Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Located in the heart of the picturesque market town of Southwell near Newark, The Saracens Head is a lovely twelfth century AA three star hotel that was given a name such as this when Charles I, who used to visit the hotel, was beheaded by what some said was a Saracen's sword.

Today it offers a wonderful atmosphere to unwind, with traditional yet appealing individually designed bedrooms, charming public areas, and The Lord Byron Restaurant that sports oak paneling and a light and airy ambience.

A modern British menu that opens with curried haddock fishcakes, pickled cucumber and lime crème fraîche offers mains of hearty roasts, grilled halibut, lamb cutlets, pan-fried duck breast, and oven-roasted ratatouille with Parmesan and walnuts. You could bring your day to a satisfying end with a glass of wine in the English Mister Bar that dates back over three hundred years.

The Saracens Head Hotel is known as a popular wedding and special function venue.

If you're a vegetarian and live in Nottingham, then a visit to Alley Café Bar will leave you very pleased indeed. Tucked away in a little courtyard near the market square is the city's only vegetarian restaurant that serves excellent food and drink into the night.

With regular art exhibitions and DJs to entertain the crowds, Alley offers a creative yet relaxed environment, a lovely place to relax, and in the words of their customers, just great to chill out!

The menu offers an imaginative range of vegetarian and vegan dishes, opening with cream cheese bagels and the Alley breakfast. Sharing platters of tortilla chips, spicy halloumi and chickpeas, and organic potato wedges provide the prefect prelude to creations from an ever-changing board of specials from around the world. Choices encompass organic marinated tofu steaks, pizzas, tempeh or hemp burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Happy endings come in the form of home-baked cakes and ice cream.

The Alley bar offers juices, wines, cocktails, and spirits.

It is not every conference hotel that takes its restaurant seriously. One can think of some pretty fearsome examples where the conduct of civilised eating is little better than a mockery. Happily this is not the case here where a sunny cuisine homes in on the Med. Within a brasserie type setting, dishes are elegantly produced offering as warm a welcome in the depths of winter as in the balmier months when Northamptonshire does increasingly brisk business within the world of tourism. An above average wine list with house wine at £12.95.

This is an unassuming place on the Sudbury highway, more specifically on Harrow Road, where you can walk in for some delicious Indian food and walk out with your pockets more or less intact, and with a feeling of deep satisfaction. The food at Five Hot Chillies happily doesn't exceed the level of spiciness that goes beyond comfort levels and the friendly and efficient service adds to the enjoyment of your meal greatly. The ambiance is nothing much to write about, but when the food is of such excellent quality, all else can be forgiven.

The menu is extensive and offers a range of Punjabi and Pakistani cuisine where kebabs feature highly amongst starters. Moving on, their karahi dishes are well loved, whether it is lamb, paneer or chicken, because the taste is simply exquisite. Their naan breads are fresh and perfect for soaking up the rich gravies and rice dishes are fragrant. Desserts provide an excellent finale, be it kulfi or kheer.

If buffet is in your mind, then this Charles Street diner in Leicester could just be what you need; a celebration of six different cuisines - Indian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Mexican - encompassing over ninety dishes. The stylish dining area is complete with trendy furnishings and lighting with soft music playing in the background.

The menu is easy to navigate and includes starters such as crispy aromatic duck, spicy chicken wings, fried pork and prawn dim sum, onion bhaji or tempura prawns. Main course treats include beef and mushrooms in a black bean sauce, chicken tikka masala, chilli con carne and Thai vegetable and tofu curry. Seekh kebabs and beef, chicken, duck and vegetable fajitas come straight off the hot counter while the wok tossed vegetable and noodle, cous cous and Greek salads are amongst their waist conscious offerings. Ice cream from a whippy machine and fresh crepes for dessert may help you reminisce your childhood days.

If you're looking to catch a glimpse of Latin life and cuisine this side of the Atlantic, hop right in to any Las Iguanas outlet across the UK. Each eatery is designed differently and brings out diverse flavours and colours - from the stillness of the Argentinean Pampas to the energy of Rio at Carnival time - some outlets are bathed in colour while others are more sober. Don't be surprised if you come across a few life-sized Latinos too.

