Jamie's Italian

Jamie's Italian Jamie Oliver chain with various locations throughout the UK and abroad, visit www.jamieoliver.com/italian for more details and follow on twitter @jamiesitalianuk I have visited this Jamie Oliver 'super chain' on a number of different occasions to satisfy a number of different cravings. The variety in the menu is exceptional and dependant on your craving Jamie's has it all. If you wish to nibble at some cured meats and share some antipasti with friends the option is available. My favoured choice is the Mushroom Fritti, priced at £3.95 I do not think I've seen a better steal. The crispy squid is fried and served with a mouthwatering dip of garlicky mayo, lemon and chilli while the stuffed rice balls bring you that rustic taste that makes you feel like you are in one of Italy's many special cities. My suggestion would be to share the anti pasti meat board, at £7 a head you get a number of cured meats, including my favourite prosciutto, Italian cheeses, dips/jams, pickles chillies and salad. I find this washed down with some with some red wine a fine start to the meal. For those more famished you can choose your pasta or risotto as a starter size or main size. The tagliatelle bolognese has always been full of flavour, you can say the same for the wild mushroom panzerotti also. Do you like a more gamey meat with your pasta? Well, the veritable menu comes to the fore here to. The slow cooked wild rabbit taglioni is a real treat, it's rich with flavour that you desire does not leave the taste of your mouth for hours. The changing menu continues on to a 'mains' section. I must have visited this chain around ten times and I always try to stay with the authenticity of the Italian swaggered food but I will make sure on my next visit I have something from the section that delivers dishes such as the Anglesey Sea Bass with crunchy sweet and sour vegetables which just sounds delightful. Having a sirloin steak on the menu rather than other less palatable cuts confirms what this chain is all about - flavour. My only real critique of this Italian fanfare is that this audacious menu has a burger on it, not sure the need for this, especially when Jamie's Barbacoa has received such critical acclaim for being one of the top five burgers in London.  The wine list is again in keeping with the menu and full of choice, my usual pick is the montepulciano d'abruzzo 2010 Il Faggio priced at £18.60 a bottle it is seamless in tasting with most dishes served up in the rustic come modern restaurant. There are a couple of other Red's in a similar price range with the cheapest being the 2009 Puglia at £17.45. The cheapest White is the Ponte Pietra at £15.95. Depending on the wad of cash in your pocket you can also divulge in some world class wines over £100 a bottle coming in the way of white, red or rose. Sparkling wines and champagne are also available. The well trained staff have always pleased and never left you to wonder where your drinks and food are, even in busy times, whilst the chefs have always delivered consistently good food. With locations popping up all over the UK you shouldn't find yourself to far from Jamie's Italian and would recommend a visit no matter what your budget as the pricing and different food options available allow you to spend as little or as much as you wish. If I had one phrase for this chain it would be "simple brilliance". This really is the new superpower of chain restaurants. Gastrogreglarr rating: 8/10 Gastrogreglarr likes: the variable menu Gastrogreglarr dislikes: the burger on the menu, no need for it Mr Oliver!

