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Eden Bar and Restaurant, conveniently placed just off the Coventry ringway in an 18th century cottage, offers smartly produced stylish and contemporary Modern British dishes within an interior setting to match. Outside, against the red brick background of the cottage, a garden with heating and water feature and a courtyard, partly covered by a heated marquee, provides the ideal setting for alfresco dining.

Those looking for a friendly and relaxed atmosphere will take to Eden very easily. Music is totally background and non-competitive, allowing guests to enjoy their evening and feel at home, but without the washing up. Meals are served on two floors in spaces that lack clutter and distraction. Corporate functions, staff parties, weddings and birthdays all find that Eden can provide a convenient and welcoming place in which to do their thing.

We live in an age when the pattern of meal courses are changing, with tapas only one of the pressures being brought to bear. The menu at Eden is at ease with this trend and it is quite possible to create a meal that thinks outside the box, should you so wish. Stove and grill demonstrates around a dozen choices, some of which have a distinct brasserie-ish flavour to them. The English matured ribeye steak served with rustic fries and a rocket leaf salad may not shout its credentials from the menu rooftop, but certainly does on the plate. White fish wrapped in bacon is accompanied by sweet new potatoes and pesto salad, and pesto surfaces again with an accomplished pesto, pine nut and parmesan linguine.

Amongst smaller dishes, two of which could well combine to make a pleasant meal, expect to find fresh deep fried whitebait in Peroni beer batter served with paprika mayonnaise, or Eden's cheese on toast: garlic flatbread with mushrooms, blue cheese and smoked bacon. Thai mussels are, refreshingly, steamed with onions, garlic and coriander, thereby retaining their flavour and consistency more truthfully. Tapas are served on Friday and Saturday evenings until 10pm

A warm chicken Milanese salad served on baby potatoes, with tomatoes, peppers and rocket salad stands well as a dish on its own, and for those who find desserts a little too much, can well make a substitute. But for those who don't, treats await in the form of, for instance homemade cherry Bakewell tart with clotted cream and raspberry coulis, or Belgian waffles served with toffee sauce and caramelised bananas. An English cheese board ably fulfils the needs of those for whom no meal is complete with the entry of cheese at some point.

The wine list at Eden is still at the point of gestation and a recent tasting evening was a useful pointer towards what will undoubtedly be a list from across the world, embracing the fine, well-priced wines such as those emerging from South America and South Africa.

Eden Bar and Restaurant has captured the hearts of locals and visitors and is fast building a diner base of enthusiastic and perceptive followers. For further information reference to their Website will keep you up to date with developments.

The Plough and Harrow served as an old coaching inn in the past and has been restored to become a spacious country pub and eating house, with large open areas and numerous alcoves. It retains its old world charm with stone floors, exposed beams, leaded windows and roaring log fires. With two large patios in the front and rear, it allows al fresco dining almost throughout the year. The restaurant seats a hundred and can cover an additional eighty.

The dining area is decorated with copper, suede, raw wood and leather, creating a pleasant environment made even more attractive by interesting artefacts. The wine 'prison' with captivating barrels and bottles ready for release, is another area that deserves special attention.

The menu offers an eclectic array of pizzas, pastas, salads and steaks. There are also light bites which combine to become a meal. To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads.

Amongst the appetisers look for freshly made soup; lamb koftas with mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad, or gambas with rocket, garlic aioli and rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops in the specials section.

The salads offer chargrilled chicken with courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing, and the seafood fiends find pleasure in some prawn and avocado with pecans, mango, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pomodoro and basil, the rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes, or the piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños.

Pastas include linguini with tiger prawns, crab, chorizo, chilli, tomato and white wine; strozzapreti of tomato, goats cheese, spinach, pine nuts and raisins, or tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan. For the big event there is always roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes.

The battered haddock with frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. Spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and frites is worth trying too. For hearty eaters there are rib eye and fillet steaks or blackened cod fillet with egg noodles, pak choi, mango and chilli salsa.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

The Encore in Stratford-upon-Avon is a splendid coming together of the conventional and the contemporary, an eclectic fusion of styles which has marvellous visual appeal and creates a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Bright zebra prints grace some of the chairs, while deep brown leather on others shows how the old and the new can exist in harmony, while stone fired ovens and log burning fires alongside the open kitchen and floor plan produce the same results.