All the action is centred on the food, a fusion of native Latin American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African influences. Their signature dish called xinxim, Brazilian lime chicken in a creamy crayfish and peanut sauce with rice, fine beans and sweet plantain happens to be football legend Pele's favourite.

The tapas menu served throughout the day offers braised chorizo in Rioja wine with country bread; peri-peri, crisp cassava coated chicken with Brazilian style hot garlic; crayfish marinated with fresh mango, and quesadilla, a chargrilled tortilla filled with portobello mushroom, melted brie dressed with homemade tomato, garlic and coriander salsa.

Argentinean steaks are simply seasoned, flame grilled and served with potato, salad or cassava fries. Traditional fajitas - hot sizzling platters with onions and bell peppers, served with homemade salsa, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole and warm tortillas can be enjoyed with chicken fillet strips, steak, mushrooms or artichoke and squash.

Latin rhythm in the background and an extensive choice of wine, cocktails, champagne, beer and caipirinha, made from their very own cachaca, Brazil's national drink produced in their own sugarcane plantations  complete the picture.

Desserts such as Ipanema mess, made of creamy mascarpone, natural yoghurt, raspberries, guava preserve and crushed meringue lend the meal a befitting end.

The Kettering Park Hotel and Spa has been awarded four AA stars, which shine through brilliantly in each of their services; from the warm welcome each visitor receives, and the small yet thoughtful touches in the well-appointed contemporary bedrooms, to the great British cuisine served at Langberrys Restaurant, Bar and Lounge.

Diners can expect to taste the very best of Northamptonshire at Langberrys, an inviting dining venue that offers a great ambience to enjoy a five-course gourmet wine dinner, or just an informal lunchtime gathering with friends.

Head Chef Stephen Robinson works with favoured local suppliers to offer a seasonal menu that varies each day. A plate of Bleikers oak-smoked Scottish salmon with horseradish cream and lemon gets the meal off to a great start. Interesting main courses include honey-glazed breast of duck with Asian greens, onion fritter, and oyster mushrooms, and half-poached English lobster with a Cromer crab salad.

Langberrys is open all day until late and the bar is another destination to enjoy fantastic wines, continental lagers, and their very own beer, Thwaites Lancaster Bomber.

If you're looking to catch a glimpse of Latin life and cuisine this side of the Atlantic, hop right in to any Las Iguanas outlet across the UK. Each eatery is designed differently and brings out diverse flavours and colours - from the stillness of the Argentinean Pampas to the energy of Rio at Carnival time - some outlets are bathed in colour while others are more sober. Don't be surprised if you come across a few life-sized Latinos too.

All the action is centred on the food, a fusion of native Latin American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African influences. Their signature dish called xinxim, Brazilian lime chicken in a creamy crayfish and peanut sauce with rice, fine beans and sweet plantain happens to be football legend Pele's favourite.

The tapas menu served throughout the day offers braised chorizo in Rioja wine with country bread; peri-peri, crisp cassava coated chicken with Brazilian style hot garlic; crayfish marinated with fresh mango, and quesadilla, a chargrilled tortilla filled with portobello mushroom, melted brie dressed with homemade tomato, garlic and coriander salsa.

Argentinean steaks are simply seasoned, flame grilled and served with potato, salad or cassava fries. Traditional fajitas - hot sizzling platters with onions and bell peppers, served with homemade salsa, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole and warm tortillas can be enjoyed with chicken fillet strips, steak, mushrooms or artichoke and squash.

Latin rhythm in the background and an extensive choice of wine, cocktails, champagne, beer and caipirinha, made from their very own cachaca, Brazil's national drink produced in their own sugarcane plantations  complete the picture.

Desserts such as Ipanema mess, made of creamy mascarpone, natural yoghurt, raspberries, guava preserve and crushed meringue lend the meal a befitting end.