Burger and Lobster, Mayfair

Burger & Lobster 29 Clarges Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7EF Web - www.burgerandlobster.com Twitter - @londonlobster Tel: 02074091699 Cuisine - North American We made our way over to swanky Mayfair to attempt to get in to this popular eatery for the first time on our second attempt. To define this place as busy would be an understatement. The restaurant has been mentioned in Time Out magazine a couple of times and you can see why. Our previous attempt saw us arrive at 8.10pm on a Saturday night and we were told that there were to many people on the list already and we should find somewhere else to eat. This time to avoid disappointment we arrived  at 5.10pm on the Saturday. Finally, we were in and on the list and were advised that our waiting time would be no longer than an hour. Great, we will stand at the small and bustling bar and have a drink while we wait we thought!  After getting through 3 rounds of drinks, an hour and 50 minutes and £35 later we were finally seated. It looks like there are two lists and it is very confusing as people were turning up and seated way before us but had arrived at the same time as us. We asked the manager, or the person who loss in charge for the seating a couple of times and he tried to explain helpfully I am sure but he came across as quite arrogant advising they try and seat everyone as quickly as possible but they do do 700 covers a day and that we should understand the situation. Despite the wait the drinks were very enjoyable, I started with an Argentinian Lager called Quilmes, priced at £4 a bottle it was cold and crisp, similar to many other imported premium lagers. My partner had a Summer of Love cocktail priced at £9 and this was fresh, sweet and delicious, a very imaginative cocktail containing a Finlandia vodka, mango, ruby grapes, passion fruit and a South African Sauvignon Blanc finished with very thinly sliced green apple. As the frustration grew on the await to be seated we decided to have one last round of drinks or we were to leave and find somewhere else to leave. After a couple of the beers I was starting to feel a little bloated so I decided to change to a cocktail, I went for the Gin based 10cc. Tanqueray 10 as the base, with lemon, cucumber, chamomile syrup and soda, this was a superb cocktail and very pleasing for the taste buds. We were finally seated, hurrah! As we were taken over it occurred to me how tight the tables were together, this place really has been designed to make the most of its product and in turn is a money making machine, the Goodmans group has really tapped in to a great market here. Pricey drinks at the bar and either a lobster priced per weight or a burger or lobster roll both priced at £20 each. It is quick and you can see how they get through the 700 or so covers the front of house mentioned. Our food arrived, I had the lobster roll, the roll was airy and buttery and it was perfect with the lobster, it came with fries and a side salad of mixed green leaves with balsamic vinegar, red onion, spring onion and topped with Parmesan cheese. I also shared my partners 2lb lobster priced at £30, grilled rather than steamed it was incredible, served with a garlic butter sauce in its own 'gravy boat', it was meaty and it just worked, the lobster is already cracked for you to which saves a lot of hassle. The restaurant provide bibs which were good fun to wear, the food turned up quickly and we shared a bottle of red wine with the meal, we chose the Fico Grande 2011, a Sangiovese grape from Emilia Romagna in Italy priced at £22 was good value and accompanied the meaty lobster very well. As we tucked in the frustrations of the wait to be seated evaporated, it's exceptional food in a really cool restaurant. I really liked the decor despite the tightness of the tables. Really modern interior with silver ventilation on show above the kitchen and quirky art on the walls throughout. Superb ambience to, it really is a fine restaurant, just such a shame you can not book and therefore have to wait so long to be seated. We will be going back but next time we will head west for lunch rather than dinner and I'll get to try the tasty looking burger too!! Well done to the Goodman's chain. Gastrogreglarr rating 8/10 Gastrogreglarr likes: the lobster roll, superb and a great find, I could eat that everyday Gastrogreglarr dislikes: the waiting time, I have marked down for this

Queens British Grill

Queens British Grill 63 New Wanstead London E11 2SA Tel - 02085308861 www.queensbritishgrill.co.uk Twitter - @queensbritgrill Cuisine - British/Grill This was my third visit to Queen's and never let's me down. On this occasion is was for a birthday so we made full use of the Taste card deal of 2 for 1 (other deals available, visit website). I love the decor in here with its open kitchen, wooden beams and partial brick walls sorted around the restaurant. From the outside the building is Tudor in look but on the inside decorated with modern features, comfortable seating and nice cutlery to eat with, especially the steak knives. It may not have the gaucho ambience or the wood oven goodman's flavour but this is good local food giving simplicity an excellent name along with its own character.  The staff were very knowledgable and went in to great detail regarding any ingredients, service was also always with a smile. There are a good variety of dishes available including fish but as all the steaks are dry aged cattle and hung for at least 35 days we both went with food from the grill. Mine was the 18oz Porterhouse which was served on a lovely wooden board which came with rocket and some baby plumb tomatoes. The other dish was a 14oz sirloin, both were medium rare as ordered and were excellent cuts of meat. We shared some mash potato which was creamy and seasoned as well as the steak and also had cream of spinach which also has some nutmeg and all the food together gave some great combinations of flavour. Before the mains we decided to have some starters, I went for the soup of the day which was a superb cream of mushroom soup, it was creamy, garlicky and was served with a nice hot roll. The soup had excellent consistency also. The other dish was scallops with bacon, a bit of garlic and was served on a hot plate, beautifully presented and bursting with salty flavour. After our super sized steaks there was no room for dessert, which was a shame as the dessert selections sound really good. We left extremely happy after paying the bill of only £50 which included a few soft drinks. Gastrogreglarr rating 7.5/10 Gastrogreglarr likes: flavour and presentation of the dishes Gastrogreglarr dislikes: not much to dislike here, perhaps a little pricey if you don't go with the set menu or taste card deals

