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Old Bakery Restaurant with Rooms is ideally located in the Uphill area of Lincoln, close to the cathedral, castle and many other points of historic interest in the Cathedral Quarter with its popular mix of original shops, cafes and public houses. Now with 2 AA Rosette's in its bread oven, its previous life as an old bake house is by no means completely forgotten. So it's good to see the brick exposed walls and the red tiled floor still in place; old world atmosphere doesn't come more assured than this.

Everything on the menu, from the Alfred Enderby smoked haddock to the High Farm, Dorrington free range spiced jerk chicken, is a tribute to the suppliers with their names etched on each dish description. The lightly smoked, pan roasted 'Oslinc Farm' ostrich fillet is served with spiced figs, caramelised blackberries and pear glaze. British and European cheeses, notably Lincoln Blue, lead the dessert list.

Fresh haddock from Grimsby, trout from Louth, Fulstow pork and cheese from Market Rasen, these are a few of their favourite things at The Brackenborough. The hotel is surrounded by beautifully maintained lawns and gardens and is situated just outside the historic town of Louth, in the Linconshire Wolds.

Their Bistro and Bar is a suitable destination for business lunches, quick healthy bites or long evening dinners. Steve Bennett, Food Director at the Oak Ridge Hotel chain believes in fabulous fare, accessible dining and fresh ingredients. He says, "The dishes on our regularly updated menus allow us to showcase some of the best local produce, supplied by businesses that share our passion for seasonal and fresh food."

At the one AA rosetted bistro expect to find choices such as medallions of beef with seared scallops, local farmed trout and grilled asparagus, and oriental duck, sweet chilli and Japanese udon noodles.

With London wine merchants Corney and Barrow as their suppliers; real cask ale, including their own Oak Ridge Maverick and a number of malt whiskies, the bar caters for varied tastes. They have a live pianist and singer on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Their experience, hospitality skills and attention to detail ensure that their team caters well for weddings and other special occasions too.

Le Mistral is one of a group of several new and very perky restaurants in the North Midlands, with an accomplished style and approach, and French flavour. They work on two menus, one a daytime job that deals with the requirements of a working day, offering such delights as croque monsieur, croque mistral, freshly baked baguettes with imaginative fillings such as brie and roasted grape, a soup du jour, minute steak, and an omelette du jour. This is quality food that meets the need and paves the way to something rather more relaxed and elaborate in the evenings.

Expect to find on the dinner/supper menu special starters from the blackboard, pate du jour, or platters, olive, charcuterie, cheese or 3 dips, all substantial enough for light meal status.

Main courses offer good French staples such as moules marinieres et frites, Marseilles meatballs, beef bourguignon, and steak hache, followed by desserts of tarte tatin and chocolate chilli cake.

An elegant wine list offers a carefully selected range of bottles, and is a happy hunting ground for connoisseurs, with a large number by the glass. Their house wine from Domaine de Laroux is a gift from the gods. Continental lagers and bottled beers from UK feature some of the best, including Liefmans Kriek and Marston Pedigree.

If these restaurants do not succeed there is no justice on earth.

Most Indian restaurants in the UK offer customers a wide range of mealtime meat and vegetarian dishes. However, only a handful highlight the country's amazing hundred per cent vegetarian snacks and light bites that are enjoyed in almost every Indian home.

Through its à la carte and buffet menus, Sakonis introduces the English palate to an eclectic mix of home recipes that have been handed down over generations. Signature creations include spicy cottage cheese or paneer chilly, crispy bhajiyas, deep-fried fresh vegetables and gram flour dumplings, and chats or savoury snacks that are served at street carts in India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia.

The eats section of the menu offers everyday snacks from all over India, ranging from the south Indian uttapa, idli and dosa pancakes, to curries and naan bread from the north. An interesting set of Indo-Chinese dishes embrace cauliflower Manchurian, sweet and sour chow mein, and sautéed babycorn.

Fresh juices and rare desserts such as srikhand, rice kheer, carrot halwa, and mohanthal help bring the experience to an end.

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolate make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of hors d'oeuvres takes in classic French onion and beef soup with a melted gruyere crouton, classic snails in melted garlic butter, and pan-fried crab cakes with a chilli, lemon and coriander jam. Salads, pasta and quiches feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include smoked Toulouse sausages with sautéed with new potatoes, caramelised onions and balsamic vinegar on a salad of mixed leaves.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of sauces that include the signature sauce de Café Rouge, prepared specially from over twenty secret ingredients. No French menu would be complete without the demi poulet, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

The scene is glorious; sprawling acres of greenery, a tinkling brook nearby, and an elegant ivy clad Victorian hotel are what you will find when you come across the Callow Hall at Mappleton near Ashbourne. Inside, more luxury awaits and with its ornate décor and magnificently mellowed interiors, it's the sort of place where you want to relax and enjoy the peace and beauty. The dining experience is exquisite and their restaurant comes highly recommended with 2 AA rosettes.

Renowned for their freshly prepared dishes and their home baking, curing and smoking efforts, this restaurant offers a variety of dishes where attention to detail and presence of local produce and meats is evident. Try the lobster bisque with a brochette of fresh seafood, crème fraiche and chives for starters before moving on to a more substantial roast loin and rack of lamb with an individual moussaka with rosemary and honey glaze. Desserts and cheeses at Callow Hall add the right finishing touches and a varied wine list offers something to suit every taste.