'What's in a name?' is a popular phrase from Shakespeare's lyrical tale of star-crossed lovers, but at Garum there is so much to that name, which literally means a traditional method of preparing an ancient Roman fish sauce, believed to have originated from the historic settlement of Boloña on the southern Spanish shores. Despite all the years that have passed, the ruins of this town are still present and so is the memorable flavour of its ingenious recipe.

Step inside and you will find a room that is elegantly dressed with artistically designed nooks, strategic lighting and a dining area with a conservatory-like appearance. Who doesn't like a glimpse of sunshine on a languid summer day? Not only do they have a large terrace but its pleasing vistas take in uninhibited views of the Mediterranean beyond, and you may just have to be quick off the mark to get a spot.

The European theme is hard to avoid on the menu, with dishes such as cold gazpacho with ratatouille, herb oil and balsamic vinegar, and foie gras vienetta with white chocolate and chilli toffee sauce. Starters like soto ajam - lemongrass soup served on cold garnish of chicken, celery, glass noodles, dried onion, tomato and quail's egg - exhibit some real innovation.

The kitchen's ambitious style is even more evident in the mains with salmon baked in the oven and served with Mexican bean salad and lime tequila 'milkshake'; marinated king prawns, semi peeled and served with a coconut orange soup and fried spiced rice, and rack of lamb with a German style potato, vegetable pancake and mint garlic jam. Pasta lovers will find solace in the scrumptious chicken fillet lasagne with tarragon cream cheese served with fresh tagliatelle and green asparagus.

Desserts have been innovatively christened 'health kick', dark chocolate crème brûlée with an orange cointreau salad or the 'highland fling' of scotch whiskey and saffron poached pears and cream. Little members of the family can choose between rosada, a white fish, with chips; chicken or pasta bolognaise. The cellar offers an eclectic selection of Spanish wines produced in small, select vineyards.

The team at Garum, inspired by the namesake method of cooking, aim to create a memorable dining experience that will linger in their guests' memories for a long time by creating an array of cosmopolitan, inspired cuisine that continually challenge both the eye and the taste buds.

Turkish immigrants may well deserve credit for pioneering the döner kebab business in Berlin but Hasir is not your average kebab joint; it's where Berliners and tourists alike could just get a little slice of Turkey. This family run business with six outlets across Berlin has been introducing customers to a riot of flavours in all their dishes from the grilled lamb fillet to the mandatory humus and kuver.

The one at Mitte takes the cake for resembling a glamorous market with shimmering gold effect walls and subdued brown tints. While Hasir in the Adalberstraße is where it all started and at the Ocakbasi next door, meat dishes are char-grilled before serving. Pop a question to the chef in the open kitchen just in case curiosity gets the better of you. At Wilmersdorf, the décor is replete with Oriental touches and draws in prominent people from the world of politics, culture and business. The interior at Schöneberg is designed in a Turkish style with large murals and chequered floors while at Spandau it's all mellow with soft lighting and earthy hues.

The buzz in the restaurant is reflected in the kitchen where chefs are busy crafting Turkish delights such as lamb chops with rice, fried potatoes and salad, medallions of veal with mushroom sauce. Chicken schnitzel is roasted in a pan with tomatoes, sweet pepper, onions and mushroom and served in a clay pot.

Grilled delicacies include minced meat served on pita bread covered with a spicy sauce and topped with yogurt and herbs, and beyti, minced lamb barbequed on a skewer, seasoned with slices of radish, spicy onions, parsley, pepperoni and grilled tomato. Seafood is not forgotten on the menu; expect to see poached sea bass with tomato sauce, green pepper and garlic and giant prawns with mushrooms in a white wine sauce.

Desserts include Middle Eastern favourites like pastry of dough threads in honey syrup and nuts filled with almond crème and the Turkish rice pudding, while those who are less adventurous could settle for a very special crème brûlée.

Manuel Dominguez Limeres has always believed in preserving the richness of Spain's classic cuisine. In his endeavour to put his beliefs into practice, he has introduced the people of Madrid to the wondrous flavours of traditional Galician cuisine through Combarro and Sanxenxo, two of his popular restaurants.

