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Case Mia has rapidly earned a reputation as one of Dumfries and Galloway's top flight restaurants, serving a consistently good quality of cuisine with a decidedly modern European twist. Open seven days a week and situated literally minutes from Dumfries Town Centre, this delightful place is set in a secluded corner on the banks of the River Nith. Casa Mia has about it an air of elegance, refinement and sophistication that encourages return visits.

Under the expert management of Butrint Gashi, Case Mia benefits from his wide experience at Le Cafe du Jardin in Covent Garden and elsewhere with the result that the good people of Dumfries and Galloway find this restaurant highly desirable not only for intimate occasions when a good impression is required, but also for social and business events that demand efficient and competent handling.

Steak nights are a regular feature, so are seafood nights, and Greek cuisine gets a look in as well. From Sunday to Thursday from 5pm onwards, 5 - 7 pm on Fridays and 5 - 6 pm on Saturdays, Casa Mia is renowned for its Eat Late for Less menu, with 2 or 3 courses at under £16, that could start with chicken and apple Caesar salad, homemade beef lasagne served with garlic bread and cream filled profiteroles with warm chocolate sauce.

A lunch menu offers some twelve starters amongst which expect to find a tower of haggis, neeps and tatties with cream whisky sauce and air dried chips, or tempura battered fish skewer with marinated cucumber and sweet chilli sauce, succeeded by some 13 choices that include char grilled minute steak with peppercorn sauce and chips or fillet of plaice on baby new potatoes and mixed leaves salad with balsamic and lime juice. Wraps and ciabattas are there aplenty.

But it is the evening dinner menu, with its overtones of formality and relaxed enjoyment that brings people to Casa Mia, with homemade smoked haddock fish cakes with spring onion, tomato and salsa, cured Parma ham, melon and fresh fig platter with lemon and herb oil dressing, followed by Spanish style paella, or a rare grilled ostrich fillet on roasted red pepper and potato with port jus and mushroom duxelles.

The variety of their culinary achievements is amply supported by a wine list that bears all the evidence of a travelled approach to the subject, at prices which are a positive encouragement to combine the best of both. Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, was very familiar with Dumfries, nor was he lacking in an appreciative approach to matters of human refreshment. As a good democrat he would undoubtedly have approved of Butrint's friendly approach to local organisations, who find Casa Mia just the ticket for their fund raising dinners and events, or local artists who exhibit in the Casa Mia Gallery. Menus change fast, do keep an eye on their  Website for updates.

Dumfries and Galloway is a wonderful area of enormous scenic beauty attracting residents of skills and talents, and it is greatly to the credit of Casa Mia that they can rise to the implicit challenges so successfully.

The first Browns opened at Brighton in 1973 with one simple guiding belief, that classic food, well delivered in a stylish environment, would be a recipe for success. The only thing that has changed since then is the number of Browns, now running at fourteen, of which six are in London, all prospering with the same theme.

Some of their buildings are particularly legendary in style, sometimes listed and always interesting. The premises at Edinburgh are located in George Street, the street that runs parallel with Princes Street and is, in a Sassenach view, far more Scottish.

The main menu, available throughout the day, starts with appetisers, designed for sharing, with antipasti of Italian meat, vegetarian or seafood. Try also the flatbreads with a range of interesting toppings. In amongst the thirteen starters expect to come across smoked duck, crisp noodle and cashew nut salad with red peppers, tumeric cauliflower, spring onions and a sherry vinaigrette. The fish and salad choices include fish and chips tempura battered cod with minted mushy peas and tartar sauce and seared beef fillet salad with chilli, garlic, soy and spring onions.

The same theme of comfortable food, well-cooked and presented, continues throughout the mains course with roast chicken breast in sour dough bread with baby spinach, tomato and mayonnaise, served with seasoned chips, and steak frites 6oz prime sirloin, served with a lemon, parsley and peppercorn butter.

Desserts include some indulgent Browns cheesecake with a selection of baked vanilla, chocolate, lemon, strawberry, banoffee or rum and raisin. By the way their breakfast and brunch menu is just one of the best as is the lunch and early menu. Little ones have their own dedicated menu where they can choose between tomato penne pasta and smoked fishcake with a hollandaise sauce and green salad.

The wine list is masterful and not over long, sometimes a great relief to those who find it difficult to navigate their way through a lengthier list, however interesting. Many bottles are available by the glass and helpfully each group of wines is classified under headings such as white, red and rose with house recommendations, New and Old World wines under them.

Browns in Edinburgh are well able to deal with groups, and have special menus to look after their particular interests. Click on their excellent Website for further details and menu changes.

