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hand picked restaurants

L'Orient is an intimate Asian restaurant in High Street, Pinner focussing on the varied delicacies from the Orient, be it Chinese, Thai or Japanese cuisine. The menus are flexible so diners can mix and match and create their own meal based on what they prefer. Chefs there excel in providing wholesome food, without the usual additives that can mar your enjoyment, and conjure delicious meals from fresh ingredients using traditional recipes and refined culinary skills. Attentive service, a warm atmosphere and exquisite decor combine to create a memorable dining experience whether you're with friends, family or business associates

Dishes on the menus are grouped according to regions but diners are free to choose, so typically you could start with deep fried succulent pork ribs flavoured with Oriental spices, followed by wok tossed chicken chunks and cashewnuts in yellow bean sauce.  From a Malaysian coconut infused lamb curry to stone baked salmon with teriyaki sauce, the choices seem endless and vegetarians will be enthralled by their Green Cuisine which offers tasty meat free options.

The Royal Chace Hotel in Enfield is a remarkable destination, renowned for its first rate hospitality and service, as well as their AA rosette winning restaurant. Located just 15 miles away from Central London, this is a delightful place to stay for a weekend or even longer. The stylish rooms are fitted out with all the comforts you seek, translating into a blissful experience whether you're there for business or pleasure.

The Chace Brasserie is located on the first floor of the hotel and is an elegant space where diners can enjoy the panoramic views of the countryside along with the delicious food. Traditional British food, created from fresh seasonal ingredients, is the mainstay of this sophisticated restaurant and diners can come to expect plenty of artistic flair as well as imaginative interpretation of dishes. Their King's Bar offers tasty snacks and nibbles as well as exciting cocktails, beers and wines.

This contemporary Hunslow eatery takes its name from the powerful, mystical expressions used in Indian and Buddhist prayers. Luckily there is nothing overtly sacred about the place except for their flavoursome cuisine and a host of happy customers who relax in the charming, sleek interiors of the restaurant.

Their striking futuristic floors, tables and cutlery all made of glass set them apart from other restaurants in the area, while the soft lighting and bright red seating set the tone for a romantic meal or a peaceful family dinner. A candlelit terrace dining area can cover thirty-five people.

The menu impresses with starters such as bhatti murgh - spring chicken marinated in a homemade paste, grilled in the tandoor and served with a sweet mango and mint chutney. Other options include fresh water prawns fried with curry leaves, black pepper and garlic as well as grilled broccoli with yoghurt and cream cheese spiked with mace and cardamom. A short but tempting choice of mains has stir fried lamb with spiced mince and red onions, cottage cheese simmered in a tangy Hyderabad sauce with sweet pepper as well as familiar favourites like rogan josh and biryani.

Here's an Indian restaurant that has encompassed all the culinary regions of India in its menu, and with fantastic results too. Spice Merchant is spread across the South East with four restaurants, each with a distinctive style and décor, although the quality of the food is the same as ever, top notch. The element of chic along with the friendly staff and the unusual items on the menu, make this a popular dining spot amongst locals and visitors.

The typical tikkas and curries make their presence felt, but it is the innovative and deeply regional dishes that really grab your attention. Maybe you could start with the nalli barra, lamb osso bucco in masala with a tinge of pineapple, and then move on to main course of rajwada gosht, a royal preparation of lamb cooked with whole spices. Other specialities include spiced lobster with saffron and the wine list is commendable, featuring a number of compatible choices.

Contemporary and stylish, Blazers Rotisserie and Grill brings a new and exciting dining concept to Enfield with its bespoke rotisserie based dishes, fresh fish, steaks, pastas and stone baked pizzas. The recently refurbished restaurant is close to Enfield Town station and convenient parking spots make it an attractive location for shoppers and diners. The décor adds another level of sophistication with its eye catching fixtures and muted colours that give it an unmistakable upmarket appeal.

Starters could be spicy chicken wings in a piri piri marinade served with a cooling tzatsiki dip followed by slow cooked belly of pork with mustard and herb crust on a bed of apple and sage mash. Burgers and steaks abound, but the adventurous might want to try unusual dishes such as ostrich fillet steak, grilled pink while desserts could include an interesting lemon sherbet ice cream cake. A concise drinks list offers draught and bottled beers, spirits and liqueurs.

When you enter a chain restaurant there is always a sense of déjà vu, yet with the twelve outlets of Giraffe, this may not really be true. Russel and Juliette Joffe and Andrew Jacobs' philosophy behind this group of restaurants is sustaining the driving force of healthy, happy eating, while retaining the difference each location brings. This includes minor variations in the menu too, and explains why the restaurant does not like to be called a chain, but prefers being referred to as a herd. The origin of its quaint name too, is interesting. The giraffe has the largest heart in the animal kingdom, and with its magnificent height is able to perceive things differently. These two features of being different and large hearted sum up the restaurant's proclamation of 'love, eat, live'.

Giraffe offers world food and adds an unusual twist to some familiar dishes. Their breakfast menu has stacked pancakes with bananas and blueberries, warm waffles, ranch styles tostadas and healthy veggie options. Some great starters are a mezze plate with warm naans that offer the best of many cuisines - grilled halloumi, hummus, tzatiki, ratatouille and falafel. Japanese king fried prawns are a hit, while another bright spot on the menu, is the colourful sunshine antipasti bruschetta, a clever combination of artichokes, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, red onion and rocket on pesto foccacia. If this long list of ingredients is intriguing, just wait until your palate takes over.

The house's special salad, cheekily called 'more than love', is colourful and has crunchy appeal. The Thai chicken and vermicelli noodle version is an equally enticing starter. For mains, there are plenty of options like roasted corn and chilli bran burritos, tangy turkey enchiladas and the much loved sweet potatoes, asparagus, green beans and broccoli served with organic brown basmati rice. One can also settle for a good old burger and wash it down with interesting smoothies. They also offer world wines and unusual cocktails with catchy names like Bombay flower and pomegranate caipirinha.

The dessert section comprises of not just fruit based healthy desserts, but brilliant stars like Swiss mountain chocolate cheesecake, banana waffle split and rocky road ice cream sundaes, which transport the diner to a state of bliss. The friendly staff, who are carefully hired for their sunny disposition, and children's activities help make these restaurants a very special, happy and healthy treat indeed.

YO! Sushi Heathrow T3 is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.