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The recently refurbished Clissold Arms in East Finchley has fully launched into the gastropub mode, and you can expect to find some solid British favourites on the menu along with a wide selection of beers, ales and wines to drink. In its earlier avatar, this place marked the spot where The Kinks held their first gig and some of their memorabilia adorns the walls, more as a concession for posterity.

Starters of ham hock and parsley terrine on sourdough toast are done well while the main course of a 32 day aged Galloway sirloin steak with chips and béarnaise sauce is recommended for robust appetites. Those looking for lighter options can come to terms with the Ulverston lamb rump with bacon lardons, pearl onions, puy lentils and braised red cabbage or a poussin stuffed with dates and almonds. For dessert, try the apple and rhubarb crumble with vanilla sauce for a crunchy and fruity way to end your meal.

A lively vibrant setting with open-mic sessions and other events encourages family and friends to get together to have a blast at North Nineteen in Sussex Way. This steak and ale house offers a seasonally changing menu of modern European and British specialities, and a full range of steaks with drinks to match.

A full lunch or dinner here could start with tempura battered squid, goats' cheese and rocket salad and goujons of plaice. You could follow it up with Mediterranean vegetable suet pudding, 12oz horseshoe gammon steak with pineapple chips and garden peas, mushroom stroganoff, white rice and garlic bread or beer battered cod with chips. If the appetite is in the mood for something sweet at the end, options include pecan pie with Italian ice cream, warm lemon cake and custard, chocolate brownie and sticky toffee pudding. The ale and whisky bar offers six top quality ales including Porter, Mild, Skinners and Fullers ESB and firewater of the likes of 14-year old Oban and 10-year old Lagavulin and Talisker.

Singapore Gardens is an award winning restaurant (Carlton restaurant awards best Oriental restaurant), a thoroughly deserved one as well, as this cheerful place has many fans. It is a bright, busy, friendly restaurant serving really authentic Singapore/Malaysian/Chinese cuisine like soft-shelled crabs with chillies and garlic to an International clientele. The set price menus at lunchtime are a real bargain.