Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Trattoria Verdi Restaurant has been around since 1964, and they surely must be doing many things right, which could possibility explain their longevity. For one the décor speaks of rusticity with large paintings of places in Italy and the delightful piano music in the background, and then comes the food, no-frills home style cooking, notable for its first rate ingredients.

Amongst grills there's sirloin pizzaiola with a piquant tomato and garlic sauce, or an indulgent tournedos Rossini cooked in Marsala wine sauce, topped with pâté. Seafood enthusiasts will be pleased by what's on offer; Dover sole, grilled or meunière, scampi fritti or Provençal, and poached salmon steak or fresh water trout. Pizza and pasta dishes find expression in Verdi with mushrooms and chopped ham, or spaghetti vongole with cockles in tomato, garlic and butter.

The two private rooms at Trattoria Verdi ensure that the joy of dining privately with the family or friends is always an option.

Alan Yau, creator of some high profile restaurants like Hakkasan and Yauatcha, now brings the characteristic communal style dining to London a la Wagamama. The first Busaba Eathai opened in Soho and two more outlets followed, and the interior of dark wood and decorative lanterns notch up the style factor, making it more than just an average café-style dining experience.

Eating here is mostly a one course affair and on a cold winter evening try the tom yam talay, prawn, squid and baby clams with vermicelli noodle in a spicy sour soup, and for the light eaters it could be a wing bean salad with toasted coconut, shallot and lime leaf. If the crowds are anything to go by, it means that Busaba Eathai must be doing several things right and curries must be one of them, like the aromatic geng gari gai with chicken, new potato and cucumber relish. A steaming hot cup of ginger and honey tea helps you finish the meal on a satisfying note.

Situated within The Park Inn Hotel in Russell Square, the Waterfalls Restaurant serves a variety of international cuisine in a modern, fresh and relaxed atmosphere. Although the restaurant depicts an old world grandeur with a beautiful Edwardian façade, its interiors are very contemporary, with the walls decorated in simple block caramel and chocolate tones, tables dressed in white linen and glass and silverware sparkling in the glow of dimmed downlighters. Due to its easy accessibility, the restaurant is a constant buzz of activity and attracts varied groups of people, from the tourists and shoppers, to local office workers and residents living near the area.
 
The international menu features dishes that are freshly cooked with a variety to suit every discerning palate. They include dishes of starters followed by mains with ingredients that are varied and freshly sourced. The meals can be accompanied from a carefully selected wine list featuring some of the best wines from different parts of the world.

London's West End has its fare share of Japanese dining establishments, and Hakuba is one of the more stylish and sophisticated restaurants located on Great Russell Street. Its subtly lit interior reveals dark wood panelling and metal lampshades on the table and the walled booths are pleasant places to spend an evening with friends without intruding on other diners.

The menu encourages diners to share and after you're done with maki rolls such as kumo with a centre of crunchy soft shelled crab with avocado, cucumber, crab salad and a smelt roe sprinkle, or cocktail roll of tiger prawns, lettuce, avocado and a spicy sauce, move on to try their signature dishes like Polynesian style sashimi marinated in a poke sauce, or grilled papaya stuffed with prawn, scallop and peppers. Main courses are more about teriyaki, with grilled chicken, salmon, beef and pork versions, and in the end save space for a light dessert of green tea flavoured crème brûlée.

There may be several restaurants dotting Lamb's Conduit Street, but Ciao Bella stands out by virtue of its cheerful retro styled atmosphere and classic Italian cooking. And nothing can demonstrate this better that the décor, partly quirky and partly evoking curiosity with its light blue chairs, and an enviable collection of guitars and photographs adorning the walls.

The restaurant's appeal also lies in its cooking, and leafing through the menu will reveal spaghetti al cartoccio with seafood and tomato sauce cooked inside a grease-proof bag, or a Ciao Bella pizza topped with mozzarella cheese, aubergine, egg and tomato. Amongst starters bresaola rucola and Parmigiano or dried Italian beef, and toasted bread topped with tuna and mayonnaise beckon and grilled main courses are a sure delight with a choice of sea bass, Scottish sirloin steak and lamb chops.

Ciao Bella's resident pianist will be more than happy to play your favourite tunes every evening.

The Japanese Canteen is unapologetic about its straightforward ambience that is also devoid of music, but then their only aim is to make sure you come back for their tasty food or take some away to eat in the comfort of your home. This simple but smart establishment is focussed on providing traditional Japanese dishes to its patrons who are drawn by the delicious noodle soups, curries, salads and dumplings prepared fresh using authentic ingredients.

Enjoy dishes such as chicken katsu curry or salmon teriyaki served with rice or try the stir fried noodles with beef, fresh vegetables and udon noodles. There's a superb fried rice, spiked with sesame chilli oil and layered with chicken. Noodle soups such as the duck ramen are popular and they come in a choice of three stocks, clear with soy sauce, miso or spicy coconut and lemon grass. Sushi at the Japanese Canteen is a delectable option, arriving in sets of four or six pieces of maki, nigiri or sashimi.

YO! Sushi Brunswick is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.