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Just off West London's Warwick Avenue on Formosa Street lies the elegant Waterway restaurant, so named for its views over the nearby Grand Union Canal. Though the location, complete with terrace area, is ideally predisposed to summer dining, the rich chocolate brown and dark mahogany décor make it a cosy winter retreat too.

If your palate needs a little warming up, how about choosing from a list of scrumptious canapés like baked Indian chicken with a fried poppadom, lobster and soft poached quail egg in a filo basket, and Bloody Mary infused fillet of beef. On the à la carte you'll find char-grilled squid with a chilli sauce, balsamic and mixed leaves, and corn-fed chicken with squash and garlic leaf risotto and roast cherry tomato on the vine. The terrace menu places emphasis on modern European cuisine and includes the likes of chilled minted pea soup, grilled tuna steak and lamb kofta.

Bodean's brings the best of American barbeque cuisine to the UK, and has been growing in popularity. Done up in the style of a fifties' eatery with its ribbed oak panel walls, studded leather booth seating, charming chandeliers and stag antler light fittings, the restaurant looks like a scene straight out of an retro American film.

Each of the five outlets have minor variations in décor and theme, but almost none in the menu and service. The Soho outlet for example, has a sporty air with four giant plasma screen televisions playing live and taped events from American sports channels. In Clapham, the bar is well loved and, being located very close to Clapham Common, has a popular take away. The third and fourth outlets opened in Fulham and Westbourne then more recently, a fifth one at Tower Hill.

House specialities from the wood-burning smoke-pit oven include baby back or spare ribs and combo feasts such as half chicken served with pulled pork and grilled smoked sausages. Other alternatives on the menu include Bodean's classic macaroni and cheese, gamba shrimp dinner and slow smoked chunks of beef brisket served in a light BBQ sauce.

The dessert menu is short but very sweet with the likes of chocolate fudge cake and apple cobbler that really hit the spot. The drinks list features champagne, red, white and rosé wines in addition to beers and soft drinks.

Bodean's can cater for all sizes of parties subject to the restaurant's restrictions in size and peak times. The minimum number to organise a party is eight guests and the venue can be booked out for a fee depending on the day of the week.

It's a beehive of activity at Tiroler Hut Restaurant on weekends offering a mixed bag of entertainment and good food. Owner Joseph Friedman invites his guests and often treats them to a Tirolean cowbell ringing session or a little yodelling, spectators are welcome to participate.

The staff wear traditional Austrian dress and serve up equally conventional dishes such as sweet sour herring topped with sour cream, sliced apple and onion rings, or smoked ham served with asparagus. The kitchen's approach to hearty Austrian cooking is a delightful one turning on big flavours and arriving in the form of turkey and cranberry sauce schnitzel served with mashed potatoes and Hungarian style goulash with thimble egg dumpling and marinated cucumber salad. Finish with sugary treats that include chopped pancake with raisins and certainly apple strudel can't be missed.

How about a few Bavarian lagers to prime your singing voice and step up competition at Tiroler Hut?

Satay House opened in 1973 and has been doing brisk business ever since, and its always reassuring when you realise you're surrounded by Malaysian clientele. Even the aesthetics are somewhat Malaysian with the national flower embossed on the walls and dew drop lights bringing a pleasantly sophisticated touch to the décor.

The cooking undoubtedly focuses on Malaysia with satay taking centre stage, expect to find six skewers of char-grilled chicken or lamb marinated in spices and herbs and served traditionally with peanut sauce, cucumber, rice cubes and onion. Among seafood main courses go for whitebait anchovies and sator beans in spicy sambal chillies and grilled whole mackerel served with tamarind sauce. Desserts include a steamed tapioca seed pudding drenched in palm sugar and coconut milk.

With so many interesting choices in the à la carte, the set menu is not to be missed and there is a vegetarian option available as well.

If there is anyone who might be termed the godfather of English food, that title would have to go Fergus Henderson of St John, (see in this Guide), who has not only relentlessly pursued the path of what he terms 'nose to tail' eating, but has also produced many disciples, one of whom is Tom Pemberton, who has opened Hereford Road. The site, in the relentlessly trendy area of Notting Hill, has a long pedigree; originally it was a Victorian butcher's shop but many will fondly remember it as Veronica's, which was exceedingly popular some years back, its speciality being roast duck, a fashionable dish in the eighties, when the place was in its heyday.

The style of the food very much follows the gospel as laid down by Fergus, with simple no-nonsense descriptions and relatively straightforward dishes, relying on robustness of flavour and quality of raw materials, rather than a complicated fancy string of ingredients, an approach that a number of other well-known chefs might carefully consider. The menu varies frequently, according partly to what is in season and the whims of the owner-chef, so typical starters might offer smoked cod's roe on toast or salted duck and pickled chicory.

Game could be represented by braised rabbit with fennel and bacon and roasted guinea fowl, whilst a strong fish section like baked plaice or lemon sole completes the main course section. One of the problems that many English restaurants have is its puddings, how to refine them down from so many strong possibilities, as everyone has their own favourite; so Eton mess, almond and orange cake, and a selection of English cheeses naturally provide a strong finish to what should have been a memorable meal for all the right reasons.