An impressive arched entrance welcomes customers to Sanxenxo's modern interior with attractive antiques, Galician paintings and soothing music, which helps to make the atmosphere warm and intimate. They have a shellfish tank - filled specially with water brought from Pontevedra in Galicia - from which you can select spider crabs, lobsters and other products of the sea, all kept in optimum conditions.

The chefs at Sanxenxo create seafood, fish and meat dishes that have carefully been passed down from one generation to the next. Fresh produce from the Northern coast of Galicia is at the heart of all their cooking, and the menu offers oysters, crabs, scallops, crayfish, hake and turbot all cooked or grilled to perfection. You could linger over some excellent tapas and wine in the stylish bar before heading to any of the dining areas for a meal.

Consider starting off a meal with some spicy seafood soup, shrimps in garlic, sea crabs or freshwater crayfish from the river before going in for the specialities such as the oven baked wild turbot on a bed of potatoes, cod empanadas - a kind of pasty - Galician hake, octopus, salted sea bass, red mullet with fries and vegetables, or the exotic lamprey. Those who prefer meat could sample juicy chops of sucking lamb or veal, partridge pie, cured pork with greens as well as a range of steaks.

Carefully selected wines from France, plus from Spain, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Penedès and Galicia's own Godello, ensure customers always get to taste the best of drink as well as food. Finally, if you're wondering what their desserts are, a mousse of yoghurt in crystals of honey, aromatic yarrow and raspberry, or Santiago tarts seem just perfect to end a meal at Sanxenxo.

The most striking feature of Restaurant Gabriele is probably its location. In close proximity to the majestic chariot horse topped Brandenburg Gate, one of Europe's most famous landmarks and the former entryway from East to West Berlin it almost appears as if Gabriele's style and elegance pays tribute to this 16th century landmark of peace.

The interior is designed by renowned German lifestyle designer Anna Marie Jagdfeld and you cannot help but feel pleasantly overwhelmed upon entering this restaurant situated within the Adlon Kempinski Hotel. The bright red glasses on the crisp white linen dressed tables complement the burnt sienna leather banquettes and black chandeliers. The bold classic art works add to the charm of the place.

Gabriele offers diners flavoursome modern Italian dishes created with passion and lots of flair by Chef de cuisine Björn Alexander Panek. From the various sections on the menu there are some wonderful creations to remind you of the flavours of the Mediterranean. Among starters, pigeon breast is paired with a fresh green pea and asparagus salad and accompanied by mint oil; lukewarm anchovy appears with Sicilian bread and olives, while a delightful green asparagus and tomato broth comes to the table with Burrata cheese and tarragon.

Great care is taken with presentation, illustrated in a colourful first course of marinated duck with artichokes and mustard. Pasta lovers will rejoice with the tagliolini that could appear either with garlic and peppers, or leek, grapefruit, sea bass and herring caviar; farfalle with tuna, quail egg and anchovy cream, or a wonderfully fresh lobster served with cannelloni and a salad of fennel and pepper.

The second course could include a tender fillet of beef with foie gras, truffle, artichoke cream and Borettane onions; juicy monkfish, which is among Chef Panek's favourites, comes to you with herb sauce, chanterelle mushrooms and salty lemon, and turbot in sour broth is accompanied by octopus in yoghurt garnished with flakes of pepper.

The wine list includes carefully chosen numbers such as Gavi Etichetta Nera, Barolo Cerequio and Terre Franciacorta Chardonnay; the sommelier will be glad to help you choose wines to complement each stage of your culinary journey.

Meals could end with an exotic cream of mascarpone cheese with reed fruit jelly, coffee and tangerine sorbet or a soup of elder berry and strawberries in cider vinegar.

Meals at Gabriele are always a delight and its not surprising that this lovely restaurant is a much loved part of the great city of Berlin.

From haute cuisine and fine Spanish fare to tempting tapas and fresh seafood, Barcelona offers something special for all those who take their food considerably more seriously than most, and the city's countless culinary havens never fail to delight those who appreciate the fine art of cooking.

Colibri is one of those warm and inviting destinations that helps bring joy to the act of dining, making it much more satisfying and exciting than just providing nourishment to the body. The restaurant is comfortable, spacious and quiet, qualities that many restaurants in today's day and age are deficient in. You could spend the first few minutes of your time just relaxing in the calmness of its lovely dining spaces.

