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hand picked restaurants

Papay offers a unique exotic dining experience in both their locations, be it Harrow or Ealing, where diners can enjoy unexpected but tasty dishes in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Friendly but non intrusive service helps the case along considerably while the contemporary and stylish atmosphere is perfect to unwind and relax. The cuisine is a tribute to Sri Lanka and South India so there's plenty to be cheerful about, especially for seafood lovers.

As a reflection of the vegetarian preferences of quite a few people of this region, there could be starters of vadais, fried lentil dumplings prepared with gram dhal, onions and spices and avial, a creamy vegetable stew. But those who prefer meat will rejoice in dishes such as malu miris, capsicum stuffed with a savoury fish and potato filling or the devilled lamb chops, meat stir fried with onions, peppers, tomatoes and strong spices. The Sri Lankan influence is particularly evident in specialities such as string hoppers which are rice flour based steamed noodles.

A family owned restaurant located in the suburbs of Harrow, very close to Kenton Station, Pradip's is a warm and inviting restaurant serving authentic Indian food in a stylish and contemporary setting. With plenty of seating and an inviting ambience, the place caters to small groups of families and is also a most sought after destination for other events and Indian weddings in particular. The food is traditional and hand cooked by family members using fresh and natural ingredients.
 
The varied and wholesome vegetarian menu consists of starters such as falafel, pitta filled with lentil pakora and salad; and pilli pilli mogo, cassava chips marinated in a spicy sauce. The main courses include vegetarian curries of Rajasthani aloo, baby potatoes in a tomato sauce, mattar paneer, chunks of delicious curd cheese and green peas, and sweetcorn curry with sliced patra leaves which can be eaten with a choice of Indian breads. The renowned vegetarian thali, a complete meal with curries, vegetables and rice is also available.

Gulab jamun, carrot halwa and other Indian sweets can be had after the meal for desserts.

Incanto was recently nominated by the Saturday Times as one of the top ten Italian restaurants in the South East of England including London, commending them for their classical southern Italian dishes, all given a contemporary twist, with robust flavours and well-sourced ingredients.

With their glass skylight and full-length sweeping spiral staircase, the site has been decorated throughout to a very high specification. They also have a gallery overlooking the rest of the restaurant.

The food is passionately crafted and well-executed and the ingredients are locally sourced. The menu brings in delights such as bronze pressed paccheri pasta imbued with langoustine mousse, finished in chive bisque. Their signature dish of oven-baked halibut comes wrapped in a potato crust with a garden pea puree, red wine and balsamic reduction. The decadent chocolate truffle with mint and prosecco marinated raspberries is a must for chocoholics while the rest of us could settle for the fresh rhubarb and mango pannacotta.

 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.

Geales presents an interior that drives a nice line between the old and new images, whilst cleverly retaining the right atmosphere. The team, Mark Fuller and Andy Taylor, claim to be 'keeping the great British chip shop mentality - fresh fish, no frills and fabulous service'.

Hot smoked salmon, tempura soft shell crab or its distant relation, a dressed Cornish crab, deep-fried whitebait, or a large pot of prawns, all contribute to the start of a meal that brings out the best in fish. Just to display a proper sense of gastronomic democracy there are grilled rib eye steaks or fillets of beef. It seems that fish is not an easy dish to follow when it comes to desserts, but at Geales they appear to have found the ideal formula, with the treacle tart, and warm chocolate brownie with blood orange sorbet amongst others, or a selection of British cheeses.