Located in an 18th century building, The Encore is also quite close to the world famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The pub downstairs has a friendly ambience and offers a good selection of excellent beers and real ales, while the restaurant upstairs provides an unusual mix of traditional British food with continental touches. Following a refurbishment, they have emerged as an excellent dining destination in the town, while their attention to detail and friendly service ensures a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

The simple but up-to-the-minute menu offers lots of comfort appeal, with homely choices like pizzas, steaks and pasta, with some more global dishes to keep things lively. To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, box baked Camembert with onion jam and bread, Greek mezze with taramasalata, red pepper hummus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads, or a pizzette with garlic, rocket, sun-blushed tomatoes and Parmesan.

Amongst the starters, there is always freshly made soup of the day, sake cured salmon, pickled ginger and wasabi crème fraîche, and fennel with chilli crusted squid, pineapple and coriander salsa are also to be found.

The salads offer pang pang chicken, Asian greens, satay, cashew nuts and cucumber, while pastas range from linguini with chorizo, king prawns, crab, chilli and tomato to tagliatelle bolognaise with slow cooked beef, bacon and Chianti.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; look for a classic margherita of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, or a Siciliana with Serrano ham, roast artichoke, olives and mozzarella. Those who love rotisserie fare will enjoy the different variations of chicken, with roast garlic, lemon and thyme and aioli. Persian spiced lamb chops are an interesting addition to this list and are served with tzatziki, tomato and red onion salad.

Proper main courses could include sea bass fillets, stuffed Romano pepper, caponata, pesto and baby new potatoes; Scottish salmon with Asian greens, chilli salsa and tempura sweet potato fritters; calves liver with sweet potato and beetroot gratin and watercress, or lemon sole with prawn and scallop butter. A wide range of supporting dishes includes tomato, rocket and mozzarella, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

To complement the food, there is a well chosen wine list that traverses across the old and New Worlds to bring fine wines and champagnes.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

A watering hole, well known amongst ramblers who often set out to explore the countryside of West Midlands, The Cock Inn at Wishaw, has an interior all set for a fine dining experience. Such features as an open kitchen, stone fired ovens and log burning fires all combine to make this a friendly local that draws people in from a wide area. The landscaped decking outside provides a good spot for dining al fresco, or just enjoying a few pints as the velvet night soothes the mood.

The proximity of the internationally renowned Belfry Golf Course means that the odd celebrity may be spotted, and walkers enjoying the magnificent countryside between the pub and the golf course find welcome refreshment at the pub.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, box baked Camembert with red onion jam and rustic bread and Greek mezze of taramasalata with red pepper hummus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, there is freshly made soup, smoked mackerel pâté, seared pigeon breast, or a red onion tart. The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer Persian chicken kebabs, fattoush salad, yoghurt and mint dressing, and for the seafood fiends some smoked trout, prawn, pancetta, horseradish dressing, watercress, spinach and baby potatoes.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic Margherita of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, another with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños. Pastas include rigatoni, pork, veal and oregano meatballs with arrabiata sauce, and smoked haddock risotto.

For the big event, there is always a fish of the day on request. The spit chicken with roast garlic, lemon, thyme, aioli and frites is worth trying too. The classic burger, which has risen from the confines of fast food chains, carves a niche for itself on the menu and comes with onion, gherkin, mustard mayo, cheese and bacon. For hearty eaters there is a five spice duck confit, or lamb rack with a spiced dukkah crust.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes Belgian frites and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A sensible wine list that matches the cuisine to perfection trawls the world and comes up with some pretty interesting numbers - almost as interesting as the laconic descriptions, mostly one word but very accurate, even if 'luxurious and rich' does sound rather like a generous heiress of infinite promise. One of the most expensive bottles - and even then it's only £39.95 - earns the appellation 'silky, smooth and intense'.

Check regularly on their Website for menu changes and arrangements for special occasions like Christmas and Valentine's Day. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but occasionally un-loved buildings to restore real gems in the best tradition of British understated style.

Complement that with all that is best in the French bistro ethos, bars that reach out to please, and you have a setting that provides an inspirational background for people to meet, do business, get married, provide a base for golf or fishing, somewhere you can call your own for a private celebration, a spa or - most engagingly - a wine school that breaks the mould.