Chef and owner Caesar Pastor and his sister Remedios serve deliciously creative European food accompanied by a masterful list of two hundred outstanding wines, from Spain and the rest of the world. The standards are always consistent, helping Colibri to blossom into one of the city's best and most preferred dining destinations.

Among starters, there is grilled octopus with mashed potatoes, yellow pepper and tender garlic; morel mushrooms, egg and cream of poached liver, jumbo prawns fried with nuts and a delightful crab and chickpea ravioli with tomato sauce and fresh papaya, all paving the way for the main dishes.

A Mediterranean twist to most choices at Colibri is very appealing and clearly evident in mains such as a wonderfully cured Spanish loin of tuna that comes to the table with aubergine and mustard with caramelised Sharon fruit; scallops, rice and tomato confit with butifarra, a typical Catalan spiced pork sausage, or Morro, cod with vegetables and green tomato jam.

Meats appear with roast duckling, green asparagus sauce and soft cocoa puree; fillet of beef with apple, duck liver and rosemary sauce, and baked lamb with onions and potatoes.

Desserts are to die for; an almond and nougat confection, called turrón, a great Spanish speciality, is served with chocolate and Sichuan pepper; mango, vanilla and mascarpone cream with caramel syrup and merlot, and pineapple, syrup of vanilla and ice cream of fresh cheese with crackers of black sesame lend a gracious end to a meal.

The Western Haldersterrein complex was built in 1894 at the initiative of a number of traders from Rotterdam. The facade alternates between large openings framed by heavy wooden doors and small windows, while the spacious interior is crowned by a large glass dome.

Abacanto, a splendid place serving international cuisine with an Italian twist, is situated at the back of this building. It features a covered outdoor area for al fresco banquets, a bar and a dining room with a view of the kitchen. The decor is a mix of classic and contemporary with highlights of abstract paintings and projections of surreal forms on the wall.

The restaurant provides a mix of fun and serious dining for customers through its various offerings. Whether you want to just enjoy a drink while listening to live music - which ranges from solo piano performances, to jazz bands, to the latest techno tracks spun by reputed DJs - or dance the night away, it should fit pleasantly with whatever mood you?re in. The specially equipped bar is a good spot to start your evening with cocktails and snacks before moving on to satisfy your gastronomic aspirations.

Carpaccio of shellfish and satay, or tapijtschelpjes in white wine, spicy cherry tomatoes, parsley, garlic and toasted bread is a good starter. Biancaneve, a pizza with thin, crunchy crust generously topped with buffalo mozzarella, Parma ham, thinly sliced rocket parmigiano is a good option for main course. Cassata siciliana with cake, ricotta, cinnamon or chocolate, candied fruit and marzipan for dessert brings down the curtain on a good meal.

Artkuisine is the culmination of Chef Remy Lefebvre's gastronomic quest to deliver quality food, prepared expertly and served in a stylish, modernistic ambience. Located in Barcelona's Madrazo district, this trendy restaurant is quite close to the Galvany market and has been rated as an exciting neo bistro by patrons and critics alike.

Remy is intense and passionate about the culinary feats that he performs in his kitchen, turning out Mediterranean cuisine in a decidedly French atmosphere. Crisp white linen, pale off white walls, soft fabric covered chairs and minimalist paintings add to the allure, helping you to relax while you enjoy a flavoursome meal.

The amuse bouche is exquisite, a slab of foie cooked at low temperature, sprinkled with sable Breton crumbs and topped with apple and rhubarb compote, and sets the tone for the ensuing courses. Sardine fillets, spit-roasted and served with a ring of quince compote and guacamole, with saffron mustard on the side, are elegantly rendered and make an excellent starter.

The main course of pan fried scallops in a cauliflower puree with a fondue of vegetables, cava and pistachios is delicious, while the oxtail braised with porcini mushrooms and black pepper, served with a cocoa and banana compote is a most unusual combination, layering different textures in a unique cocktail of flavours. The experimentation continues favourably with a melange of monkfish, pepper, fennel and apricot.

