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Things seem to move fast at Wagamama - the Asian inspired, noodle restaurant chain that was started in 1992. As soon as you decide what you want to eat, your order is taken via a PDA, and wirelessly networked to the kitchen, so it can be made fresh and served right after. The restaurant chain does not believe in taking reservations, and all customers are seated on a first come, first serve basis. In fact, be aware that most of the tables are long ones and you will often be asked to share them.

The restaurants are modelled on traditional Japanese ramen bars that have been popular for hundreds of years - ramen are Japanese style noodles, served in a meat-based broth, topped with pork, dried seaweed or even corn. Chilli beef ramen, made of noodles in a spicy pork and chicken soup topped with a marinated and grilled sirloin steak and fresh vegetables, is hearty and satisfying.

Apart from ramen, you could opt for the coconut soup based kare noodles or teppan, cooked on a hot, flat griddle. They also offer many rice dishes like katsu curry, chicken fillet deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs, served with a lightly spiced curry sauce and sticky white rice. Vegetarians are definitely not ignored, as they can opt for saien soba, made using whole-wheat noodles in a soup topped with stir-fried vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil and garnished with sliced spring onion.

Meat and vegetable dumplings, skewered chicken, deep-fried prawns and raw salads double as both sides and starters. Steamed green soya-beans, called edamame, go well with drinks - hold them up to your mouth and squeeze the succulent beans from the pod. If you've noticed, Wagamama is more about eating healthy food fast and less about the order. Don't be surprised if you're served the main course before the side dish - order isn't important, the aim is, don't wait - just tuck in and share.

Wash down your meal with sake, plum wine or even a Japanese beer. Wind up your meal with coconut reika - three scoops of dairy coconut ice cream topped with a fresh, tangy mango sauce and toasted coconut flakes or the tamarind and chilli Pavlova, with a crunchy meringue base served with a raspberry and tamarind sauce.

At Wagamama, you can also shop for cookbooks, sauces, ramen bowls and t-shirts. The restaurant is all about enjoying genuine, reasonably priced, Pan-Asian cuisine in a sleek but informal setting.

Howies doesn't fit into the category of a chain because each of its restaurants has an individualistic style, décor and menu. But the underlying commitment to offering remarkable dishes in a relaxed and casual environment is consistently present in all of them. Howies in Aberdeen is situated just off the famous Union Street, right in the heart of town. Quietly elegant with its deep brown furnishings, this is a classy place where you can take the whole family, including the little ones, for a celebration.

The menu changes monthly and focuses on using local suppliers for all their ingredients. From amongst the starters you could choose terrine of ham shank with red onion marmalade and seasonal leaves followed by a main course of lamb chump with celeriac and mustard mash, honey roasted parsnips and a rich jus. End with the delectable Baileys and pear cheesecake or opt for the selection of Scottish cheeses.

YO! Sushi Union Square is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.

Diversification is the name of the game whether you're in the business of farming or saving souls, so why have a draughty old church standing around doing nothing when it could be turned to better use? The result? A bright, cheerful area offering excellent food every day of the week except Sunday and Monday, until late at night, and devoting all its profits to good works, mainly disadvantaged young people.

Sounds like a great use of resources - you'd be right. The food is consistently good and could include prawn and crab wonton soup, smoked chicken and baby leek terrine with a warm brioche and pear chutney or a crisp omelette salad with shitake mushrooms and baby tomatoes.

Into the main course area and we find grilled swordfish, lime and caper salsa, rocket salad and chips, or a sirloin steak, roast rosemary potatoes, gruyere rarebit and proscuitto chips. The desserts are a delight, not least the lime and chocolate tart supported by a bitter chocolate sorbet. It's the cheeses that are so wicked I'm surprised they dare to offer them in a former church, served with homemade oatcakes and chutney.

All of which confirms my view that had I lived in an age when pilgrims roamed from one religious establishment to another seeking board and lodging I would have written the guidebook, after years of agreeable research. And just in case you're wondering, yes, it is licensed - but no, it's not stored in the crypt. House wine is £14.95 a bottle or £3 a glass, and the list, which includes wildflower wines, goes up to around £25.