The Hinds Head, Bray

The Hinds Head High Street Bray Maidenhead  SL6 2AB Web - www.hindsheadbray.com and also follow on twitter @hindsheadbray Tel - 01628626151 Cuisine - Gastro Pub The Hinds Head in the beautiful village of Bray is steeped in history dating back to the 1500's and known to have been an Inn for at least the last 400 years is owned by gastronomy expert Heston Blumenthal.  Mentioned in the Michelin Guide the pub cuisine is brought to a high level with it's seasonal menu created by head chef Kevin Love.  A raft of awards have followed over the years including Best Pub 2011 and Tastiest Scotch Egg 2011, 2 AA Rosettes have also been awarded to this Tudor built eatery. Many other awards are on show in the restaurant, we were luckily seated next to the cabinet! Our night started at the bar as we waited for our table, packed full of locals I heard a great story told about one of the rare Gin's served whilst I waited. Served in what appeared to be more of a wine glass "so you can smell the aroma..." with a small drop of colouring as the tonic is poured and stirred a wonderful gold colour appeared as the story told that in the past this particular Gin was "worth it's weight in gold". I went for a pint of fruity Zebedee Ale to fit in with the other gentlemen at the bar and it was really nice, exactly what I was looking for before we started our meal. Apparently the King of Jordan and Walt Disney have been to this building and HRH Prince Philip celebrated his stag do here to, whilst Zebedee may not have been on sale then I'm sure lots of Ale was sunk that night. After being sat we were presented with the evenings menu, I had previously been on the website and saw a picture of the delicious looking scotch egg and therefore had an inkling I was going to go for that, then whilst sat seeing the award for tastiest scotch egg we were both in no doubt that we were going to go with that. I was inspired by an engraving on the fire place for my choice of main, it read 'fear knocked on the door, faith answered and no one was there'. I generally always go for red meat over fish but after seeing the engraving I went for the Sea Bream and Mussel broth whilst my partner went for the 10oz RibEye with Triple Cooked Chips and Bone Marrow Gravy. We deliberated over the wine a little longer as the menu carried a real assortment of Old and New World wines, we couldn't decide between the Pinot Noir or go with our love of the Sangiovese grape, we eventually went with the reasonably priced Angelo Nero d'avola Sangiovese, fruity and full bodied, perfect with the steak. The scotch eggs arrived quickly and we soon realised why it had won awards, crispy on the outside, soft in the middle with a lovely runny egg which looked like the egg of a quail. Very tasty, certainly the tastiest I have had.  Our mains then arrived, the steak cooked perfectly medium rare, the triple cooked chips were fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside and enough to keep you full but not bloated, the accompanying gravy made with bone marrow was thick and rich in taste. My sea bream was pan fried with a crispy skin and the fish was moist and fell off the fork, served with plentiful mussels the aroma was outstanding, served with tasty seasonal crushed peas and diced carrots it was a stunning dish. I would recommend the Jersey Royals to accompany this dish and these came cooked to perfection in keeping with the rest of the meal. We stayed away from having dessert but finished with a coffee and a special Honey Jack Daniels, this is extremely rare in this country and the head barman imports this from Tennessee direct? I drank half neat and the other half was in my coffee, was a great end to a lovely meal. The staff were great all night and very knowledgable.  Total price was c£110 including 12.5% service charge. Gastrogreglarr rating: 10/10 top level restaurant food in a Gastro arena, would not believe anyone if they said they have been anywhere better Gastrogreglarr likes: the atmosphere allowed me to indulge in to new flavours Gastrogreglarr dislikes: nothing, was a very enjoyable meal. Although nut allergy sufferers would struggle with the dessert menu

