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The oldest established Thai restaurant in Aberdeen and still seen by many as the best. The décor is quite stunning, an interesting blend of minimalism and oriental colour, calculated to ensure that you are in the right mood for the occasion.

For an appetiser that challenges the tastebuds right at the outset try the ton sum rub, a variety of dishes recalling the royal banquets of the past and including noodle wrapped prawns, spring rolls, spare ribs, chicken in Pandanas leaves and fish cakes, or failing that the Fishing Basket, a selection of deep fried seafood with prawns, scallop, fish and cuttlefish served with a chilli and plum sauce.

If you order the crispy aromatic duck remember that whilst a quarter sounds little in fact it's ample for one, or even two. For me the pad kra-prao moo is always a favourite dish, fillet of port sautéed with chilli and sweet basil. If you have never tried drunken fish, now's the time - a fried fillet of rock fish flavoured with garlic and sake wine sauce. I still maintain Thai curries are the best and the massaman, slowly braised lamb in a medium spicy rich sweet sauce takes some beating.

A splendidly grand Victorian mansion which is even more breathtaking inside, making it an ideal case for conversion into an hotel that has stained glass windows, tapestries on the walls and an oak staircase of immense grandeur. Three miles from the centre of Aberdeen it has ample parking.

The Tapestry Restaurant, with its vaulted wooden ceiling is the perfect place for dining on the grand scale and the food more than rises to the occasion. Choose from a light leek and parmesan risotto topped with a poached egg or asparagus, feta cheese, pine kernels and sun dried tomatoes baked in filo pastry with a spicy tomato sauce. Main courses tend to be classic and could be the breast of pheasant stuffed with haggis and served with a woodland mushroom sauce.

Visitors are much taken with the iced Glenfiddich parfait with a berry compote and tuille biscuits. The average carte dinner costs in the region of £38, with lunch at around £9.50. The wine list takes its place in the prevailing quality with house wine at £12.95.

The Osprey Restaurant at The Lodge on the Loch is thoroughly contemporary in a magnificent setting in Royal Deeside. It boasts a wide ranging menu, offering Mediterranean, traditional Scottish and British favourites as well as a selection of vegetarian dishes. The emphasis is on fresh, local and healthy food.

The wines from around the world are reasonably priced at, in the main, under £20 per bottle, with a Bordeaux vintage selection that should keep the most interested wine connoisseur happy and quickly planning his next visit.

The desserts are all homemade and the cheeses are locally produced, a number of which are organic and award winning; you could wash these down with a glass of one of their vintage ports.

At lunch they offer an extensive selection of light lunch Mediterranean style dishes, together with some traditional old favourites, while in the evening the dinner menu is based on the same theme, but with less snack meals and more formal choices; throughout the day there are a selection of special to choose from as well. The Lodge is fully licensed, with a wide choice of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks including cocktails, and serves excellent fresh coffees made from Lavazza beans in an espresso machine.

The Lodge is located just off the A93, 1 mile west of Aboyne and is well camouflaged by trees at the side of the road and the old Railway line. When you approach the building the views open up to reveal a true hidden gem of Royal Deeside with panoramic views over the Loch and the Cairngorms National Park.

The wood clad structure is a new one that has been custom built for the purpose. It is unique in having outstanding views from all the public areas and function rooms, not to mention the aptly named Osprey Deck which has an extensive area for BBQs and al fresco eating.

After one year of operation the Lodge passed the rigorous standards of Eat Scotland and, after two, their Head Chef Sandy Cowie won third place at the Grampian Chef of the Year Awards.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.

It is appropriate that in a house set up by the Knights Templar to provide hospitality for those on their way to the Holy Land such excellent provision should continue to be made for the happiness of the inner man.

In the Priory Restaurant it's all open log fires and dinners by candlelight, with Scottish produce at its best forming the basis of many of the attractive dishes. The Poacher's Pocket Bar presumably brings us up to date with nefarious events related to the River Dee which tumbles past outside as haggis, neaps and tatties with a whisky cream sauce or lamb and coriander broth are savoured within.

Collops of Highland venison, dipped in oatmeal, pan-fried and served with lyonnaise potatoes, savoy cabbage and a red onion and wild berry chutney would seem to hit the right note, but the fillet of monkfish or broccoli, goat's cheese and sweet pepper Wellington will also appeal.

Running my eye down the menu I was arrested by the Turkish delight cheesecake, drizzled with a bitter sweet chocolate sauce.

House wine starts at £17.95 and there is a decent list.

Yes, this is certainly a place where the tradition of hospitality is magnificently maintained - the Knights Templar should feel well cherished.