The Forth Floor Restaurant, Brasserie and Bar offer guests a stylish, striking venue for lunch, dinner or drinks; floor to ceiling windows run the length of the restaurant and brasserie giving spectacular views over the Edinburgh skyline from the Castle to The Firth of Forth, making it an ideal venue for entertaining. A thirty two metre Terrace poised high over St Andrew Square provides the opportunity to dine in the fresh air and sunshine for which the capital is renowned.

Whether dining in the more formal Restaurant, meeting friends for a casual supper in the Brasserie or starting the night with a cocktail or glass of champagne in the Bar the Forth Floor provides the very best in contemporary entertaining.

The Restaurant opens for lunch every day and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. The Brasserie serves breakfast every day; lunch and an afternoon menu from Monday to Saturday - as well as brunch on a Sunday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. In the evening, diners enter the restaurants via a dedicated express lift situated at the side of the store off Multrees Walk.

Stuart Muir, Scottish born and bred Executive Chef, has been at the Forth Floor since day one and is passionate about the excellent Scottish produce he has available to him and the ever-growing restaurant scene. Whether using hand dived scallops from Tarbert or Loch Etive oysters, Stuart is proud to feature Scottish produce on the menu. The restaurant serves modern British cooking with a twist, while the Brasserie serves classic British and European food for more casual dining.

Lunch in the restaurant might include beetroot cured salmon with lemon salted cucumber and poached Loch Etive oyster with pickled ginger, or milk poached loin of rabbit with roast black fig, grapefruit jelly and homemade citrus cream cheese. Main courses of roast halibut with camembert fritter have smoked garlic, chive potato duchess and cauliflower puree on the side, and roast loin of pork with ginger bread Melba combines wonderfully with cinnamon apple puree, trompette mushrooms, honey comb and thyme jus. Pear bread and butter pudding with rum and raisin ice cream or a selection of Scottish cheeses with heather honeycomb and homemade crackers make a blissful end to a perfect meal with a skyline view.

At dinner dishes are more elaborate and could start with ceviche of North Atlantic monkfish with spiced candied pumpkin seeds, chilli, Thai fish bon bon and soya sauce, or tarragon and mushroom gnocchi with crispy shallots and caramelized hazelnut, before moving on to braised shin of Scottish beef with spiced aubergine puree, roast provençal vegetables, truffle potato crisp and confit garlic, or maybe smoked cheddar and thyme risotto with honey glazed beets, carrots and navets. Desserts tend to have a wow factor with chocolate assiette, saffron poached pears with honey cream and lemon sweet pastry.

The Sommelier at the Forth Floor is on hand and happy to help you negotiate your way around an extensive selection of wines, and champagnes, from all over world, with many bottles exclusive to Harvey Nichols in Scotland. The list is full of treats for every pocket from £18.50 to £2,500. Should wine not be your particular tipple, they also have a full range of spirits from small batch bourbons to unusual malts to fine cognacs.

The Brasserie offers stylish casual dining for lunch and dinner and the menu might include favourites such as Scottish rib-eye steak frites, pan-fried fillets and marinated lamb gigot. Desserts include a flourless chocolate mousse cake with berry sorbet and ice creams from S. Luca of Musselburgh.

The Bar features comfy leather banquettes, low leather stools and an unexpected view of Leith and the sea. Most importantly the extensive back bar accommodates numerous unusual spirits that help the bar team conjure up the freshest and most exciting cocktails.

In addition to Forth Floor Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, the fourth floor also has a 3000 sq ft Foodmarket with Wineshop that sells fresh foods with a strong emphasis on local sourcing and grocery products from across the world - often sold exclusively to Harvey Nichols - as well as their award-winning own-label range. The Wineshop stocks a wide variety of interesting spirits and over 300 hand picked wines and Champagnes.

For more details please visit the Website.

Photographs - Copyright Chris Gascoigne.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes 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 Edinburgh, du Vin has taken on the site of a former lunatic asylum, squirrelled away deep in the Old Town of Edinburgh, only a short walk from the historic Royal Mile. Next door to the well-known Bedlam Theatre, this striking luxury boutique hotel has 47 timelessly furnished rooms and stunning suites offering monsoon showers, luxurious Egyptian cotton linen, and air conditioning. Plasma TVs and DVDs are also standard. As a comfortable base from which to explore the fascinating city of Edinburgh, with its great historic and cultural heritage, as well enjoy the nightlife and entertainment scene, the hotel could hardly be bettered.

In the trademark classy bistro the choice of starters could include shell on prawns with garlic mayonnaise, an Isle of Mull soufflé, pig terrine with homemade pickle, or duck rillette with crusty bread. How often the simple things in life are the best, and it applies here to the classic dishes on offer, amongst which the devilled lamb's kidneys, or the choux farci a l'alsacienne, are notable.