Bodean's - City of London

Bodean's 16 Byward Street London EC3R 5BA Web - www.bodeansbbq.com also on Facebook Tel - 02074883883 Cuisine - American "Smoke it slow, cook it low" is the  catchphrase in this American chain eatery and they don't lie! For a quick answer to hunger visit Bodean's near Tower Hill tube for a meat fest that would feature on 'Man Vs Food'. Not only are the portions large but they are also incredibly tasty. Meaty and tender racks of ribs, big tasty burgers, succulent pulled pork, no matter what you order here it will satisfy any hunger. Most dishes are served with crunchy coleslaw and potato skinned fries but if you don't feel like you have enough BBQ sauce do not fear, each table has bottles of sauce including hot chippolata sauce and more. The all American looking bar and decor with sounds of the deep south make you feel like you are temporarily in the States. The bar serves up a number of cocktails and local beers including Blue Moon and Coors Light. The staff add to the fun and seem to constantly be on the run to make sure each table is attended to as and when needed. 'Game Night' is often very popular with the local American inhabitants and if your looking to do your own summer BBQ and impress your friends visit the website for ordering the vast quantities of marinated meat. You can also sign up to a loyalty card and receive free drinks or food dependant on the day, my particular favourite is the free hot wings, order the Diablo spice and see which of your friends eyes start to water first! With some soft drinks the bill for two was at just over £30. Definitely worth a visit whilst visiting the nearby attractions. Gastro Greglarr rating 8/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - bbq pulled pork with tons of bbq sauce is amazing Gastro Greglarr dislikes - the lack of good lager's, if they could do just one imported lager...please?

Castle Tavern - Paphos, Cyprus

Castle Tavern Paphos Harbour Cuisine - Seafood This is in a stunning location in the harbour, I was very lucky to be sat outside right next to the water. Unfortunately due to the location and the sunday afternoon timing the restaurant, like all the others on this stretch was heaving, whilst creating a fantastic atmosphere with local and holiday making families chatting away, the service left a lot to be desired. Food wise I started with humous and Tzadziki dips with bread. Both were good tasting and had that home made feel without setting the world alight. For the main I was served the most fantastic piece of grilled dover sole. Huge portion cooked to perfection, after a squeeze of lemon I was in fantasy land, was just a shame it took so long to turn up. The fish came with rice which was under cooked and with some vegetables that were edible, so whilst the sides were disappointing do not let this stop you from coming here for the fish, it really was exceptional. With two bottles of local water the bill was 25Euros, which may seem a little expensive but your paying for the great location and super fresh fish. Perhaps try to avoid the busy sunday afternoon rush to get the perfect meal, my rating could easily hit eight out of ten here if the sides had been cooked as well as the fish. Gastro Greglarr rating 6.5/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - superb dover sole Gastro Greglarr dislikes - I don't want to be to negative because it was so busy but the service and sides were not up to scratch here  

The Crab and Winkle - Whitstable

The Crab and Winkle South Quay The Harbour Whitstable Kent CT5 1AB Website - www.crabandwinklerestaurant.co.uk Tel - 01227779377 Cuisine - Seafood This well established eatery sits in the South Quay Harbour in beautiful Whitstable. Winning an AA Rosette for culinary excellence in 2008\9, the well lit modern decor dining room delivered an excellent meal. To start we had the pan fried chilli and garlic tiger prawns with rocket and red onion salad which was served with a delightful sweet chilli dip, prawns fresh and cooked to perfection. The other starter was a dressed crab with home made peppered bread served with garlic mayo dip and side salad. Both led to an excellent start. As it had been a while since having proper fish and chips I opted for the self proclaimed "famous" beer battered cod and chips, which was meaty, cooked excellently and the batter was very tasty. Accompanying this on the table was the mussels simmered in white wine and garlic liquor and served with chips. The mussels came in a big pot and smelt delicious. With soft drinks the bill at the end came to £43 and was well worthwhile. Service was good also. Gastro Greglarr rating 8/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - the fresh fish cooked to perfection Gastro Greglarr dislikes - had to query a couple of bits with the staff but that is just being picky!

