Started by Executive chef William Drabble, the Michelin-starred Seven Park Place is a fine dining restaurant within the St. James Hotel and club that serves modern French fare made primarily from British ingredients. Awarded 4 Rosettes by the AA, the ambience is chic, comfortable and reflects a distinct retro-Parisian style with elaborate seating, fine dining and rich furnishings. The food is more of a formal affair, which is prepared from the best seasonal ingredients sourced from specialist suppliers found locally.

Dishes include Poached tail of native lobster with cauliflower, truffle and lobster butter sauce, saddle of Lune Valley lamb with garlic and thyme, and roast breast and confit leg of mallard with parsnip puree and Madeira jus.

Desserts include ginger bread spiced parfait with figs slow cooked in mulled wine and assiette of milk chocolate which can be indulged in after the meal along with a variety of choices from the comprehensive wine list.

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

Looking for interesting, seasonal and light, well-prepared food in a galleried setting with stunning views. The Bay, at Penzance, helped establish the now well-tried tradition of combining culture, in the form of a serious art gallery, with cuisine and rooms - and succeeds. The setting is chic, unstuffy, with superb views above the rooftops of Penzance to Mount's Bay. An excellent place to kick back, relax and enjoy their mix of a Modern European approach to serving seafood and other English dishes.

Throughout the whole year look forward to eating the best of the local produce, in an imaginative and attractive form and calling on an impressive list of local suppliers from Cornwall, where the environment is naturally fresh.

During the day an all day dining menu offers such dishes as prosciutto ham with herbed olive hummus and balsamic vinegar, steamed Fowey mussels in a shallot, garlic and Cornish cider cream sauce, or pan-fried rump steak with baby spinach leaf, straw potatoes and herb hollandaise. At The Bay it's always worth asking what the boats have brought in; fish does not come any fresher than this.

Try a roast Pollock fillet on braised saffron leeks and lemon cream sauce, or a local handpicked white crabmeat open sandwich on homemade granary bread with lemon mayonnaise. For vegetarian tastes there could be a baked aubergine and tomato gateaux.

In the evenings the menu expands and starters could include home smoked breast of guinea fowl, ox tongue and hazelnut salad and date purée, or pan-fried South Coast scallops, potato and vanilla cream with steamed spring onions.

Main courses follow the same pattern with a pan-fried West Country duck breast with smoked fennel, polenta cake and a preserved orange jus; roast fillet of Newlyn landed pollack, baby brown shrimps, cucumber and watercress, and roast Cornish double beef - for two to share - with pan fried foie gras and oxtail ravioli, black truffle and port wine jus.

As you watch the sun subside into the light mists of a velvet Cornish sea evening, you will find the desserts even more beguiling than usual, headed by the white chocolate mousse, sultana fancler and rice wine vinegar reduction, closely followed by the coconut crème brûlée with passion fruit madeleines and dark chocolate sorbet or assortment of miniature desserts.

Local wines, beers and an elite list offer further variety and choice, and, with at least eight available by the glass or 1/2 bottle, you can change wines with each course. Dessert wines are encouraged and include Pedro Ximenez- Jerez from Spain, and Nederburg from South Africa.

The Bay is quality eating amidst beautiful surroundings both in and out, at prices that will leave room for you to contemplate further indulgence amongst the many pictures tastefully displayed in the Gallery.

The past years have firmly established the Bay, in the diners Awards of the Region, they were named West Country Restaurant of the Year in 2002, and Restaurant of the Year 2006-8 in the Cornwall Tourism Awards. Consistently awarded 2 AA rosettes annually, and listed in the Michelin Guide, The Good Hotel Guide and The Good Food Guide.

For those of you wanting further information about The Bay, a visit to their Website would be a sensible idea.

The advent of a new breed of steakhouses has caught the attention of those seeking a full-on bovine treat, but the rest are not disappointed either, thanks to places like Kings Road Steakhouse and Grill that effortlessly cater to the needs of both meat and seafood lovers. Here it's more than just that, the interior catches the eye with a touch of elegance, a far cry from the rustic traits that usually characterise a steakhouse.

The à la carte might deliver half a dozen Whitstable oysters, dressed Cornish crab and slow roasted pork belly. Then move on to meatier pursuits with an 8oz fillet, a 16oz T-bone or a 10oz rib eye on the bone, all made from fine quality Scottish beef; the addition of grilled and roast meats such as spatchcock poussin and chipolatas and calves liver and dry cured bacon could stretch your choice even further. Desserts feature the much loved sticky toffee pudding and Eton mess.

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

Fourth Floor Café and Bar, situated on top of the Harvey Nichols store in the heart of Leeds, is a popular destination on the Yorkshire circuit, offering fantastic cityscape views by day and more formal romantic ambience at night.

