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After D&D London acquired Launceston Place, it was re-launched in March 2008 and has once again become the hub of good eating in Kensington. Now even the AA inspectors are impressed, by awarding a three AA Rosette in recognition of its high quality cooking. The influences of head chef Tristan Welch, who moved in from the two Michelin starred Petrus, are evident on the menu which offers modern British food in a delightfully contemporary setting.

Fresh and seasonal ingredients come together to create numerous classics and old favourites with a touch of the new, so at lunchtime expect to see dishes such as watercress soup, smoked eel and poached quail eggs, or warm heirloom tomato salad with homemade ewe's curd. The main courses could include breast of smoked mackerel with mussels and coastline vegetables, or pork crubeens, pea and carrot salad with pickled walnuts. To finish, there's treacle tart and crème fraîche ice-cream or gooseberry fool with cobnut sponge.

As evening approaches, the meal could become an elaborate affair, with dishes such as roast chicken consommé with bread sauce dumplings, or West Coast scallop roasted with aromatic herbs from the coast line highlighting the starters. The baked lemon sole, shrimps, coastline vegetables and early potatoes is mild but attractive in its tasteful simplicity, and salad of Herdwick lamb butter head lettuce and Berkswell is another excellent choice for the main course. Dishes are presented with a theatrical flair that is pleasing as well as invigorating.

To finish, there's a range of delectable puddings such as apple tart tatin with clotted cream ice cream, or baked cheesecake with English strawberries and for those who cannot resist anything with chocolate in it, the dark chocolate soufflé with Laphroaig whisky ice cream is nothing short of bliss. The wine list brings together a wonderful selection of Old World classics and New World favourites along with some of the finest champagnes, spirits and liqueurs.

In addition to its 60 seat restaurant, Launceston Place boasts a semi private room, 'the chef's office', where tables of up to ten are invited to dine overseeing the activities of the kitchen via a plasma screen. In addition Tristan is on hand to create a bespoke menu for the diners as well as answer any questions they may have.

However, you don't need to take our word for it as there is a lot of information on their Website including details of the menu, wine list and holding private parties there.

With a name like Firezza one certainly expects their pizzas to pack a punch, and what arrives is a half-metre long pizza with a choice of topping every ¼ metre - now isn't that called a meal fit for a king? Lesser mortals will also appreciate the fact that they have several outlets across London, an added bonus, so you're not too far away from Firezza when the pizza passion catches you unawares.

The kitchen is well able to turn out diverse choices - there's capricciosa with prosciutto cotto ham, Italian pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, tomato and mozzarella, and pollo with wood roasted chicken breast, green pesto, sweet peppers and mozzarella. Building on the fascination to be seen as slender Firezza has a skinny version with tomato sauce, fresh radicchio, wild rocket, parmesan shavings and extra virgin olive oil, and a vegetali with courgette shavings, wood roasted aubergines, sweet red peppers and red onions for the veggies. Finally save space for a tiramisu, banoffee pie or Italian chocolate mousse dessert.

Leading restaurateur Claudio Pulze opened Zaika in 1999 as part of his 'Cuisine Collection' restaurant group. Zaika has been widely praised for serving some of the most accomplished Indian food available in the UK and was the first establishment of its kind to receive the accolade of a Michelin star.

Before Banks decided that they could grub along in less glamorous buildings like the rest of us, they installed themselves in buildings such as Zaika occupies, the sheer magnificence of which must have been a sore trial for the bank's shareholders, and a delight for their customers who could look around them and see that their overdraft was not entirely in a lost cause. Located at the heart of Kensington in a prominent position opposite Hyde Park, the grand building has retained many original architectural features including the carved high ceilings and double height windows. The sumptuous interior lends itself to the rich vibrancy of India during the colonial era incorporating a palette of rich colours; ruby, green gold, crimson and purple.

The main restaurant seats 82 and is available for private entertaining by appointment, whilst the Bedouin style cocktail bar will host private drinks parties for up to 25 guests.

The name Zaika translates quite literally as sophisticated flavours and this is the ethos behind the innovative menu. With an emphasis on refined yet creative Indian cuisine, the menu incorporates both traditional classic favourites and original new dishes that apply eastern flavours with a western twist.

Acclaimed favourites include Indian home smoked salmon, lamb rogan josh and chocolate silk, a dish that has been widely imitated by other establishments across the capital.

Since opening its doors Zaika has received a string of industry accolades including Best Indian Restaurant in the London Restaurant Awards, Restaurant of the Year in the Restaurateurs Awards and has accreditation by, Michelin, Zagat, Good Food, AA and Time Out guides. Zaika Bar, which overlooks Kensington Palace has also won international competitions for its selection of cocktails including the legendary Saffron Martini.

Zaika has a compellingly attractive gourmand menu at £89 with wine, or £58 without bringing, amongst other things, increasing credibility to the notion of wine with Indian food, something people seem to find beyond their comprehension, and long overdue for the sort of encouragement Zaika give it.

Lunch of three courses could reveal Goan crab cakes or green chicken tikka, followed by a mixed kebab platter or coconut king prawn, rounded off with that superb chocolate silk made from pine kernel, cashew and pistachio with silky chocolate mousse, served with pistachio ice cream.

Main courses include Tandoori jhinga with prawns, Tandoori Goosnargh breast and off the bone leg, gently poached in a buttery tomato sauce flavoured with fenugreek, or Tandoori mustard guinea fowl marinated in mustard and fennel seeds.