In Birmingham du Vin has taken on the former Birmingham Eye Hospital, a handsome building in the best style of Victorian public buildings, strategically placed in the newly revitalised Jewellery Quarter, but close enough to the city centre to make a liver-livening stroll in the morning a real pleasure.

Equipped with a spa and gym, the hotel has 66 bedrooms and boutique sites round a central courtyard that is blessed with many of the building's striking original features, including the grand sweeping staircase and granite pillars. Every room has handsprung mattresses, fine Egyptian linen, deep baths, power showers and high speed wireless internet access.

In the classy bistro a choice of six starters could include lamb's kidneys and wild mushrooms on toast with mustard crème, Serrano ham and celeriac remoulade, or Uig Lodge smoked salmon and traditional garnish. Tournedos Rossini remains one of the great dishes of all time, served with garlic roast potatoes and red wine jus. Poached smoked haddock is served with bacon and pea risotto, crispy leeks and chive veloute.

Whilst one might argue that the whole point of being in a du Vin is to snuggle up to the wine list, this list is designed to march with the food and can only be described as superb. With a team of four sommeliers, headed here by François Bourde, there is no room for anything but the best. Service is telepathic in the best possible sense.

Click on their Website for full information and rates. Hotel du Vin, with fourteen options throughout Britain, awaits your call.

Offering a sumptuous and diverse spread of Italian, Indian, Thai and Chinese dishes, Jimmy Spice's on The Parade has something for everyone. The spacious, open plan restaurant is perfect for the groundbreaking multi-national buffet style service on offer. Located in the heart of the town, the restaurant is a 2-minute drive from Sutton Coldfield Rail Station.

The eclectic menu is filled with a variety of delicious items, made with the highest quality ingredients, to deliver the best of the range of cuisines on offer. Guests have the option of selecting their vegetables and meat along with a sauce of their choice and have it cooked on the spot.

A sample Italian menu offers freshly made pizza, a fine combination of pomodiro pillete and home-made pizza base with toppings of pineapple, ham, sweet corn, mushrooms, mixed peppers, pepperoni, chicken, jalapeno, olives and green chillies. The pasta menu offers a choice of penne or spaghetti served with Bolognese or al formaggi sauce along with basil pesto, chilli flakes, bacon, capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes. Other main course dishes include baked fish, chicken in mustard sauce, vegetable lasagne and herb roasted potatoes.

The tempting Indian selection features starters of mint chicken pakora, vegetable samosa, aloo chaat and onion bhaji as well as mains of lamb rogan josh, saag paneer, tarka daal and vegetable jalfrezi along with seekh kebab, chicken malai tikka, garlic naan, tandoori roti and onion kulcha from the tandoor.

Chinese cuisine choices include spicy chicken wings, prawn crackers, pork spare ribs, egg fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, beef in black bean sauce, chicken with cashewnuts and water chestnuts and shrimp in garlic sauce along. Jimmy Spice's stir fry options include lamb, chicken, prawns, egg noodles, mushrooms, pok choy, bean sprouts and mixed peppers served with a sauce of your choice.

The Thai menu offers fish cake, vegetable spring roll, prawn toast, beef red curry, chicken green curry, prawn Penang curry, gaeng phed  and nuer pad namman hoy.

From the salad station diners can help themselves to freshly prepared Moroccan carrot salad with green olives and mint, chicken and mango salad, strawberry and feta cheese salad, tuna salad, Thai sorn tarn and potato au gratin. 

If you fancy a quick lunch choose from a selection of sandwiches, pizzas, starters with choice of sauces, salads with choice of dressings, Chinese stir fry dishes and Indian main courses with rice and naan bread.

The restaurant also provides a tempting, and equally eclectic array of desserts for diners with a sweet tooth. Choices include familiar dishes such as strawberry cheesecake, chocolate brownies, pineapple cake, and fresh cut fruit to more exotic options including, gulab jamun, moong daal halwa, and banana fritters. Alternatively you could opt for ginger pudding, crème caramel, chocolate fudge cake, apple crumble, coconut and raisin cake and kiwi pannacotta all of which bring any meal to a fitting end.

At the bar enjoy a range of red, white and rose wines as well as champagne, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and shooters, soft drinks and juices, aperitifs and liqueurs in addition to a variety of spirits including single malt whiskies and cognac.

An early bird deal is value for money at £9.99 per person from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Check out their Website for the latest offers.

