Nicholl's

One of a small chain of Bistros, Nicholl's has a good reputation for prices and variety. From their tempting menu you could start with filo wrapped goat's cheese, charred pepper salad and roasted pecans, followed by organic lamb shank with colcannon, rosemary, redcurrant and garlic sauce. For pudding a dash of daring with baked cheesecake and red berry compote.

The Nicholl's story starts in 1992 when Greg Nicholl and his partners felt that they had identified a gap in the market for good food and service. Based in and around the growing city of Milton Keynes, the scope of local eateries was polarised toward 'pub grub' at one end of the spectrum and fine dining at the other with only a few exceptions in between.

The Nicholl's idea was to create a place to eat out, enjoying fresh produce cooked properly on-site that would appeal to the growing number of young professionals. Outside of London, the UK had not - at the time - embraced the European style of eating out as a preference to cooking at home. Going to restaurants was quite firmly viewed as 'an occasion' - Nicholl and his team wanted to create somewhere that was comfortable, relaxed and value for money. A place that people could afford to visit regularly - dinner for two with some wine for about £15 a head.

The type of restaurant they had in mind would be described as a 'provincial brasserie' and in 1992, Brown's of Oxford was probably the nearest to the concept the team had in mind. Nicholl's - Woburn opened and was an instant success, greater than they had ever dared to hope for. The rest as they say, is history.