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The Goya restaurant chain was established in 1993 and its success has never been in doubt. Specialising in authentic Spanish tapas each site offers locals and visitors alike an excellent range of this increasingly popular Latin/European food. Stylish decor provides a mixture of sophisticated ambience and Spanish design, which, combined with the uncomplicated food and friendly staff, makes for a great lunch or evening out.

Passing through the handsome and commanding entrance is to find that Goya Pimlico has one floor as a tapas bar, another as the restaurant with intimate alcoves that exude an atmosphere of intrigue and intimacy, in fact the sort of place where you would not be surprised to find secrets being traded or risky liaisons enacted. However in summer sheer force majeure ensures that the business of eating, drinking and possibly even flirting flows out on to the pavement, exposed for all to see, so be sure to choose your weather.

One of the off-putting factors - in fact about the only one - is that there are so many of them, which can be confusing. Here at Goya there are between 30 and 40 choice of tapas, all sufficiently different to carry their own appeal, so no real problem at all. Kidneys cooked in Tio Pepe sherry, creamy croquettes, bean casserole or pork fillet done the Galician way are but a few of this attractive range of mini-dishes across which one can graze the afternoon away, or restore the equilibrium in the evening.

The main menu takes of course a wider view, with starters of the soup of the day, gazpacho, fresh oysters and melon with Serrano ham, or Scotch smoked salmon. There is nothing to stop substitution of starters with tapas, the choice is entirely yours. A tasty range of salads invokes avocado, Thornback crabs, asparagus and cheese, bacon and croutons.

With an extensive range of coastline upon which to draw it is not surprising that Spanish cuisine makes the most of its unfettered access to the sea, and the main course menu opens with seven seafood dishes, with a fresh seafood casserole done Catalan style, paella with shellfish and chicken, or shellfish only, and a House Speciality, the grilled seafood.

A dozen or so meat dishes do ample justice to the cause of carnivores with most of the classic cuts grilled to order. The return of veal to the menu, more humane methods having been found to produce this delightful meat we are told, is celebrated with an escalope in lemon sauce or done the traditional way with breadcrumbs and piquillo peppers. The agonising choice between duck in sherry sauce with olives and shallots or fillet of beef with Dijon mustard, caramelised brandy and cream is not one I would care to have to make too often.

As night follows day so do desserts make their appearance on cue, and Catalan cream with coffee infusion leads the way for many. Spanish cuisine is keen on its fortified wines but there is a good range of liqueurs for those who treasure their Sambuca or Grand Marnier. The wine list rarely strays over the Spanish border, starting at a sensible price structure and keeping well clear of the stratosphere.

For details of events, party arrangements and special offers do click on their Website, as colourful as the food but much less tasty.

Philip Lawless first became famous in London as the Manager of the well-known Scotts Restaurant. In Feb 1982 he bought Motcombs and transformed it from a small café into a successful restaurant and bar, serving modern British food - expanding twice over the last 28 years into the two adjoining premises. Motcomb Street is a mere two minutes from Sloane Street but for years was a quiet place filled with art galleries and eccentric residents. Suddenly the 'Village' has become very chic with a lot of designer stores - think Parisian bijou street with a Belgravia twist!

Philip runs the bar, restaurant and suite of private rooms, which have become a London institution - they were awarded 'Best owner managed Restaurant in London' by Harpers and Queen and Moet et Chandon. The lively bar, informal upstairs eating area and full scale restaurant downstairs have benefited enormously from a full redecoration.

Located off Sloane Street, three minutes walk from Harrods - the restaurant offers excellent value for such a superb location; however, they do rather strangely then add on a £1 cover charge in the evenings only, instead of including it in the price.

Motcombs has increased steadily in popularity over the years and is frequented by a lot of celebrities and sporting personalities. The recipe for success has been to produce consistently good food at a reasonable price and to make the customer feel welcome. The menu is varied but simple in style - not a sun dried tomato or TV chef in sight.

Starters of smoked salmon with grapefruit, ginger and sesame dressing and fresh crab mango salsa and rocket salad could be followed by halibut poached or grilled with spinach and Hollandaise sauce, and roast rack of lamb with wild mushrooms and Madeira sauce. Save space for panettone bread and butter pudding or brûlée with coffee flavouring.