It is a welcome surprise to find a pub that has firmly grasped the gastro nettle in and around the Midlands, with pretty sensational results that include demonstrably freshly cooked food and a high zing factor, all sited in an imposing Tudor building of great character and true heritage. It also benefits from outside seating both in the front and the rear with delightfully tended gardens, seating up to a hundred and twenty, and dining 'al fresco' for sixty-four people.

Amongst the attractions are a 100-cover area for dining, an inviting drinking area, with staff who are friendly and professional. Equally people are drawn to the Barnt Green Inn by the interior which is stylish, very much open plan, and a return to such homely features as open log fires, stone-fired ovens, open kitchens and for that al fresco evening, some well landscaped decking.

The Inn is truly a place for all seasons, and the menu reflects this as it embraces not only the seasons but also the atmosphere within, ranging from cool chic in summer to the cosy warmth of a winter's day with the hatches well battened down.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of cured meats, dolcelatte, roasted vegetables, parmesan, rocket, stuffed peppers, green chillies and baked flat bread, or Greek mezze of taramasalata with red pepper humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, expect to find freshly made soup, sake cured salmon with wasabi crème fraîche and pickled ginger, or fennel with chilli crusted squid, pineapple and coriander salsa. The salads offer pang pang chicken, Asian greens, satay, cashew nuts and cucumber, and for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn, avocado, spinach, watercress, crispy bacon and garlic dressing tends to please.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; look for a classic margherita of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, the rustica with roasted vegetables, goats' cheese, tomatoes and rocket, or a Siciliana with Serrano ham, roast artichoke, olives and mozzarella. Pastas include bucatini carbonara with smoked haddock, pancetta and cream or tagliatelle bolognaise with slow cooked beef, bacon and Chianti.

For the big event there are choices such as calves' liver with sweet potato, beetroot gratin and watercress or sea bass fillets with stuffed Romano peppers, caponata, pesto and baby new potatoes. The Persian spiced lamb chops with tzatziki, tomato and red onion salad is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. For hearty eaters there are good fillet and rib-eye steaks, and lemon sole with prawn and scallop butter, watercress and baby potatoes.

A wide range of supporting dishes include tomato, rocket and mozzarella, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A well-travelled wine list and service that is cheerful and efficient completes the recipe for success. Check their Website for further information on this attractive eating out haven. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

Housed within an 18th century Grade II-listed building, The Lion Hotel Brewood offers a fine dining take on traditional British dishes. The elegant interior is complete with photographic prints and cosy seating, and in warm weather guests can unwind in the tiled courtyard.

Using locally available seasonal produce, the carefully compiled Lion menu offers starters such as Staffordshire oat cakes and smoked haddock cooked in cream with local cheese. Follow with a rack of bacon served on a bed of braised red cabbage with sage sauce, or local Staffordshire sausages with wholegrain mustard mash and a red currant jus.

Enjoy a refined selection of drinks at the bar, or relax with a rich cup of coffee in the Coffee Lounge. The large function room at The Lion restaurant is perfect for business conferences or private events.

Set in the picturesque Staffordshire countryside, The Lion Brewood offers a clean, crisp setting for enjoying stunning local cuisine.

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

It is a wonderful surprise to find a pub that has firmly grasped the gastro nettle in and around the Midlands, with pretty sensational results that include demonstrably freshly cooked food and a high zing factor. The Lyttelton Arms has all the inherent charm of a traditional country pub that has come face to face with its history, adapted, and lost none of its appeal in the process. In close relation to the Clent Hills it takes its name from the Lyttelton family whose home at Hagley Hall is close by.

The pub is truly a place for all seasons, and the menu reflects this as it embraces not only the seasons but also the atmosphere within, ranging from cool chic in summer to the cosy warmth of a winter's day with the hatches well battened down.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, garlic pizzette with sun-blushed tomatoes, rocket and parmesan, a box baked Camembert with red onion jam and bread, and Greek mezze with taramasalata, red pepper hummus, tzatziki, feta and flatbreads.

Amongst the starters is freshly made soup, devilled mushrooms with chilli and mint on rustic toast, and Japanese fish cakes, pickled ginger, yuzu and spring onion dipping sauce with radish slaw. Look, too, for scallops of the day.