The unique design of the ceiling creates the Café's signature with dramatic over-scaled vary-coloured lighting piercing through the perforated ceiling plane and backlit in fluorescent sky blue. The rich timber finish and warm colours of the lacquer bar surfaces are juxtaposed with the cooler palate of the restaurants shell finishes. This typical Harvey Nichols chic design creates an elegant dining atmosphere. A focal point of the restaurant is the fully glazed façade and terrace, which can seat ten, overlooking the rooftops of Leeds.

Born in Yorkshire, Head Chef Richard Walton-Allen recognises the importance of supporting local producers and his menu can be seen to reflect his passion. He is also a judge at the Great Yorkshire Cookery competition and as such looks for imaginative and innovative use of Yorkshire produce.

A choice of a la carte and prix fixe menus are available at lunch and dinner, which include starters such as slow cooked pork belly, soy, seared squid, orange and sesame sauce and seared fillet of mackerel, beetroot carpaccio, beetroot and blackberry puree, with mains like whole lemon sole, sautéed courgettes, grape, almond and verjus dressing and roast Nidderdale lamb rack, char-grilled baby leeks, beetroot jus and mini hotpot. Finishing with a trio of damson desserts - mousse, ice cream and damson polenta cake - or marzipan and honey cake with white wine poached pear.

With nearby theatres and cinemas such as the Grand Theatre; home of Opera North and the Northern Ballet, The West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Henry Moore Sculpture Gallery and the Light Cinema, the Fourth Floor Café and Bar is the ideal venue for pre-dinner theatre. It also offers morning coffee, lunch, afternoon bar menu, pre-dinner drinks and dinner with quality food, reasonable prices and efficient service.

Celebrating a decade milestone anniversary in Autumn 2006 they received the news that they had won both Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year at the Leeds Restaurant Association Awards 2006. In addition, Harvey Nichols also won the Leeds Restaurant Awards for Best Service 2 years running in 2007 and 2008. For more details do visit the Harvey Nichols Website.

Mele e Pere literally translates to 'apples and pears to me and you' in Italian and serves a daily changing selection of modern and contemporary dishes. Enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner at the restaurant or head to the basement bar for a glass of homemade Vermouth or Italian wine.

Sourcing high quality, fresh ingredients, the Mele e Pere menu features small plates of Dorset crab with Alphonso mango, grilled octopus and warm saddle of rabbit with fresh peas. A hearty roast shoulder of lamb is served with soft polenta and salsa verde while the T-bone steak alla Fiorentina is ideal to share between two.

Mele e Pere restaurant offers 2 or 3 course lunchtime and pre-theatre menus that attract the office crowd and theatre goers alike. An eclectic wine list and a range of irresistible cocktails make the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

Close to the Piccadilly Circus Tube Station, Mele e Pere in Soho is less than an 8-minute walk from the Empire Cinemas at Leicester Square and The Plaza Shopping Centre.

More information can be found on their Website.

There's something remarkable about Wolfe's Bar and Grill, which has been luring diners to its location just off Drury Lane since 1975. The lively and vibrant setting reflects the fact that their enthusiasm hasn't died down over the years and you could also pop in at any time of the day for a light snack at the cocktail bar.

Kobe beef's zippy flavours have drawn many admirers and if you love its sprightly succulence then choose a cheeseburger topped with melted natural cheddar and served with salad and French fries. The Aberdeen Angus 8oz wolfburgers are not be ignored either as they arrive with delicious sauces like barbecue, mushroom and peppercorn. Others dishes that shine through the menu include scallops and mango salad, chicken chasseur, deep fried fillets of fresh Dover sole, and banoffee meringue roulade.

Kick back and relax after a tough day at work with perhaps skewers of beef teriyaki and a glass of piña colada.

The County Kitchen, an important element of The County Hotel in Chelmsford, offers a cuisine that is essentially British but does not hesitate to cull ideas from other shores and continents. It also has the inestimable advantage of being located in a part of England where some of the finest produce to be found is readily available, be it from land, sea or air. They take full advantage of that by changing their menus seasonally and also by sourcing 70% of their ingredients from within a sixty mile radius.

The hotel is privately owned and part of British Classic Hotels. All 50 bedrooms offer a diversity of accommodation ranging from a very smart suite to sixteen superior and premium rooms at the sort of standards you would expect from a 3 star quality hotel. All rooms have a flat screen TV, wifi internet and a direct dial telephone as well as complimentary tea, coffee, and biscuits.

A fine line is drawn between the hearty eaters and those who for one reason or another prefer something rather daintier, and I understand there are one or two of those around in this East Anglian paradise where Essex meets Norfolk through Suffolk. There are those, of whom I am not one, who believe you can judge a restaurant by the quality of its starters. For me it's the main courses and the amount of culinary ground they cover convincingly rather than statistically.

Catch of the day displays a willingness to be guided by nature and is a promising start. Pan fried breast of pheasant is served with confit leg, puy lentil and vegetable ragout, thus making the best of this fine game bird that at its best i.e. wild rather than bred, and properly cooked is superb, bettered only by partridge, preferably grey.

