Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolat make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of small dishes takes in pulled pork pâté with French bread, and spicy beef and lamb sausage with harissa mayonnaise. Salads and pasta feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include slices of saucisson and cured pork loin with French bread.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. No French menu would be complete without the poulet jaune grille, pan-roasted breast of corn-fed chicken served on a warm taboulé of bulgar wheat and a medley of roasted vegetables with minted crème fraîche, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Their Website will keep you updated on menu changes, news and other competitions and offers from the Café Society.

The opening of the North Hill Hotel in the centre of Colchester has ensured that the town now benefits from a classier place to accommodate its visitors in a comfortable fashion. The venue offers convenient and friendly surroundings in which to stay at the heart of this old Roman capital city. The interior is full of character and retains a lot of its original features and charm behind a modern clean exterior.

Their Green Room Restaurant sources local produce for its regularly evolving menu. It should not surprise you to find that the food majors on classic British fare with a good range of dishes, from slow roasted tomato, fig or feta cheese tart, crab and prawn spring rolls through to roasted rump of salt marsh lamb with purple sprouting broccoli, ratte potatoes and salsa verde.

For puddings the ultimate must surely be the lemon and amaretto cheesecake with raspberry coulis, closely followed by dark chocolate cardamom tarte and vanilla ice cream.

The lively La Tasca chain caters for parties, children's events and family gatherings in addition to anytime dining. These restaurants capture well the warm and vibrant spirit of Spain, and are best known for their tapas and traditional paellas.

Their star player is tapas, which can be had solo or in tandem with a meal. The calamares andaluza, deep-fried squid rings, served with roasted garlic mayonnaise and lemon, is great for sharing, while the chorizo frito al vino, spicy Spanish sausage flavoured with paprika, garlic and herbs, sautéed in red wine, offers a real treat. Chicken lovers order alitas de pollo, marinated chicken wings, or have skewers of chicken breast and pepper, marinated in paprika.

Valenciana is an interesting paella that combines seafood with chicken, and if you have a taste for trivia, you may be surprised to learn that 'la paella' actually refers to the utensil in which the dish is cooked.

Other than liqueurs and beer, there are wines from Spanish vineyards and sparkling cava. All of these, especially the dry rosé wines combine well with tapas. And you would be really getting into the spirit of things if you rounded off with the crema Catalana, traditional Spanish-style vanilla custard, topped with caramelised sugar.

La Tasca Spanish Tapas Restaurants and Bars today have over sixty outlets across the UK, so it is odds on there is a branch fairly close to your home.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

The Angel Inn is a traditional 16th century oak beamed coaching house in the heart of Suffolk's beautiful Constable country. It provides modern comforts in an historic setting rich with character. Winter offers relaxed and friendly surroundings with roaring log fires, whilst during the summer you can enjoy the warm evenings dining and drinking in their relaxing patio garden area.

Expect to find interesting dishes such as Burmese mussels, salmon risotto, slow roast belly of pork with mashed potato and carrots, and strawberry shortcake, from a menu that includes dishes from Britain and other Commonwealth cultures.
 
The welcoming bar area unites the old with the new - period features mix with modern artwork and leather sofas. Should you wish for a more luxurious dining experience, book in advance and then enjoy excellent personal service in The Wellroom - a charming vaulted restaurant - complete with its original 52ft well.

A recent refurbishment has added more features and turned it into a comfortable little place in which to spend the night.

Located in a historic building full of character and charm, the Red Lion Hotel can be found on the High Street, in the heart of the historic town of Colchester. One of the town's oldest inns, it is described as a perfect example of Tudor architecture and is within easy access of Stansted airport and the city of Cambridge. Housed within it is the Parliament Restaurant which still retains much of its old-world charm and décor, from high beamed ceilings to rare paintings adorning the walls.
 
The relaxed atmosphere provides an ideal setting to indulge in traditional British cuisine with a contemporary twist, all made from fresh and quality ingredients sourced from local markets wherever possible. The restaurant offers an all-day breakfast menu as well as a special lunch and dinner menu that changes seasonally.
 
Hotel guests are ideally situated to explore the surrounding town as well as numerous local attractions including Colchester Zoo, the Mercury Theatre and the 11th century Norman Castle.

So you fancy a touch of authenticity? It doesn't come much more authentic than The Company Shed, particularly on a chilly day in winter, with the tides running fast and the wind in the landlocked rigging. Having established that the weatherworn edifice before you is your destination, clutch your bottles, cans and French rolls - well I did warn you - and enter into the world of really fresh seafood, evidence of which in various forms is all around you.

So also is Heather Haward who, with her husband Richard runs this wonderful place. Richard farms the oysters and looks after other vital supply lines. Service is very much DIY in keeping with the ambience and philosophy of the place. The seafood is simple and just undeniably wonderful, with the crabs well at the top of the list. Forget about the fripperies, no puddings, bring a flask of coffee if you must and salads are not welcome.

Oh, and on your way out bag some of the clams to take home at a mere £1 a pound.

Surely this has to be seafood heaven?

Clarice House is a small chain of exclusive health clubs, and residential and day spas, all situated in classic country houses in parkland settings. The Colchester branch offers all these and more in the form of Juniper, its prestigious AA Rosette restaurant.

The stylish interior offers lovely views of the well-kept grounds and with its soft lighting, calming colour scheme and soothing background music, Juniper is a promising place for romance or that special evening meal.

The British restaurant ensures diners are spoilt with a new and fun food experience under the leadership of Chef Paul Boorman. Starters include warm pigeon and chilli-poached pear salad, roast beetroot risotto, and the more unusual, molecular prawn cocktail.

The mains rest on the able shoulders of poached duck, venison, sea bass, and hare, which are served with an array of colourful sauces and vegetables. The dessert menu is equally celestial, with an impressive white chocolate and pistachio creme brulée,flambéed theatrically by Juniper's enthusiastic staff.

A selection of aperitifs, fine wines and champagne, all priced well, complement your meal.