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hand picked restaurants

Belushi's believe in living life king size, whether it's their huge drink offers or the massive parties that they host. So stop by at the trendy Fulham venue, relax by the sea at Brighton, or head to Greenwich, the unstoppable East End, or any other outlet, you're assured of an all American bar and restaurant experience and like many of its rivals Belushi's certainly know a thing or two about partying.

No doubt their discount deals are a major draw, but having said that it's important not to overlook the food, and being thoroughly American, burgers are a speciality with typically generous portions. Think big, think Aussie works burger, or choose from some inventive toppings like Cajun, mushroom blue, the BBQ bacon or satay. A closer look at main courses could reveal chilli con carne, sausage and mash, fish and chips and sirloin steak, in addition to fresh salads and sandwiches. Haute cuisine it's not, but for well prepared and well priced classics, it's hard to beat.

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.

Dinner only. Informal, family run couscous café specialising in authentically cooked dishes from Morocco and Tunisia. Huge portions, free appetisers, terrific value for money. Fixed-price menus from £10.50 to £14.95. Features ceramics and tiling effects from Tunisia, candlelight, tablecloths, and Arabic background music. We look forward to meeting you. Frances and Abdel Boukraa.

An elegant modern setting distinguishes the Artisan Grill at the Novotel London West in One Shortlands. À la carte and table d'hôte menus offers guests a selection of international specialities for dinner and the restaurant welcomes parties of four to eight people for private dining.

Top quality but diverse range of ingredients cooked very simply is executive head chef Roy Thompson's mantra. Dishes created by him have a unique and natural flavour that reflects their source and provenance. Enjoy the taste of dishes such as salad of Goosnargh chicken with a Chardonnay dressing, roasted sweetbreads with black pudding and baby apples and red onion and goats cheese pissaladiare, for a start. Main course options include Creekstone fillet of beef, parsnip gratin and wild mushrooms, Norfolk pork chump chop, milk fed veal cutlet, whole Dover sole and tagliolini with parmesan, egg and baby peas. Chocolate fondant, Italian lemon cheesecake or banoffee pie make a fitting end to the meal. A variety of cocktails, wines, beers and spirits complement the food well.

The eponymous Sam is none other than Sam Harrison who worked at Padstow with Rick Stein, whose general guidance and blessing Sam is happy to count amongst his assets. Located in the Barley Mow Centre, formerly a paper factory and now home to a gaggle of small businesses, the site is potentially a good one.

Good spaces inside have been well used to provide a 100 seater brasserie, with an 80 seater bar alongside, and Head Chef Rufus Wickham, formerly of Kensington Palace (he worked there, you understand?) and the Crown Hotel, Suffolk rejoices in kitchens that are tailor-made.

Four menus operate, the brunch, kids, set and brasserie. Since the day starts with brunch, an especially large one at weekends, a quick scan of the menu reveals croissant or pain au chocolat, kedgeree, poached eggs, eggs Florentine or Benedict, Italian sausages, with bubble and squeak and sauerkraut, sirloin steak with chips and béarnaise sauce, or Sam's terrine with red onion marmalade. A less elaborate brunch menu operates on weekdays, but still well able to give the late riser a satisfying fix.

Next the Brasserie route, the menu for which changes twice daily. A plate of tapas for two comes in handy over drinks, or a light snack, and for starters the rabbit terrine with onion marmalade, poached asparagus with brown butter, or grilled leeks with a soft boiled egg, sherry vinegar and Parmesan are all well presented. A number of starters can be taken as main courses.

Excellent Toulouse sausages, with braised lentils and confit potatoes make a robust main course, with a fish option of seared John Dory, citrus salad and grilled Rosevale potatoes. The menu will generally carry around eight main courses, with seven desserts, amongst which expect to find a bowl of Muscat grapes with biscotti, chocolate pots and orange salad, and a selection of homemade ice-creams and sorbets.

A wine list of mostly very affordable contributions from a wide range, including Rick Stein's own wines from the Tower Lodge Estate in Hunter Valley, Australia, of which he is a director, should keep everyone perfectly happy, with plenty of choices by the glass.

A bright and contemporary Italian restaurant, the iL Bertorelli is a name that stands for quality, with their simple uncomplicated cooking producing a menu that has a very broad appeal. With something to suit every member of the family, whether it is a light snack or a full à la carte meal, there is a sureness of touch that coaxes an astonishing depth and flavor of the various and rich dishes prepared.

Classics come in the form of contadina pizza, with roasted chicken, goats' cheese, red onion and baby spinach, and Salsiccie grigliate, a warming Tuscan sausage casserole with borlotti beans while the risotto may be teamed with char-grilled chicken breast and crispy pancetta bacon. Pizzas like margherita and Americana with mozzarella and tomato topped with spicy pepperoni sausage make for other available scrumptious fare.

The classic tiramisu and mocha latte cheesecake are the desserts of choice to complete the meal, while the well polished wine list makes for an enjoyable end to a perfect meal.