For dessert, the tarte tatin, generously topped with a swirl of cinnamon ice cream is a blissful ode to the sweet tooth, bringing you a true taste of this Gallic delight. Wines for the discerning drinker are aplenty, and there are over seventy choices to select from, featuring reds and whites from Spain as well as cavas and champagnes.

The gentle jazz notes form a serene backdrop to your dining experience and Artkuisine, with its uber chic décor, gourmet cuisine and its fabulous range of wines has indeed become iconic for those in search of a fulfilling gastronomic experience.

The Bistrot de Venise takes you through an intriguing and fascinating journey through the history of Venetian cuisine and fine wine. Open since 1993, this charming place is the epitome of a uber chic and trendy restaurant, but the touches of class are equally present, making this one of those rarities where classical and contemporary come together in a most beautiful harmony.

Since the time it has thrown its doors to the public, the Bistrot de Venise has attracted various writers, poets and other well known personalities who have lent it the air of being a cultural epicentre. There?s also a sense of soothing calm; the décor is understated and elegant and the dimly lit rooms, stained glass paintings, dark wood, and cream walls with old framed photographs and posters help to create a convivial and welcoming atmosphere. The al fresco arrangement is true to its name, providing a beautiful setting in the gently unfolding dusk, perfect for a romantic and intimate dinner.

A look at the menu will surprise those who are expecting typical Italian fare, because their basic premise is to introduce the tastes of historical Venetian cuisine, going back by quite a few centuries, to the 14th onwards. Naturally, the tastes are unique and pleasing and something you will remember with delight. Consider the old fashioned pasta with saffron, lamb meat and offal sauce followed by the veal liver with onions and polenta and ending with an almond and pistachio pudding with candied lemon as an excellent example of the sampling menu.

An à la carte in this section could bring you hors d'oeuvres such as carpaccio of marinated sturgeon on artichoke; duck breast confit with mango chutney and fennel jelly or a duet of salt cod fish with chick peas. For first course, there's homemade large ravioli filled with game and pumpkin sauce; tagliatelle with lagoon eel and aromatic herbs, or risotto with dried stock fish.

As the meal progresses, the main courses may include venison fillet with eggplant flan and sautéed vegetable pie; fish baked with potatoes, tomato, olives and caper fruits or baked veal tongue with spices and stewed savoy cabbage. End with fresh cheese and pine nut fritters with wine and cinnamon sauce; glazed beetroots, mascarpone cream and macaroons or crème brûlée with pumpkin and ginger ice cream.

As part of the venture of delving into historical food, the wines at Bistrot de Venise also mirror this fascination with the past and you can spot many a rare wine in their enoteca. Their research has been deep and accurate, helping them uncover unique gems of the wine tradition. Some of the finds include Bianchetta, Rabosi and Oseleta varieties as well as the great classics of the North East and they have over 60 wines by the glass with more than 200 highly select Italian and French labels. Regular wine tasting sessions and other events make this a well loved hub. More information can be found on their Website.

Strofilia means winepress in Greek and it is aptly situated in a seventeenth century wine warehouse. This restaurant is different as its menu is based on mezze, small savoury dishes and the focus is also on wine. The spacious main room has been renovated with modern furniture sitting well against exposed brick walls and pieces of traditional artefacts placed here and there. It is a pleasant place for an evening out with friends.

Cold mezes come forward with options such as salted anchovies, smoked herring, tomatoes and olives, best had with ouzo, a refreshing drink made from melon seeds, a small cheese platter to accompany your wine that includes manouri, smoked kapnisto, metsovo and kefalograviera, all well-known Greek cheeses, and Strofilia salad, with fresh spinach, capers, scampi, calamari, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Red peppers stuffed with pungent feta cheese, salad "mirmizeli", toast, tomatoes, olives and cheese and eggplant salad with walnuts are some of the other salient dishes on offer in this category. Tzatziki, a yoghurt, garlic and cucumber dip and tarama, paste made from mullet, potato and olive oil is always at hand.

More substantial dishes include brochette asie mineure, minced lamb with pine nuts and oriental spices, and aubergine roulade stuffed with minced meat and tomato sauce, accompanied by roast baby potatoes with rosemary and roasted Mediterranean vegetables with garlic and saffron sauce.

Wines are an elaborate affair at Strofilia and the cellar is well stocked with representation from all regions across Greece.