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hand picked restaurants

Boutique bowling was hitherto an unknown idea but now All Star Lanes deserve applause for pioneering this concept by bringing in the first boutique bowling alley to London. In this 1950s American styled venue there are four slick lanes with an integrated diner, serving top quality American food.

A good array of appetizers include salt and pepper popcorn squid, chicken, cilantro and jalapeño quesadilla, and New England clam chowder. Main courses bring in world influences on to a plate with a whole baked sea bass with Hollandaise, Texas chilli con carne, spaghetti and meatballs and bourbon barbecued baby back ribs. Steak lovers could feast on a grilled lamb gigot steak with chilli roasted artichokes, New York strip sirloin and surf and turf.

The bar is well-stocked with an extensive collection of bourbons and offers an endless list of exotic cocktails. All Star Lanes is definitely a venue that just keeps on giving.

In Westbourne Grove, El Pirata de Tapas presents a stylish contemporary appearance with a Spanish touch, in tune with its surroundings in the heart of Notting Hill. If they please, guests can nibble away through the tapas selection or choose from the à la carte menu.

For a quick lunch, consider mixed leaf salad with Manchego cheese, pine nuts and beetroot, piquillo peppers and idiazabal cheese croquettes, and fricassee of squid with roasted peppers and chorizo. In the evening, El Piratas tapas menu offers a selection of Iberian cured meats, seared scallops with artichokes, octopus carpaccio with Mandarin caviar, prawns in olive oil, garlic and chilli, Serrano ham croquettes and wood pigeon with fig purée. Alternatively, consider the degustation menu. Chef's specialities include endives and Valdeon cheese foam, black rice and squid, pork cheeks with carrot purée, pan fried cod with braised Savoy cabbage and chocolate truffles with chocolate mousse and saffron toffee. Refresh the palate with a Cava, Rioja or sangria.

This busy Chinese restaurant always offers diners a warm welcome, many of whom are drawn here by the Magic Wok's notoriously diverse menu. In addition to all the classics there's steamed eels and winter melon with dried scallops. Complimentary tea and fortune cookies are just some of the little touches that set this restaurant apart from local rivals.

With close to ten destination spread across North America, Europe and the Far East, Bombay Palace derives its name from one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India and focuses on serving North Indian cuisine. A clean and bright dining area with plenty of natural light streaming in through the large windows provide just the right setting for diners to relax.

The menu is well laid out and those who'd like to start off on a spicy note could try the scallop peri peri and duck julienne stir fried with spring onions and red and green peppers. Lamb cutlets grilled in the clay oven imbue the flavours of fresh mint, fennel, pepper and yogurt, while natural herbs add a touch of brightness to jumbo prawns. As well as the pan-cooked lobster in thick gravy, with a hint of fenugreek, you could also feast on mildly spiced cottage cheese dumplings, simmered in saffron and almond sauce, specially recommended by the chef.

To relive the Bombay Palace experience at home, diners could avail themselves of their excellent delivery service covering a major part of Central London.

Just when you thought Persian cooking was probably complicated, this Harrow Road restaurant clears the air and prompts diners to leave all their inhibitions at the door to step into a world of imaginative, healthy and colourful cooking. Yes, the team at Pars Restaurant have even got the décor right, outfitted with light furniture and beautiful paintings the minimalist look is just what is needed to shift focus into the food.

Those intent on learning the intricacies of Persian cooking will be happy to know that spices like saffron, diced lime, cinnamon and parsley are delicately combined, resulting in deliciously light fare. Ash-e-reshte is a good way to start, this traditional soup combines vegetables, lentils, red kidney beans, chickpeas and noodles, but take time out to pause between spoonfuls to analyse the interesting juxtaposition of flavours. This could be followed by zereshk polo ba morgh - steamed saffron rice mixed with sour bearberries and pistachio with cooked chicken and a Persian sorbet with a hint of lemon juice to finish.

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.