The Bar has a terrific neighbourhood feel and is now featured in most International guide books as a welcoming place for those who want a relaxed drink without feeling hassled or being deafened by music. You can have your vodka cranberry if you wish but 75% of sales are wines and champagnes. One can stand and chat to the locals or be served in the bar with seating for 40. The owner is often around mixing with the customers - a rarity indeed in these days of restaurant chains.

Motcombs Private Townhouse has three private suites, The Robert Sangster Room, The Belgravia Room and The Reception Room; they can accommodate numbers from six to thirty and can easily be used for all occasions, and their Website will give you a better picture. The unique aspect of the Motcombs Town House is that the private rooms have their own exclusive entrance - you do not have to wander through a hotel lobby or busy restaurant to get to your lunch, dinner or meeting. This can also be a great advantage if you are planning a birthday or celebration - you can also hire out the whole house exclusively for your event.

Full details on everyting that Motcombs has to offer can be obtained from their Website.

Close to the Odeon Cinema, Chimichanga South Woodford on George Lane offers exciting Mexican cuisine in a vibrant modern setting and is perfect for a delicious meal before or after a movie. Just a 3-minute walk from South Woodford Tube Station, the restaurant delivers authentic Mexican food in the heart of this leafy London suburb on the edge of Epping Forest.

Chimichanga's extensive à la carte caters to a variety of palates. A wide range of delicious appetisers includes crab cakes, Buffalo chicken wings and empanadas, a traditional crispy pastry filled with a choice of chicken or chorizo sausage with cheese and served with sour cream. Other choices include piri piri prawns, Cajun chicken with chilli sauce and jalapeno bullets, a dish of deep fried jalapeno peppers with cream cheese and chilli sauce. Appetisers to share include chicken nachos or taquitos, crispy flour tortilla tubes with a range of fillings including cheese and black beans, chicken, cheese and salsa and chorizo and cheese.

Light bites include a range of tortilla wraps including a classic fajita wrap with a choice of char grilled fajita steak or chicken served with peppers and onions in a tortilla with Jack cheese. Vegetarians are catered for with the delicious courgette and Portobello mushroom wraps which comes with chipotle chilli sauce and jack cheese. There's also a number of tempting salad options such as blackened tuna salad with tuna steak coated in a special blend of Cajun spices, blacked on a hot skillet and served over a bed of mixed leaves with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

For something more filling diners could opt for a tortilla burger, made from 100 per cent fully traceable prime Scottish beef wrapped in a flour tortilla with mayonnaise and served with changa chips.

The char grill section's succulent offerings include barbecue baby back ribs served with change chips and jalapeno coleslaw; sirloin mojo rojo, a centre cut sirloin steak marinated in chilli, garlic and coriander and served with beer battered onion rings and change chips, Santa Fe chicken with rice, black beans and guacamole or flame grilled piri piri chicken.

Sumptuous Mexican specialities naturally include chimichanga, a flour tortilla fried golden brown with Jack cheese and served with your choice of filling - either chunky beef chilli con carne, BBQ pulled pork or bean chilli - sautéed onions and peppers and garnished with sour cream, chives, guacamole and tortilla croutons, as well as a variety of burritos, enchiladas and tostadas. There are also chipotle meatballs, Mexican paella, chilli de la casa and south-western crab cakes. The grande quesadilla is a baked flour tortilla sandwich with your choice of filling and drizzled with sour cream and served with Mexican rice and chipotle chilli sauce.

The lunch menu offers a choice of two or three courses while a children's menu caters to the tastes of the little ones.
Round off the satisfying meal with scrumptious dessert of giant Mexican profiterole, chocolate fudge brownie or honeycomb smash cheesecake. Alternatively, end with a speciality coffee or liqueur. Chimichanga offers a variety of wines, beers, cocktails, margheritas, sangria and soft drinks to quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Boasting an enviable location on the Covent Garden Piazza, Dirty Martini is a stylish contemporary bar with a distinctly New York ambience. Enjoy a cocktail of your choice and sample a range of freshly prepared international bar snacks.

