Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean.

Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.

Conveniently located between Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale tube station, Maguro Sushi in Lanark Place prides itself in creating fresh delicious sushi providing a unique dining experience for its guests. From a casual lunch to a special dinner, relax and unwind in a delightful atmosphere.

Maguro features sushi, sashimi and rolls as well as a range of poultry, meat and fish dishes. Enjoy sushi of salmon, tuna, sea bass, prawn, scallop, eel, foie gras, avocado, pickled radish and asparagus. There's also sashimi of sweet prawn, sea bream, squid, octopus and turbo as well as special maki rolls of crispy duck, soft shell crab, prawn tempura, salmon, mackerel and salmon roe. Main course options embrace grilled black cod with miso paste, beef sirloin steak with teriyaki sauce, pan fried bbq chicken with vegetables, deep fried breaded pork loin cutlet and Kobe beef ribeye steak with creamy lemon garlic. For a sweet ending choose between pancake with custard, rice cake with red beans or green tea ice cream. A pint of Japanese beer, sake or wine quenches your thirst.

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.

The prices are good at this Persian eatery. So are the traditional Iranian chello kebabs. You tend to get the feeling that a care has been taken in preparing the dishes which can range from fresh starters of mixed herbs (served with traditional bread) to well proportioned grilled lamb.

Please note that the E-Mail contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Deep in the water-crossed depths of Paddington Basin lies Pearl Liang, a splendid pearl in Sheldon Square and conveniently close to the station. Outward appearances persist within doors with an overall décor of mauve and pink that is quite breathtaking.

The lunch box menu is well supported by the surrounding office workers. It is often said that a dim sum carte is best judged by its dumplings, in which case Pearl Liang's passes with flying colours. Worthy of attention at any time, but particularly when celebration or morale boosting is in the air, is the Buddha Jumps Over The Wall soup.

The cold hors d' euvres have some of the best dishes on offer, with drunken chicken, jellyfish, beef shin, Arctic clams, and pork trotters amongst them. Their set menus include the Jade, with a multitude of dishes spread over 3 courses, and very good value. Those for whom money is no object may gyrate towards the Diamond set menu, with a wealth of flavours that leave the senses replete and smiley.

Nice, relaxed Thai restaurant serving interesting variants with impeccable service. Moo Sarong is one of the best dishes - deep fried pork in noodles, and the fish dishes also deserve attention. The delicacy of the spicing is one of Tawana's features.

The Westbourne is never short of diners who flock here to soak up the lively atmosphere of the place. Being a pub the drinks list is packed with quality stuff, a good selection of foreign beers and a very pleasing wine list. Many of Westbourne's visitors come looking for food as well, enticed by an exciting and regularly changing menu.

Here is gastropub fare at its best and treats like curried parsnip soup with crème fraîche and parsnip crisps, and game terrine with foie gras, pistachio, onion marmalade, toast and pickles come to mind instantly. Main courses like pot roasted pheasant with bacon, shallots, oyster mushrooms, garlic mash and winter greens follow a more exotic route while the much loved Gloucester Old Spot pork loin chop is a simple pleasure made more interesting with accompaniments like butterbeans, chorizo, black cabbage and red wine sauce. A dessert of honeycomb parfait with poached pears completes the equation at The Westbourne.