The salads - sorry that should read 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots and spring onion with plum sauce, and for the seafood fiends some pastrami cured smoked salmon, Caesar, cos, parmesan, anchovies and croutons is received with enthusiasm.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find margherita, a classic medley of tomato, mozzarella, oregano and basil, Siciliana with Serrano ham, roast artichoke, olives and mozzarella or rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats? cheese, cherry tomatoes and rocket.

Pastas include bucatini carbonara with smoked haddock, pancetta and cream, or tagliatelle bolognaise, slow cooked beef, bacon and Chianti.

Scottish salmon with noodles, Asian greens, coriander, pineapple and chilli salsa is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating and the spit honey gammon ham with creamed potato, parsley and truffle sauce is worth trying too. For hearty eaters there are rib-eye and fillet steaks, and lemon sole with prawn and watercress butter and baby potatoes. Other choices encompass Peroni beer battered haddock and lamb rack with spiced dukkah crust.

A wide range of supporting dishes include creamed potatoes, Belgian frites and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple and frangipane gallette and Cognac ice cream, and there is also a selection of local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

There is a good balance between Old and New World wines, and champagne is always on call. There is also a fine selection of beers in stock, ranging from standard lagers to European speciality beers such as Leffe and Erdinger as well as the noted Timothy Taylor Landlord.

There is a smoking area in the bar though it is a totally non-smoking restaurant, and they benefit from outside seating on a large external patio for up to 150 guests; it is also worth noting that they have a function room that can seat sixty, and also a bar area that can be hired separately that can accommodate a further eighty.

But like any other place where people come to enjoy themselves it's the people who look after then that count. Their attention to detail, their warmth and hospitality are the qualities that count and turn a good pub into a brilliant one. Make a point of meeting them at The Lyttelton Arms; before that, to get details on their menu and much more, why not have a look at their Website? Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

When one of the country's most respected and leading critics says that this restaurant is 'the best Italian Restaurant outside London' it is time to take them seriously. Britain's love affair with Italian food is a cause célèbre of long standing and shows no signs of waning, so it is always welcome news when somewhere like San Carlo sets out to reach for the skies.

Located in the heart of Birmingham, San Carlo is well suited to catch both day and night time business, and the menu reflects this. There are a wide range of dishes, plus blackboard specials, offering snacks, meals, celebrations, all in true Italian style, dishes that bring Italy into the very centre of life in Birmingham. San Carlo is the father of a chain of similar restaurants, yet each one has its own personality.

If you are one for rubbing shoulders with the various grades of celebrities, San Carlo could be a real winner before you even start looking at the menu, with football players, newsreaders, soap stars and high society movers and shakers all competing for poll positions.

Favourite dishes include sliced prime Scottish fillet of beef with a light dressing of capers, anchovies, garlic and extra virgin olive oil, and that old favourite of connoisseurs the world over, pan fried breast of chicken with white wine, mushrooms and cream sauce, garnished with asparagus. Many of the ingredients to create these dishes are imported from Italy, and it goes without saying that the wine list is unashamedly and spectacularly of the same origin.

A combination of Italian cuisine and fish has always seemed logical - all that coastline - as well as highly attractive to the British taste. The antipasti at San Carlo includes a mixture of squid, prawns and mussels, deep-fried whitebait, and scallops in white wine and garlic. Amongst the main courses expect to find on the blackboard Dover sole, grilled whole sea bass, a mixed grill of fish, special pasta with lobster, brandy, tomato, cream and peas, or giant prawn and scallops in garlic and chilli.

It is customary to look for Italian wines in such places, nor will you be disappointed, but there are a few French inclusions also, with a rather nice Chablis in evidence. House wines, and few off the list, are available by the glass. Service is a good example of that Italian 'just make yourself at home we'll look after everything' manner, when you generally surprise yourself by taking their advice. In Britain we just say 'no problem', which may be succinct, but lacks style.

The restaurant has had a major refurbishment, with the aim of providing more covers in the lower level restaurant, giving a capacity for over 200 guests. Groups are welcome at San Carlo, but to preserve the balance between groups, a limit of up to nine people applies on Friday and Saturday, and twenty to thirty on weekdays. Booking will always make for security but in general the new arrangements mean there is room for everybody.

Ultimately a restaurant is judged by two main factors, each dependent upon the other. Combine quality food with life's movers and shakers in attractive surroundings and you have a sure fire record for the sweet buzz of success that permeates San Carlo.

The San Carlo group have an excellent Website - you are only a click away from more details and updates on their site.