Goodman Steak Restaurant - City of London

Goodman Steak Restaurant 11 Old Jewry London EC2R 8DU Web: www.goodmanrestaurants.com also follow on Facebook and Twitter Tel - 020 7600 8220 Cuisine: Steak WOW. WOW. WOW. You would run out of superlative's for this Goodman steak house. The American chain really has come out on tops against the other City steak house chains such as Gaucho and Hawksmore. We chose to start this excellent meal by standing at the bar trying the household beer and watching ex England Rugby legend Jason Leonard tucking in to a fine steak. Really nice lager was then followed by smooth South American Malbec as we went straight in to the mains. The wine we chose was priced at £39.99 and you could forgive yourself for thinking you was drinking something slightly more expensive! I went for the 650g T-Bone as where shared a number of sides including salad, chips, spinach and macaroni cheese. Everything was made to a high standard but the steak was just exceptional, oozing of flavours I never thought existed, cooked as ordered to medium rare it was tender  and smokey in taste. It was so good I'm fearful of it not being replicated again. The decor and ambience was perfect for what I would call a gentlemen's lunch with wooden benches, well lit dining room and the playing out of old classics by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. It is something everyone should try to do but I'm not sure it gives the whole Gaucho experience of cool cocktails, dimmer lights and vibrant background music to wow the woman of your dreams or the one you try to impress. With no waiter/waitress issues we really did have a great meal and no doubt ill be running back here soon. Make sure you have some money in your back pocket though as this restaurant defines the "pay for what you get" rule as you look to go for around £100 a head for starters, mains with sides and nice red wine. Gastro Greglarr rating 9/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - the smokey flavoured steak Gastro Greglarr dislikes - nothing to dislike here but misses out on a perfect 10 as not sure it provides the Gaucho experience

Haz Restaurant - City of London

Haz Restaurant 9 Cutler Street London E1 7DJ Web - www.hazrestaurant.co.uk Tel - 02079297923 Cuisine - Mediterranean Turkish restaurant chain Haz has been around for a few years now and has grown following the success of the first to open in Mincing Lane, EC3. With an extensive menu allowing hot and cold starters, main courses and desserts you can forgive yourself for eating to much. I usually judge this type of cuisine on how good the mixed grill is and the Haz mixed grill is up there with the best, in terms of taste the Lamb is left to marinate in a minty yogurt for 24 hours before being served in the restaurant the next day, succulent chicken and finally a semi spiced kofte are put together with a helping of rice and vegetables. The spicy sausage for starter goes superbly with the halloumi. With so many starters to choose from though you might want to skip having a main and order lots to share. The price is fairly reasonable for a city centre eatery but if you are going to go for starters and mains try to pick from one of the set menu's to help keep the price down. With starters and mains for two and a bottle of house wine you'll be looking to pay around £50. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - expansive number of starters but I love the spicy sausage and halloumi Gastro Greglarr dislikes - not much to dislike here, the red wine was too cold but can't complain to much as the temperature outside was sub zero!

Le Bouchon Breton - Old Spitafield Market, London

Le Bouchon Breton 1st Floor 8 Horner Square Old Spitafields Market London E1 6EW Web: www.lebouchon.co.uk also follow on Facebook and Twitter Tel - 08000191704 Cuisine - French My third visit to this quintessential French restaurant anchored in the loveable Old Spitafields Market, East London was brought about by an excellent deal stumbled upon on discount internet company Groupon. Four people, all having Steak and Lobster (usually priced at £30 a head) and a glass of the house wine, white or red all for just £69. This represented unbelievable value but between us thought that we possibly wouldn't pay the usual price as with the additions of sides (french fries, mash potato, potato dauphinoise, creamed spinach, green beans) the bill would not have been so favourable. The steak was juicy and flavoursome and the lobster tasty with all dishes showing consistency, but like the outlay of the restaurant it was not outstanding and lacked that 'va-va-voom' you desire at £50 a head. The staff were helpful and attentive at all times, but the main deficiency was in the restaurant design, possibly not helped by the old markets refurbished building but also with the decorations. Modern design wooden chairs and tables give a feel for a 'chain restaurant' than a homely french brasserie. I would recommend to visit but check the website for the food deals as these make for a more competitively priced meal and also keep your eye out for the oyster and cheese tasting classes, taught by an excellent French host. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - flavour of the food Gastro Greglarr dislikes - layout of the restaurant