Dirty Martini's delectable range of cocktails includes classic cocktails, luxurious signature martinis and prosecco infusions. Take your pick from dirty martinis, Donegal and contemporary classics like the mojito or Mexican mule. Skinny cocktails, wines and beers are also available at Dirty Martini London.
 
The Dirty Martini menu offers choices of sun-dried tomato and basil risotto balls with a cucumber, mint and yoghurt dip, spicy Thai fishcakes with a soy and mirin dip, and char-grilled lamb skewers marinated in maple syrup and mint. The vegetarian, meat and seafood platters at Dirty Martini restaurant are perfect for sharing.

In the heart of Covent Garden, Dirty Martini is close to the London Transport Museum, and Fortune and Cambridge Theatres. Covent Garden and Leicester Square Tube Stations are a short walk away.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Belgo Centraal is totally unique in its design, especially its industrial lift, which transports guests over one of the busiest kitchens in London, where dishes from a menu of high quality are produced. Situated in the hub of Covent Garden, Belgo Centraal has been a hit since it opened in 1998 and a destination for tourists and Londoners alike ever since. Well known for its high quality Belgian food and drink, accompanied by unbeatable service and a stimulating environment, it has won a Best London Restaurant Award and was also runner up in the Best Family Restaurant Award 2000.

Affordable, filling meals include their famous mussel platter, served with frites, and other superb seafood, vegetarian or meat dishes, such as rotisserie chicken and haddock in Belgo Wit beer batter. If you have room you should try one of their scrummy desserts featuring Brussels style waffle with vanilla ice-cream, Chantilly cream and a choice of warm white or dark chocolate sauce.

The waiters, dressed as monks, are always willing to guide guests through the vast array of varying Belgian white, dark and fruit beers that are on offer to complement your meal. Belgian food tends to concentrate on leeks, asparagus, potatoes, beetroot, carrots, fennel; onion, celery, thyme, chives, rosemary, turnips, radish, beef, chicken, fish, butter and cream. From this by and large pretty healthy selection by most standards, they produce such classic Belgian dishes as waterzooi and carbonnade.

Do keep an eye out for their special deals, such as the famous 'Beat the Clock', where you pay the price at the time shown on your food order when ordering from their BTC menu, i.e., 6pm is £6. Express Lunch is a set lunch menu for £9.50, served with a choice of Cristal lager, a glass of house wine or a soft drink.

They also have 'Kids Eat Free', which entitles one child to eat free from the 'mini menu', a 2-course meal served with frites or mash, that includes such dishes as rotisserie chicken, pork or leek sausages, or cod goujons, rounded off with Belgo's homemade ice-cream, per one adult ordering a main course from the à la carte menu.

With two seating areas to choose from, firstly their dining area, where reservations can be made, or dine in the more relaxed beer hall area, with bench style seating,  where reservations are not required, this is definitely a unique dining experience. They can also cater for private parties from approximately 50 to 250 guests.

And talking of guests, read on: 'excellent evening! The waiters were very entertaining and so, so knowledgeable about all those different beers'.

'We had a fantastic time, great food and the kids really loved it! The waiter brought them to see the kitchen and gave them a chef's hat. All that and the kids ate for free'.

For information on reservations, parties and private hire, or just to learn more about Belgo Restaurants, visit their well designed Website.

The Clarence is situated close to the corridors of power and its walls must have witnessed many whispered confidences, character assassinations and other choice snippets. It has even been suggested that the PM him/herself might take a late night lubrication or two there after a heavy day. Stranger things have happened.

100 yards up the road is Trafalgar Square; Horse Guard's Parade and the MOD are both equally near and it's a great place to take on fuel before a night at the theatre or in the West End. All told, what might be termed "strategically placed".

Downstairs in the friendly bar it's possible to find some very fine real ales, whilst the Pol Roger dining room upstairs caters for the more measured approach and private parties as required. The wine list has John Clevely, Master of Wine's fingerprints all over it, and no further evidence is needed to obtain conviction when you view, or better still come to taste, the contents.

