the river from Oxford and find this statement hard to believe. The Trout is a picture postcard example of an English country pub. Umbrella shaded tables are dotted around a garden next to the rushing water, peacocks strut in the hazy sunshine. But, it looks busy and we don't mind walking on for another fifteen minutes. Besides, the book also promises that The Plough serves large portions and we are hungry.

From the outside we are certainly disappointed. It's a rather generic building which could possibly have river views if the grass and bank were not so overgrown. Inside we can see the appeal a little more - it's large but could be very cosy in winter. The menu is fairly varied too and we select from the hot sandwich section, although main meals such as the full English and fish and chips do look tempting. We opt for a goats cheese, red onion and tomato panini and a chicken, bacon and mayonnaise rustic roll. Both are served with chips. Unfortunately, the service is terrible - no smile, no please or thank you and three sets of customers are forced to wait for one card machine whilst a woman whose card has been declined heads off to find another, with no apology. Eventually we go to sit down. There are quite a few tables outside on a patio area and we select one of the only remaining, which is under a structure named 'The Shed End'. 'At least they're Chelsea fans' my boyfriend comments.

The food arrives very quickly, a little too quickly to be fresh I think and the portions are very meagre. A handful of chips sit next to a panini that is greasy and a bit limp and a roll that is slightly stale. It all tastes ok but is nowhere near the standard of sandwich we would throw together at home for a third of the price. A blackcurrant cordial and lemonade and lime are so heavy on the fruit aspects that they are too strong to drink. We consider asking for them to be diluted but we can't be bothered: sometimes it's better to cut your losses and chalk it up to experience. Next time we'll certainly try The Trout.

Sandwich, chips and a soft drink: £6.75 per head

Value: 4/10

Service: 3/10

Atmosphere: 3/10

Food: 4/10

SCORE: 14/40

The Plough Inn, Wolvercote Green, Oxfordshire, OX2 8BD. Tel: 01865 556969.

The Prince of Wales, Putney

2008-05-24T18:19:00.004+01:00

I have visited the Prince of Wales in Putney many times since it reopened under new management last year but never for food. This is partly because my boyfriend's tastes are much simpler than mine and partly because I haven't been desperate to eat there. I'm not sure what it was that made me feel like that - the menu is simple but exciting and reviews from both critics and friends alike have been good but in the end the decision was made for me when a group of us decided to eat out and the restaurant was not my choice.

Booking was, apparently, a simple affair and we arrived to a warm welcome on a Thursday night, at 7.30pm the first to be seated. The dining room is smart and airy, the only anomaly being the busy, heavy curtains and seemingly irrelevant Bond poster. We were offered bread whilst we chose our food, lovely soft sodabread which seemed to have rosemary on but unfortunately I couldn't taste it. Having heard tales of the large portions we skipped starters and all ordered the steak pie to share between 2, which was advertised as coming with red cabbage and mashed potato. We also ordered two portions of spring greens between the six of us.

The bread came around again before our mains arrived and the service was all smiles: an excellent start. The steak pie was more than worth the wait whilst the pastry cooked. Reminiscent of my grandmother's cooking, cutting through the crisp then fluffy top I found the most tender, flavoursome steak I have had in years, with gravy and vegetables a match in quality. The waitress had unnecessarily added an extra mash to our order and, disappointingly, had thought we wanted spring greens instead of red cabbage and they were a bit cold but luckily we were too caught up in our pie to be cross.

Puddings were just too tempting to pass on. Between us we tried raspberry ripple ice cream ('very good'), caramelised bananas with rum and raisin ice cream ('delicious') and Yorkshire mess, which was very tasty but could have done with a little bit more rhubarb and a bit less cream, but I'm splitting hairs. It was the best meal out I have had in a long time, it inspired me to start this blog. A bit of confusion over the bill at the end was a shame but again didn't spoil. A fabulous local eaterie.

Two courses and half a bottle of wine: £27.50 per head

Value: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 8/10

SCORE: 29/40

Prince of Wales Pub and Kitchen, 138 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 2SP. Tel: 020 8788 1552.