The name Le Chardon may not necessarily evoke images of a French bistro but this Abbeville Road restaurant inspires much joy amongst locals mainly for its affordability. It's warm and comfortable inside, with subtle lighting and modern art on the walls, so settle down with a glass of champagne perhaps, bury disappointments at the workplace and get set to choose from an extensive menu.

Over-the-top food combinations may excite a few, but some of us really prefer to keep things straightforward, like the traditional French fish soup, snails with fresh herbs and garlic butter, and whole Devon crab in its shell with mayonnaise and lemon. The French certainly have a way with the magret, and at Le Chardon these tender pieces of duck meat arrive glazed with orange and honey sauce. At dessert time you could bite into a delicious lemon tart with fresh fruit coulis or caramelised apple tart tatin with a dash of calvados to get the fireworks started.