One of the most encouraging surges in recent eating out trends has been the extension of the neighbourhood restaurant, where prices and informality blend to create an atmosphere of easy living. Of such is Moomba, where the denizens of Putney and beyond congregate to enjoy a broad based cuisine in comfortable and relaxed surroundings.

In the first place they open at 10am daily, thus providing the less frenetically engaged locals to come along for breakfast, or if you prefer to be honest, brunch. Awaiting you will be such old friends as eggs Benedict or Florentine, bacon or sausage sarnies and the much-loved full English breakfast, available all day unlike those places that primly bring the curtains down on full brekkers after 11.30am.

All the lunch main courses are under £10 and include a mouth-watering home made steak and ale pie with creamy mash and peas, or haddock and prawn fishcakes with mustard sauce and dressed salad.

Evening falls, the mood softens, time becomes infinite and starters of beef carpaccio with shaved Parmesan, or salmon and cucumber timbale with dill and Greek yoghurt dressing appear, as a prelude to, say, grilled swordfish, rosemary potatoes and aubergine caponata, loin of lamb on a bed of lentils with sauté potatoes and tzatziki sauce, or for the veggies in our midst a nice bowl of mixed zucchini and honey roasted carrots.

The home made trend works through the desserts with carrot cake, or apple crumble and custard, with rich chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream amongst the options. A simple wine list gives good choice by the bottle or glass, and the service remains friendly and unhurried after the recent changes. They remain open until 11.30pm.