To underline my comments about Indian cuisine and wine, their list encompasses wine from 17 different countries and countless regions, selected with a finesse that is designed to mingle with the subtle flavours and spices of the cuisine, and would be a credit to many a British restaurant list. Cocktails stretch the imagination too, and should you find your way to Kensington high Street before long, and I have a feeling you might, remember to order Our Mai Tai from the list.

For more information, recipes and menu changes a click on their Website should prove fruitful.

The Lonsdale opened its doors in 2002 and is an exceptional combination of a lounge restaurant and an award winning cocktail bar. The trendy lighting and cosy seating breathes sophistication and it has managed to establish itself as both a comfortable and phenomenal venue.

Modern flavours are the order of the day and the menu runs from easy nibbles like marinated and roasted Tamworth pork ribs, to gastronomic delights like roast rack of lamb with sweet potato and coriander purée. Beef is supplied by Allens of Mayfair, Britain's oldest butcher and the steaks arrive with a choice of peppercorn, béarnaise, grain mustard or blue cheese sauce. Desserts stay in the comfort zone so expect to see a sticky toffee pudding, banoffee pie or crème caramel.

Lonsdale is keen to celebrate the history of cocktails in Britain and so among contemporary classics and exciting new creations, try the Elderflower Martini or the Raspberry Mule.

Located in the busy yet leafy Holland Park, Singapore Chinese Restaurant is a family run establishment that offers classic cuisines from South East Asia, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Apart from a lounge - well furnished with comfortable leather sofas - there are two pleasantly open dining areas, with cosy alcoves tucked around the edges, providing for semi-private seating.

The menu includes familiar Chinese favourites and authentic indigenous Singapore fusions of the Malay, Indonesian and Indian cooking styles. Expect impressive variations of chilli lobster, spicy squid, aromatic duck, crispy seaweed, spring rolls, lemon chicken and sizzling prawns. Amongst the well loved Singaporean favourites, satay, laksa, mee goreng are on offer, not to forget the house specialty, Singapore steamboat - a sumptuous meal cooked in a simmering soup - prepared at your very own table.

You could perhaps close your meal with a toffee apple, an ice cream or with freshly cut mixed fruits.

NOTE: Golborne House has recently changed hands and is now called, Golborne Grove. The Head Chef from The Grove Restaurant, 83 Hammersmith Grove, London, has taken over the kitchen at Golborne House with the intention of turning is into a modern Mediterranean restaurant.

Despite the fact that this is still basically a pub, Golborne House seems to have become one of the ultra-trendy places to be seen, in that very fashionable area, Notting Hill. However, despite its simple appearance, this is somewhere that wants to be taken seriously for its food, and, on the evidence so far, it is definitely succeeding. The style could be loosely described as Modern British, which seems to encompass almost everything these days, in the case of Golborne House it is means that it is tasty, tempting, 'a la mode' food.

Starters could include: mezze platter of Lebanese salads and toasted pitta; crab cakes with guacamole and rocket or garlic bruschetta with panfried chicken livers, walnuts and balsamic vinegar. Mains run from roast salmon with zucchini frite, salsa verde, rocket, mizuna and roast cherry tomatoes to fettucine with field mushrooms, thyme and ricotta and cream, while carnivores could enjoy their rib-eye steak with horseradish mash, broccoli and beetroot confit; but save room for their desserts like lemon and ricotta cheesecake or double chocolate and walnut fudge brownie with chocolate sauce and ice-cream, and finish with a plate of Spanish cheeses with guava jelly and oatcakes.

It's hard to imagine Italy without tomatoes and Rossopomodoro understands this really well; the name translates to 'red tomato' in Italian and taking a cue from the colour red which signifies passion, the team here are quite passionate about their cooking, especially their pizzas. With over eighty restaurants across the world, they have earned a reputable space in the hearts of several diners who love to explore the culinary pleasures at Naples.

The octopus and squid seafood salad is a highlight among starters, served on fresella bread with smoked swordfish, tuna carpaccio, rocket and steamed prawns. Fru fru is an appealing arrangement of three season oval pizza with ricotta and Neapolitan salami, tomato, provola cheese and Neapolitan wild turnip tops, and if you're not counting calories a fried pizza with mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh basil is worth trying. Carbonella - a mixed grill of sausage, beef tagliata, chicken breast and buffalo scamorza - may rank high on the memory meter, closely followed by coffee flavoured tiramisu with Chantilly cream, Nutella, savoiardi biscuits and chocolate flakes.

The Ida Restaurant located on the corner of Fifth Avenue, towards Kensal Green is an authentic family-owned Italian restaurant that offers good homemade food at reasonable rates. Named after the owner's mother, the restaurant is set in a picturesque Grade II Listed house featuring a simple, stylish decor, an open kitchen and numerous pictures and posters adorning the walls. The simple, rustic menu is full of Italian regional dishes passed down through generations and prepared using natural and fresh ingredients.

The menu has both well-known and less familiar dishes and features a selection of fare from different regions of Italy every month. It includes dishes such as molinata con bruschetta, a Puglian dish of brad beans with fresh chard and spinach accompanied by garlic bruschetta; risotto zucca e gorgonzola and seafood risotto. Other dishes include veal escalope cooked with vodka, oregano and olives or the four cheese golden lasagne made with fresh, hand-rolled pasta and seasonal vegetables.

A well-priced wine list of Italian classics forms a good accompaniment to the delectable meal.