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hand picked restaurants

In the pristine surroundings of Harrow on the Hill, just ten minutes from central Harrow is The Old Etonian, a charming hotel where you can stop over for a weekend getaway or even longer, and enjoy the many delights they offer. Rooms are furnished excellently while their restaurant serves as a focal point for many to come together for a freshly prepared delicious meal. Guests can also bask on the terrace and take in the spectacular views as they dine al fresco on days when the weather is friendly.

The restaurant menu changes frequently to reflect what is in season, but typically you might expect a fresh Mediterranean twist to the meal, which could begin with fresh crab meat, avocado and mango mayonnaise followed by veal escalope with marsala wine and cream. Fish dishes are also excellent with the pan fried fillets of Dover sole with smoked salmon, parsley and lemon sauce. Crepes suzette for dessert is a perfect way to finish the meal on a sweet note.

Lanfranc's Restaurant is located in the Harrow Hotel and is an attractive eatery where people could converge for a business lunch or even to meet up with friends over a tasty meal. Bright, airy and spacious, it offers plenty of opportunities to linger over their delicious food and you don't have to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy their warm welcome. The conservatory is also a pleasant spot for a lavish afternoon tea while those who are looking for some snacks to go with a tall drink will find that they can relax and be at ease in the lounge bar.

At Lanfranc's, which is named after an 11th century bishop of Canterbury, you can find plenty of epicurean delights in their regularly changing menu. Starters might include trio of smoked fish salad followed by butterfly mackerel with capers, sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Sorbets, ice creams, fresh fruit salads as well as numerous other desserts provide a fitting end.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

Vibrant, upbeat and friendly, The Fiddler's Restaurant located in Harrow is a great place to dine with friends and family, throw a party, have a casual lunch or put on your dancing shoes and let your hair down. Offering a spacious yet cosy ambience with a seating capacity of 100, crowds are never a problem here. They also have a late license which explains the large number of dance lovers who throng the place on weekends. Parties hosted here are tailor made to the preferences of clients and it's commonplace to find anything from hen parties to confirmation and christening functions held here.

The cuisine is authentic Italian. Begin with the king prawns in garlic butter and minestrone casalinga, followed by pasta with baby clams in tomato and garlic sauce. For sides, go for the roast leg of lamb or chicken supreme in brandy, cream and mushrooms. Skipping dessert isn't an option so go shake a leg and come back for a belle elena or tartufo bianco. Don't go for the zabaglione unless you have someone to split it with and save the lip-smacking coffees for future visits to Fiddler's.

Imbuing guests with divinity, Indian tradition holds the principle of treating every visitor as special, and at Celebrity Restaurant in Harrow, this becomes evident with the warm welcome you receive as you enter. The wall murals of ancestral Indian homes with the arches and columns creates a third dimensional effect that is pleasing as well as interesting and it's easy to believe that you're in a courtly mansion, as you are waited upon by the courteous staff. The vegetarian menu brings Indo Chinese and South Indian cuisines along with a smattering of chaats and curries.

Amongst starters, you could choose the baby corn chilli stir fried with onion, capsicum and chillies in hot soya sauce or the paneer pakoda, battered and deep fried cottage cheese. For a true taste of street food, don't miss the chaats such as tangy papdi chaat, crushed puris topped with potato, onions and chickpeas. Dosas, pancakes made from rice and lentils, are available in delicious variations while curries, rice dishes and Indian breads are as satisfying as ever.

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.

Memories of India in Stanmore is a traditional Indian restaurant in north-west London with a spicy array of sub continental dishes which are prepared to order in tandoori clay ovens. Soft blue décor creates a welcoming and relaxing ambience in the dining area, which buzzes with a local crowd until late into the evening.

Sakonis brings the effervescent delights of Indian vegetarian cuisine to their locations in Harrow and Wembley, and in the process they have happily introduced numerous ravenous carnivores to the charms of paneer pakoda and aloo chat. It's a feast for the entire family and their versatile menu brings different gastronomic landscapes together, where you will be surprised to see how well Chinese cuisine blends with Indian to produce a fusion that is loved fervently across the subcontinent.

There's a wide choice of eats and bites, traditional snacks such as idli, bhajias, masala dosas, cutlets and naan breads, alongside the more pungent pani puri and dahi wada, lentil fritters in spiced yoghurt. Indian street food would be incomplete without the delicious paneer chilli and the ubiquitious gobi manchurian and those longing for a taste of the food back home will love to indulge. Fresh fruit juices, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are some of the beverages that accompany your meal.