Metro Piazza Restaurant - Hendon

Metro Piazza Restaurant Metro Golf Centre, Barnet Copthall, Champions Way, London, NW4 1PX Web: www.metrogolfcentre.co.uk Cuisine - Italian Cafe For all Golfers in North London visit the Metro Golf Centre by the Barnet Cophall Stadium. Nice Italian restaurant/cafe serving good reasonable priced food. Good place to relax after hitting some balls, or during your session with delivery to your bay. Plenty of choices on the menu to help take your mind off the taccy Godfather decor,  including the usual specials like Veal Milanese. Large Pizza choice (thin crust and 11") available and some excellent panini's for those just wanting something small. Having visited the restaurant a few times now, I can say the staff have always been friendly and the chefs helpful when wanting to change the ingredients of a meal slightly. Average meal price for one with starter and main (ex drinks) c£10.50p. GastroGreglarr rating 6/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - the variety in menu Gastro Greglarr dislikes - cans of drink at £2.10!!!

Old Bexley Greek Taverna - Bexley

Old Bexley Greek Taverna 82 Bexley High Street Bexley Kent DA5 1LB Web - No website Tel - 01322554233 Cuisine - Mediterranean A few of us visited this quaint restaurant on a night out in Old Bexley Village. The decor is that of a Greek Taverna but not in a tacky way and the food was exactly what we were expecting. It was easier for us all to go with the mixed meze which was an extremely reasonable price bearing in mind the quantity and quality of the authentic food brought out to the table. taramisalata, humous, tzadziki were all brought out with warm pitta bread, followed by vine leaves with mince, grilled sardines, meatballs, calamari and more. To finish off we were given a huge meat platter which was delicious and I couldn't stop picking at it at the end. The keo, white and red wine were all flowing and for the 7 of us it all came to just under £200 so was great value. With the party atmosphere upstairs it made for a lively ambience and a really enjoyable meal which I am sure will be repeated. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - meat platter Gastro Greglarr dislikes - could have had a little more space

Oliveto Restaurant - Paphos

Oliveto Restaurant 96 Tombs of the Kings Avenue Paphos Cyprus Website - www.oliveto-restaurant.com Tel - 0035726220099 Cuisine - Grill/Steak You will find this restaurant in between Coral Bay and Kato Paphos on the restaurant filled Tombs of the Kings Road opposite the Venus Hotel. I really do believe this to be the finest restaurant in Paphos. The restaurant is nicely decorated and very spacious delivering a fine menu in terms of choice which is equalled by the wine menu. Service incredibly attentive, so much so you would believe the waiting staff have been trained all by the same person to. For mains we ordered the mixed grill on the stone which comes up semi cooked with a small piece of steak, chicken, sizeable lamb chop and pork on a piping hot marble plate and you continue to cook yourself (bib provided!). With this chips and vegetables are served. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I love the idea of meat on a stone for a meal, I have it whenever the choice is there. The other main order was a 350g New York steak, cooked medium by the chef, with chips and vegetables again. With both meals the quality of the meat was desirable and of the highest order. Local water, a glass of Argentinian wine, a gin and tonic and a couple of diet cokes and the bill came to 60Euro's which I think is great value considering the quality of meat, service and quality of decor. Definitely worth a visit! Gastro Greglarr rating 8/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - succulent meat on the stone Gastro Greglarr dislikes - nothing to dislike, a great all round meal