Wilted chard and chick peas provide suitable escorts for baked haddock with creamed potatoes, and the spatchcocked chicken is lemon roasted, served with Savoy cabbage and dauphinoise potatoes. Lamb cutlets are without doubt a 'night before the gallows' feast needing so little other than a watchful eye to catch them exactly at the right moment before giving them a flagelot bean, celeriac puree and sautéed potatoes guard of honour.

A well chosen selection of salads and pastas includes a Bingham Blue, apple, fig and endive salad with a walnut dressing, or a wild mushroom and tarragon linguine, both served as a starter or main course. Other starters offered could be mussels with chilli, Aspall cyder and coriander, or acorn fed Jamon Iberico with grilled sourdough bread.

A quick lunch could field smoked duck and artichoke terrine with celeriac remoulade and sourdough toast, followed by roasted sea trout with brown shrimp and pan fried salsify, covelo nero, finishing with spiced rhubarb tart tatin and caramelised almonds. Do note that they offer a carvery on Sunday, which is exceedingly popular.

A wedding at the County Kitchen can also include all the excitement and enjoyment of the great day, well ordered by experts accustomed to making these occasions extremely special. For these, and all occasions when wine is an item, a wine list of no mean skill offers a wide range of options, many available by the glass. The County is a popular location for conferences of anywhere between 2 - 150 delegates, and with a pro-active environmental policy will commend itself to many.

For further details do check out their excellent user-friendly Website.

Sorrento is a traditional Italian restaurant, offering silver service style amidst elegant surroundings. Jackie and Tony de Angelis and their family see to it that their guests, be they business, family or friends enjoy dishes made with the finest ingredients, with friendly service and a great selection of Italian wine.

There is something vaguely whimsical that in the birthplace of one of England's greatest playwrights an Italian restaurant of the quality of Sorrento should be on hand to delight the lives of those who flock to Stratford-upon-Avon to witness the works of Shakespeare, well laced with their cast of highly convincing Italian characters.

In the summer al fresco dining is available on the patio. Naturally, in this theatre-blessed town, pre and after theatre dinners are served, and there is a three course lunch special for tourists and business people.

A quick glance at the menu reveals traditional, well-loved dishes such as mussels gently simmered in white wine, with garlic, chilli and parsley in tomato sauce or garlic bread topped with tomato, oregano and fresh basil, or with mozzarella.

No Italian menu would be complete without a selection of pasta dishes, amongst which are penne in a traditional spicy tomato, garlic, chilli and herb sauce, or the spaghetti alla Bolognese, pasta embraced in the chef's mince meat, tomato and Italian herb sauce. All pasta dishes may be taken as a starter or main course.
 
Main fish dishes include breast of chicken cooked in Marsala wine, mushroom and cream sauce, and squid lightly dusted in flour and deep-fried. Escallops of veal in white wine, shallots and cream sauce come topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

The Bard, who displays no evidence of having been inclined to vegetarianism as far as is known, might reasonably have been expected to approve of the medaglione peppe verdi, medallions of fillet steak flamed in brandy in a peppercorn and cream sauce. The chef's daily specials are a popular feature of this restaurant, applied with a frequency and enthusiasm that would have had the witches of Cawdor reaching for their broomsticks with cackling alacrity.

A daily selection of sweets at which the Italians are so adept, brings the meal to a graceful ending, and those who love their cheese will rejoice to see a good selection from Italy, with Formaggio, their answer to England's Stilton, well to the fore. Gelato is Italian for ice cream, and the selection at Sorrento is agreeably bewildering.

There is particularly good value to be had at lunchtime when the set menu is on offer at £13.90 for two courses, three for £17.90. At such prices the rascally and un-lovely Shylock would be counting his beans all the way to Venice.

For more details, including other menus, and special arrangements for party and corporate reservations, do click on their excellent and user-friendly Website.

It's strange that we have so few restaurants by the banks of the Thames in London, when almost every other major city that either has a major river running through it or a position by the sea capitalises on that, however, now the Hotel Rafayel in Battersea has opened its doors to guests and created its 'Banyan on the Thames' to make use of its fabulous situation with views up, down and across the water.

Almost every table benefits, as a result of the clever two level design, which is also modern but chic with the clever use of lighting panels that change colour and offering a menu that is aimed to appeal with its tempting fusion mix of Asian and Modern European dishes in a thoroughly modern fashion, like tilapia fishcakes with lemongrass chilli jam or Cromer crab, mango and king prawn with chilli, mango and lime dressing.

Even their version of fish and chips is rather unusual as it is made with pieces of haddock fried in lime and coriander tempura batter while baked nut-crusted cod fillet is served with lemon zest new potato gratin; the carnivores should be more than delighted with the chilli beef Banyan style or the rack of lamb with a pistachio crust, gratin potatoes and a red pepper coulis.

The desserts are not exactly run of the mill either with kheer brûlée, caramelised rice pudding served with toasted almond, or white chocolate and baileys mousse served in a brandy snap scroll with mint crème anglaise. The wine list is short but sensibly compiled providing a decent choice at reasonable prices.