What then of the rations? Ignore the soup at your peril, particularly on one of those days when the wind comes off the Thames up Whitehall and small brass monkeys are all over the place. On more clement days perhaps some whitebait with bloody Mary sauce, or a rare roast beef sandwich with onion chutney and creamed horseradish. Sausage and egg on toasted muffin with cheese might well fortify you for a brusque dust-up with a senior colleague in the Treasury in the afternoon, especially if assisted by a bottle of something robust from Mr Clevely's list.

Larger dishes for those with more time could include steak and kidney pudding with smashed carrots and swede, a baked vegetable cobbler, some cured gammon from Wiltshire with duck eggs and hand cut chips, or a crafty chicken curry, but don't forget the mouth freshener before you touch base later in the day.

Banana split might well indicate a divided Cabinet meeting, and the lack of any fudge on the menu is a deprivation that might just be met by the presence of treacle sponge and custard.

The Clarence is the sort of foodpub that encourages comradeship and continuity. To assist the growth of these excellent qualities The Geronimo Club has been launched. The initial benefit is a drink on the house for giving your details, followed by regular information on what's to do, a little present round your birthday and joining anniversary date, maybe an invitation to a party, a few recipes, some vouchers. Should you inadvertently receive a data base containing the full details of every consenting adult in the United Kingdom you can be reasonably sure the system has failed you.

Business meetings, lunch and dinner parties, champagne breakfasts, tasting events, charity events and sporting dinners are all grist to their mill. So don't hesitate to give them a chance to quote when the time comes.

Meanwhile keep a weather eye on their Website, which also gives you access to all other Geronimo Inns - each one different, all focused on their own patches, each giving the same genuine and cheerful service to their customers.

Salaam Namaste in Bloomsbury is a relative newcomer on the block, being a mere four years of age, but it is one that is following the current surge in style and performance by Indian restaurants in general, who collectively seem to have taken on board the message that they cannot go on offering the same old formula for ever, however appealing it may be.

Visitors to Salaam Namaste speak with affection of the starter of kathi kabab, a chapatti with spiced lamb, chilli and homemade chutney, and a tandoori-baked whole pomfret, not to mention the peshwari naan which receives high praise. Seafood dishes are popular well beyond the call of duty, with no hint of skimping on quality or quantity.

The final piece of good news is that all this excellence does not cost an arm and a leg, as one might begin to suspect, and an intelligent and diligent staff take a genuine interest in your needs, as well as beaming broadly over the praise that is heaped upon them.

Choosing the mains might be a bit time consuming for the simple reason that you are tempted to try everything! However, for your first foray there, you could opt for the murgh ki shagorana, whole breast of grilled chicken filled with mince lamb and spinach, cooked with mildly spiced fresh cream and an exotic sauce, served with mushroom pulao. The seafood dishes are singularly appealing, and, to confirm that, you might like to indulge in the Bangladeshi macchhi fry, chunks of sweet fresh water fish rolled in spices, fried golden, and served with potatoes, aubergine, tomatoes, fried onion, fresh coriander, lemon wedge and aromatic rice.

While the novelty of the dishes is what seems to pull in the crowd, those who prefer the tried and tested curries that evoke nostalgia will not be disappointed either. Timeless classics such as chicken tikka masala, murgh makhani or as the irreverent choose to call it, butter chicken, are all present on the menu and are definite crowd pleasers.

For dessert, there is the quintessential gulab jamun, smooth rounds of cottage cheese and flour, deep fried and dunked in hot syrup, which meet on your tongue and just melt. Or go for the kulfi, which is traditional Indian ice cream, redolent with crushed cardamom, fragrant saffron and chopped pistachios. Finish with a masala chai, tea infused with spices that linger in your taste buds and bring the meal to a lovely conclusion.

The sensibly priced wine list offers numerous choices from across the world, with some available by the glass too, complementing the dishes superbly.

Named after the Hindi movie, Salaam Namaste, where the iconic protagonist plays a chef, this small restaurant, with its signature dishes, refreshing flavours and reasonably priced menu, could well linger in your memory as one of the best Indian restaurants you have visited, perhaps a visit to their Website will convince you.