Thai Thai - Old Street

Thai Thai 110 Old Street London EC1V 9BD Tel - 020 74905230 Web - www.thaithaieast.co.uk Cuisine - Thai Discount's available via Toptable Super Thai restaurant within walking distance of Old Street Underground Station, perfect location to meet before heading out in to trendy Hoxton. Warm welcoming staff as you enter this eaterie. The decor led to some discussion of where the restaurant could get such fine ornaments, wall showings and other furniture. It looks like it is definitely made by a Thai person, so, with such authenticity Thai Thai keeps away from the tacky look you often associate with some Asian restaurants. It took us a few moments to order from the extensive cocktail menu and when also ordering a beer it turned up cool and crisp. For starter, the soft shell crab and battered squid were shared but it was with the main courses where the meal excelled. Scallops with vegetables in oyster sauce was superb, cooked to perfection with more than enough scallops to feed two! The thai green curry was also cooked really well and what is most impressive was the consistency of the sauce, no sign of oil sitting on top which is often a pet hate of mine with this dish. Despite the number of staff having not grasped the English language a member of staff who had was always quickly appointed to our table to deal with whatever need we had. It was not an issue at all and if anything, helped with the authenticity of this restaurant so for anyone who has been to Thailand and wants to step back for just a moment, visit Thai Thai in Old St for a good meal. Our meal including 2 cocktails and 2 beers was £50, we did visit last minute but it can be cheaper via Toptable if booking in advance. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - being able to feel like you have stepped back into Thailand is a great plus Gastro Greglarr dislikes - in my opinion the restaurant was a little dark

The Bishop - Dulwich

The Bishop 25 Lordship Lane, Dulwich, London, SE22 8EW Web: None, but follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news Brilliant Gastro Pub in the heart of Dulwich. The scene was set on a chilly January Saturday evening, mature crowd engrossed in conversation on the wide and comfortable looking sofa's. Our evening started with a Rekorderlig and Bulmers Cider before taking our seat in the packed restaurant area which has table service throughout the evening. Due to the full nature of the restaurant the service was a little slow at times but always friendly when being served. To get the pallet going we shared a Mushroom and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta but it was what to choose for the main where we struggled with the imaginative and hearty menu which included Venison Lasagne. With cravings for Pie all week we plumped for the Fish Pie which was served in a Jacket Potato and a Steak and Ale Pie with Mash Potato (mash has to be ordered as a side dish). The food was of excellent quality and I'm sure a revisit will be on the cards! This lovely meal was washed down with some nice Rose wine at a total cost of just over £50. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - the imaginative menu that makes you wish to return Gastro Greglarr dislikes - having to pay for mash as an extra in a Gastro Pub

The Company Shed - West Mersea

The Company Shed 129 Coast Road West Mersea Colchester Essex CO5 8PA Tel - 01206 382700 Web - www.the-company-shed.co.uk Cuisine - Seafood Head to West Mersea for the home of the Colchester gilga oyster and further excellent seafood at the packed out wooden shack where the focus is all on the food, taken direct from the sea and it pays dividends. Trading for 25 years its hard to believe that anything has changed down those years and with the owner's ethos being "keep it simple" you can see the simplicity come in to real effect with the food it sells and rustic decor. Bring your own bread and wine to accompany your seafood extravaganza here as we tucked right in to the seafood platter that includes smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, a selection of prawns both peeled and with the shell on and crab. In addition to this we had a number of oysters all of different sizes and finished off with 600g of Lobster. When the food arrived we were shocked at its size and wish we had left some room to order some hot food, but then we will just have to return as the fresh seafood was excellent. The price was of really good value and we over ordered. Price per person would equate to around £15 per person but on top of that you have to bring your own wine and bread. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - freshness of the seafood is unrivalled Gastro Greglarr dislikes - no heating in the winter so wrap up warm!

