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The Beefeater Grill range of restaurants, owned by the well established firm of Whitbread has transformed over time into what is now predominantly a cooking platform for chargrill. The restaurants are warm, modern and stylish, with low lighting and contemporary artwork. A comfortable, cosy, mainly booth layout offers guests their own space with no feeling of being hurried at any point. Staff are friendly and helpful if need be - what a difference that can make to a good evening out.

Be it the wide open spaces of Argentina, the intimate setting of a French restaurant, or a busy grill in London's West End, there's no denying the popularity of chargrill. As the production of quality beef, chicken, fish and lamb has grown, prices have come down by comparison, and the simple and traditional art of minimally cooking dishes by chargrill, sealing in the flavours and tastes by intense heat has caught the public imagination.

All the steaks at Beefeater Grill are matured for a minimum of 28 days before being seasoned. Whether it be juicy rib eye, the classic sirloin, that emblem of the Sunday lunch, a tender fillet, or a delicious 7oz rump, all grilled to your own specification, you're never far away from perfection. Even beefburgers have shaken off their dubious image and the highly popular Beefeater burgers are made from 100% beef.

The popular sirloin with giant prawns offers a treat to those for whom an alliance between sea and pasture is a natural attraction, whilst a 16oz steak platter links rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye into one mouth-watering dish served with chips, battered onion rings, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Many of us love rib meat, and the rack of ribs at a Beefeater Grill has a meaty rack smoky flavour; maple ribs of pork with a choice of three sauces, mojito, smoked caramel and apple glaze, or Bourbon and black BBQ. And if all else fails and you are totally baffled by the wealth of choices, ask to have a word with the Steakmaster who will help find what is right for you, together with the best cooking method. These guys leave nothing to chance.

On a menu that is a delight to read, let alone choose a meal from, expect to find smaller dishes such as traditional prawn cocktail, whitebait, chicken liver pâté and baked Camembert, or juicy lamb koftas served with yoghurt and mint dip. There's something about a good steak meal that always leaves a gap for a little temptation to sweeten up the scene and from amongst twelve options look for Belgian chocolate cheesecake, treacle sponge pudding or a caramel apple crumble pie.

Throughout the day a wide range of more general dishes are yours for the ordering, sandwiches, jackets, classic favourites like fish and chips, pasta, salads, and sharing dishes of nachos, potato shells and a Beefeater Grill combo. Next door to many of the restaurants are Premier Inns, so staying the night whatever the circumstances need not be a problem.

And what about wine? Endorsed by Matthew Jukes, wine writer in the Daily Mail and bon viveur in his own right, a wine list that marches with the menu completes an impressive and compelling invitation to enjoy whatever takes your fancy at the nearest Beefeater Grill.

Click on their Website for menu updates and special offers.

Whether you're in Hereford to explore the world famous Mappa Mundi and Chain Library or the unspoilt Herefordshire and Wye Valley countryside, Castle House provides the perfect base to travel around the beautiful area. The boutique town house hotel is tucked away in a tranquil corner of the city and many guests visit the place just to enjoy a relaxed stay in one of the sixteen suites or bedrooms.

The hotel is still privately-owned by local farmer David Watkins whose produce features on the three AA rosette restaurant menu. Claire Nicholls, Castle House's Head Chef offers seasonal dishes that are created using ingredients from local farmers and artisan producers from the Herefordshire Marches.

At dinnertime, trust a tian of crab with fried quail egg, caviar and paprika aioli to provide a firm foundation for a main course of fillet of Herefordshire beef in the company of mushroom and pancetta sausage, carrot fondant and asparagus. Not many will pass up the tempting desserts such as a pistachio and hazelnut parfait with dark chocolate brownie and candied orange salad.

A fully licensed Farmhouse Restaurant and Bar set in a traditional 400 year old barn at the foot of the Black Mountains; it is run by Pauline and Philip Goodwin and the rest of their family, who all live and work on the farm, so they always guarantee to give a warm welcome to every one of their visitors.

They use naturally reared meats from their working family farm and the freshest of local vegetables, with these they prepare delicious farmhouse recipes. What a wonderful way to enjoy the stunning landscape and scenery in the comfort of their restaurant with a good meal, a decent glass of wine and excellent service.

Mains include home produced meats such as their pork chop with local cider sauce and rosemary lamb chops, while locals enjoy their Haywood beef and onion pie, starters and puddings are all homemade as well.

The Butchers Arms, an exquisite old half-timbered pub in the gorgeous countryside offers modern British cuisine with local cask beers, ciders and perry, and a punchy wine list . Open fires warm the low-ceiling bars in winter, and the stream cools the garden in summer providing a unique experience to visitors.

For a start you could try home-cured salmon and roll mops with potato salad and terrine of duck and pork, apple jelly. Consider whole lemon sole with char-grilled peppers and courgettes in basil dressing, and Cornish hake in beer batter with chips and peas for main course. If you have a sweet tooth you could try pear and frangipani tart, and chocolate and almond cake with clotted cream. End your meal with farmhouse cheeses with apple jelly and chutney.

The wine list features some familiar as well as lesser known wines, each with a distinct and alluring personality.

A secluded corner of Herefordshire is home to The New Inn, which as opposed to its name, is a 16th century coaching inn situated ten miles from Hereford. If you're looking forward to meeting friends or taking the family out for a meal there are few other venues that can match the tranquillity, beauty and freedom of this Good Pub Guide 2008 listed inn in St. Owen's Cross.

Consider spending time in comfort of the inn's two rooms, the lounge bar and dining room made warm both by their old world ambiance and by crackling fires in the winter, or in the garden when the weather permits.

Start your morning with the all day breakfast. At mealtimes you could begin with homemade soup or country chicken liver pâté before moving on to mains of steak, mushroom and ale pie; an 8oz Herefordshire beef burger, pan-roasted chicken breast or wild mushroom risotto.

End proceedings on a sweet note with Rowlestone Farm strawberry sorbet or homemade sticky toffee pudding.

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean.

Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.