Whether you are in search of fine ales, weekly quizzes and live sport, or some good old banter and a bite to eat with friends, The Curtains Up can offer an ideal spot for you. Both daily specials and hearty British favourites come together to form the delicious menu which is served from midday until 3pm and in the evening, with longer hours at the weekend. 

If you're not feeling too hungry, a simple eggs Benedict or fish finger sandwich could do the trick but equally you could rise to the challenge of a rib-eye steak or a char-grilled beef burger. If you fancy a traditional meal then try collar of bacon with carrots and champ, or beer battered fish and chips with tartare sauce and mushy peas. If you still have room try the summer pudding, or Swayledale, blacksticks blue, and coloomey camembert.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Brilliantly located right in the heart of London's scintillating Covent Garden, Café des Amis, culinarily revitalised by Executive Chef Fabrice Renou, has also been given an update that has put it at the forefront of its kind. Fabrice is from Paris, he trained at La Tour d'Argent and worked with prestigious chefs such as Guy Savoy and Michel Rostand.

Fabrice's French world fusion food, or what you might possibly term French with an exotic twist, as he likes experimenting with new flavours, spices and exotic ingredients, contains enough international influences to ensure it is head and shoulders above the rest, against a background of stylish décor and front of house.

Whilst primarily occupied with an à la carte menu that is both imaginative and good value, they also offer a bar and brasserie menu which, at £14.50 for 2 courses, is tempting to the palate and the pocket.

What's likely to be on offer? Nothing like some good French onion soup to start a brasserie meal, served here with toasted gruyere crouton; crab eblysotto with cardamom, or cannelloni of Grison dried beef with Brousse cheese, mango and ginger dressing.

The inclination towards the fruits of the sea continues into the main courses with a red mullet fillet, niçoise bohemian vegetables and pumpkin seed oil; red tuna steak with tomato salsa and crushed sweet potatoes with argan oil, or Normandy style rope grown moules mariniéres.

The love affair with that most attractive fowl of the air, the duck, goes on and on and here it is roasted, with sauce griotte and polenta with dried fruit. Better appreciation of the quality in food means less leather for the appetites of the eating-out infantry, and the beef here is Simmental sirloin, served with sauce bordelaise and mashed potatoes with marrow and herbs.

Downstairs in a bar that contrives to be both intimate and welcoming, performers from the surrounding wealth of performing arts, and members of their audiences mingle to share their respective pleasures. A well-tuned wine list more than adequately meets the expectations of those who, when served a good meal look for liquid support of the same quality.

The restaurant is open from 12noon to 11.30pm, and on a Saturday night they have a DJ playing ambient, chill out and funky house music in the wine bar.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Housed in a former Watney Combe brewery in the heart of London's Theatreland, Hawksmoor is a stylish and vibrant steakhouse close to Covent Garden Tube Station. Located next door to the London Film School on Sheldon Street, just a short walk from the Donmar Warehouse and St. Martin's Theatre, the restaurant is perfect for a delicious meal before or after a show.

The elegant, spacious interior, complete with dark wood panelling, leather seating and feature lighting, provides a relaxed setting to enjoy a succulent steaks while the private room is ideal for a more intimate dining experience. You could also pop into the bar for a burger or unwind with colleagues whilst sipping on a glass of cocktail.

This former brewery also played host to an annual steak supper in 1807, hosted by the first owner Alderman Combe, and the guest list included the Duke of York and Prince of Wales. Hawksmoor has successfully continued the legacy and earned its reputation as one of the premier steakhouses in the capital by sourcing the highest quality meat from Longhorn cattle reared in North Yorkshire.

The dinner menu offers starters of half a Dorset blue lobster with hazelnut butter, potted smoked mackerel and steak tartare. Follow on with a selection of steaks with exquisite cuts such as bone-in prime rib, porterhouse and chateaubriand while desserts of sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream and Bramley apple pie with custard will sate diners with a sweet tooth. A 2 or 3 course express menu is perfect for those looking for a quick bite before or after a show.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own wine on Mondays for a small corkage fee and keep an eye open for the Hawksmoor Steak and Wine Matching events where the restaurant staff will happily advise you on the best cut to accompany your chosen bottle. Hawksmoor's own wine list delivers a superb variety of reds and whites from around the world.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.