The Cromwell Arms - Romsey

The Cromwell Arms Mainstone Romsey Hampshire SO51 8HG Web - www.thecromwellarms.com Tel - 01794519515 Cuisine - Gastro Pub We visited this lovely gastro pub on the last leg of our weekend tour of the New Forest. Already a bit full from the previous two nights eating excursions we landed here more in trepidation than excitement. Once we were seated though we soon stuck our foody hats firmly back on and try to decide how we wanted to finish our weekend on the perfect manner. I went for the sunday special roast silverside beef, medium rare. All the trimmings were provided and it was very nicely cooked and presented. The roast was sizeable and unfortunately was 'fooded' out and struggled to finish on this occasion. For the other main a roast chicken ciabatta with mayonnaise was chosen, which again was tasty and well presented. The service was well received and with a well thought out menu it is definitely well worth a visit. Gastro Greglarr rating 6.5/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - friendly atmosphere within the restaurant Gastro Greglarr dislikes - nothing to note

The Cuckfield - Wanstead

The Cuckfield 31 High Street Wanstead London E11 2AA Web - www.thecuckfieldwanstead.co.uk Tel - 02089891913 Cuisine - Gastro Pub The Cuckfield is a superb gastro pub situated in Wanstead, East London. Having visited a couple of times already I'd wanted to visit trying to find a good sunday roast and I was not disappointed. I had the delicious chicken roast, it was so juicy and the oven cooked vegetables were flavoursome and fresh. It was by far the tastiest roast I'd had in a long time and will make this my sunday choice for a long time to come. We also had the lamb which was equally as good. You should also visit for the quiz night (every tuesday) and on normal nights for the tapas like bar snacks. I really enjoy every time I visit and can not wait for the next time! With soft drinks expect to pay around £25-£30 for two. Gastro Greglarr rating 7.5/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - garden tasting roast vegetables Gastro Greglarr dislikes - nothing to dislike, could maybe be a little bit cheaper but you pay for what you get here

The Olive - Leytonstone

The Olive 25-27 Kirkdale Road Leytonstone London E11 1HP Tel - 020 8539 6664 Web - www.theoliverestaurant.co.uk Cuisine - Mediterranean This restaurant does nice simple food, I dived in here on the way back from work one night after missing out on lunch. It was a little quiet but that was no doubt due to eating so early. We had a few dips with Pitta, all freshly made, the Humus had a good texture and the Tzadziki was nice and light leaving me to be able to taste the fresh cucumber. For mains we both decided to go for the Mixed Grill. The presentation and taste was as good as, if not better than most of the chain Mediterranean eateries you find in the City and at a slightly cheaper price. The restaurant was nice and clean with the service attentive and friendly. I would definitely come back here again and would suggest you give it a try to. Price wise, including a bottle of Red wine, your looking at £40-£45 for two. Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - good clean food Gastro Greglarr dislikes - a couple of pound away from being an excellent local restaurant

Wahaca - Stratford

Wahaca 6 Chestnut Plaza Westfield Stratford City London E20 1GL Web - www.wahaca.co.uk also on Facebook and Twitter. Tel - 02032881025 Cuisine - Mexican Visit Wahaca in Stratford after a hard days shopping for fresh tasting Mexican market food. You can not book but due to the nature of the beast if you want a quick eat you can be sat down, fed and left within 30 minutes or, if you wish, take your time and the staff will not rush you out. As it was our first time eating at this 'Loncheria' we ordered a few small dishes and a couple of burrito's. The smaller dishes ordered were the tasty black beans & cheese quesadillas, impressive sweet potato chips and the chicken wings a la mojo which are marinated in a garlic. We finished this off with a british steak and chicken tinga burritos, both wrapped in a tortilla filled with frijoles, shredded cabbage, green rice, crema & totopos. You could taste all of the delicious ingredients in these packed burritos.     The bill was c£30 for all this food and a couple of soft drinks so Wahaca also represented great value. The restaurant itself is of an 'arty' decor with the website to match. I will definitely be returning. If your not near to Stratford, the Wahaca chain can also be found in Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, Soho, White City and Bluewater. Also check the website and or Facebook to see where the mobile Street Kitchen can be found (Canada Square, Canary Wharf at time of writing). Gastro Greglarr rating 7/10 Gastro Greglarr likes - Sweet potato chips, fried and served with a super dip Gastro Greglarr dislikes - found it difficult to get the waiters attention at times but was forgive able due to the packed restaurant