Head Chef Matt Powell leaves no recipe book unread in his quest for new dishes, including those of his own, and main courses demonstrate his success. Natural smoked haddock cassoulet with Montgomery's cheddar crust, char-grilled squid, fennel, leeks and a warm chorizo dressing and chicken Cordon Bleu with potato salad all demonstrate an independence of approach that is mirrored throughout the menus, which change daily.

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 two sommeliers, headed here by Romain Audrerie, 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.

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre.

Malmaison Aberdeen is a note-worthy addition to the Malmaison family formerly known as Queen's Hotel, where guests receive the treatment befitting royalty. The 80 bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing, blending in period features with modern designs in everything from the art-nouveau style cast iron entrance to the large bedrooms and suites. The Slains Suite might allure the sporting enthusiast, with a private terrace overlooking the local rugby pitches, a football table and a massive eight-footer sleigh bed.

The brasserie is a haven of fine foods selected from local produce such as Aberdeen Angus sirloin, a knickerbocker glory or line caught sea bass The brasserie seats 100 and is complemented by two luxurious private dining rooms, The Chef's Table and The Hauf, with elegant décor in cerise, pinks and blacks. Their Josper oven is unique to Aberdeen and powered only by coal to give all the meats the smokey full flavours they merit.

An inspired choice amongst the main courses is the confit belly of Packington pork with apple aaroncini, cèpe cream and crackling while the duo of beef with roast autumn root vegetables and sauce bordelaise is just perfect for those seeking by this time a slightly more carnivoristic approach. Which leads us neatly to the, wait for it, Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

But at Malmaison Aberdeen the signature steak is not for the faint hearted and The Butcher's Favourite is a 700 gram 'bone in rib steak', only one example of the quality meats supplied by local butcher Donald Russell. Vegetarians are well looked after - the courgette and gruyere soufflé with bitter leaves, wet Italian polenta with wild mushroom and poached egg and the sweet corn risotto with basil pesto sound appealing.

Heading the puddings is the House crème brûlée, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find the warm Dundee cakes with whisky ice cream and a steamed blueberry sponge with custard. Their homemade ice creams and sorbets are dreamy while their renowned cheese trolley has a selection of British and French farmhouse cheeses served with an assortment of breads, biscuits and a choice of fig, apricot or date loaf.

Their wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them. Thank you, Johnny!

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Aberdeen. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations online on their Website.

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre.

Malmaison and glamour go hand in hand in this stunning converted 19th century Episcopal Church, which forms their presence in Glasgow. According to local history, for much of the 19th century this church was one of Glasgow's most fashionable places to worship; you could say it still is if you worship style, passion and flair!

The bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing. The Big Yin suite is a tribute to one of Glasgow's illustrious citizens, actor and comedian, Billy Connolly. With a tartan roll top bath in your living room in front of the telly, it's a perfect place to catch up with the soaps! All you need is a few deep-fried Mars Bars for the odd snack.

Ornate wrought iron work on the staircase and the spherical chandelier create a dramatic and unforgettable entrance. In the heart of the city, it has become the place to stay, always alive with guests and locals enjoying the new Champagne Bar and Brasserie in the vaulted basement.

Amidst elegant surroundings, with spotless gleaming glassware and shining cutlery, an essentially brasserie menu is offered, where lovers of seafood will be delighted to note at once that their particular needs are well heeded, starting with a delightful mussel and saffron chowder or a smoked haddock fishcake.

Head Chef Graham Digweed and his team offers a range of brasserie dishes such as chicken consommé and tarragon dumplings that have always been popular choices, and can be taken here as a starter or a main course. Monkfish with chorizo and butter beans rarely fails to please, and a game terrine is served with homemade pickles and sour dough.

An inspired choice is the beef cheeks bourguignon for those seeking by this time a slightly more carnivorous approach. Which leads us neatly to the - wait for it - Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

Over the years the number of outriders surrounding a good honest steak on the plate has grown to unacceptable dimensions. At Malmaison the thought and care is centred on the 35 day aged rump steak frites and that's it - except for the chips. If you want all the rest go for the side dishes, but steak and chips on its own takes some beating. Vegetarians are well looked after - the pumpkin and gorgonzola filled gnocchi sounded appealing.

Heading the desserts is the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find a chocolate pithivier with clotted cream. Their trio of chocolate and crème brûlée is truly dreamy.

The well travelled wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them. This being Scotland there is a meaningful display of single malts.

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Glasgow. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations Online on their Website.

The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre. Perched on the banks of the Forth in Leith, it is within walking distance of the great restaurants and bars in Leith and only minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

Inside the décor is stylish with marked French overtones, matching the general buzz factor that makes this one of the more popular places not only to stay in Scotland's capital city, but also to eat in comfort surrounded by good taste. As you walk in, you'll be met with grand staircases, slinky sofas in the lobby and the doorways to the brasserie and Bar Nirvana.

The bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing and they are uniquely designed in either vibrant colours or muted shades. Room 121 deserves a special mention - a four poster bed with regal fabrics, a stunning high ceiling and views of the cobbled courtyard to the River Leith - it's pure decadence.

Amidst elegant surroundings, with spotless gleaming glassware and shining cutlery, an essentially brasserie menu is offered from which lovers of seafood will be delighted to note that their particular needs are well heeded, starting with a delightful mussel and saffron chowder or devilled whitebait. That very brasserie dish, eggs Florentine with fat cut chips, has staged a comeback, and can be taken here as a starter or main course. Smoked ham hock seldom fails to please, and the Tamworth pork cutlet is served with apple compote, red cabbage and prunes.

An inspired choice is the beef bourguignon for those seeking by this time a slightly more carnivorous - approach. Which leads us neatly to the, wait for it - Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries. Vegetarians are well looked after - the pumpkin and gorgonzola filled gnocchi sound appealing.

Over the years the number of outriders surrounding a good honest steak on the plate has grown to unacceptable dimensions. At Malmaison the thought and care is centred on the 35 day aged rump steak frites and that's it - except for the chips. If you want all the rest go for the side dishes, but steak and chips on its own takes some beating.

Heading the puddings is the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find rhubarb and apple crumble. Their homemade ice creams and sorbets are dreamy.

The wine list is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them.

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Edinburgh. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations Online on their Website.

There's one thing about Maison Bleue, absolutely no chance of missing it. Quite how they managed it I know not, but blue it is, very prettily done up with plenty of flowers on the outside in season, right in the heart of Edinburgh's atmospheric Old Town. Not for the first time do Scottish and Gallic influences join happily together.

Inside the historic origins of the building are enhanced by impressive stone arches, a spiral wooden staircase and unique interior design scheme. In the kitchens a comfortable blend of French, North Africa and Scottish cuisine creates memorable meals that linger on the palate and in the memory.

The a la carte is the main source of business, and it quickly becomes apparent that diners are faced with la mission impossible as one dish after another sets the tastebuds tapping, starting with bleue-abaisse soup, Bleue's signature version of the Marseilles fish soup, whole fish chunks served with a crouton and spicy rouille sauce. Haggis balls fried in beer batter, served with clapshot potatoes and whisky sauce make the point for Scotland, whilst Moroccan breewats rely upon spinach and goat's cheese wrapped in filo pastry and served with a light salad are simply delicious.

Four varieties of brochette all place equal strain upon the decision making process, but salvation is at hand with a mix of all four. There are few more rousing dishes than a seafood gumbo, a hearty fish and seafood stew from the Bayou with chorizo for extra zest and a Creole shrimp sauce. A tagine centres round a whole lamb shank with exciting spices, nor does Bleue pass up on the fish and chips, over baked chips and a nod to France with garlic mushie peas.

Steaks are in a class of their own, Aberdeen Angus guaranteed, and though the accompaniments vary my guess is that those who like their steaks with chips only could be accommodated. This is not one of those establishments where staff sulk when clients express a preference.

This being quality Edinburgh it would be unlikely that a cheeseboard from the excellent Ian Mellis would be missing, supplemented by market additions that might have escaped even his eagle eye.

Le Banquet Bleu offers three courses at £25 with a vegetarian option at £19.90. Be sure not to miss the surprise calamari, medallion of venison and the saffron risotto. A lunch and pre-theatre menu more than amply prepares equally for the rigours of the day or enjoyments to come from Edinburgh's packed cultural life. Special occasions are honoured, and haggis 'Vietnamese style with a whisky sweet and sour dip' can hardly fail to rouse interest.

A supple and masterly wine list covers a well selected range from £14 to special treats around the £50 mark and bears all the evidence of having been well discussed with the chefs. Nor are they miserly with their recipes which they share with customers, one free recipe each month sent by email.

Their Website is well organised and will fill in all the gaps about this delightful and friendly place, a wonderful place to visit and allow good food and wine to work its magic on your day.

The first Browns opened at Brighton in 1973 with one simple guiding belief, that classic food, well delivered in a stylish environment would be a recipe for success. The only thing that has changed since then is the number of Browns, now running at fourteen, of which six are in London, all prospering with the same theme.

The main menu, available throughout the day, starts with appetisers, designed for sharing, with antipasti of Italian meat, vegetarian or seafood. Try the flatbreads with a range of interesting toppings.

In amongst the thirteen starters expect to come across smoked duck, crisp noodle and cashew nut salad with red peppers, tumeric cauliflower, spring onions and a sherry vinaigrette. The fish and salad choices include fish and chips tempura battered cod with minted mushy peas and tartar sauce and pan-fried butterflied tiger prawns tossed with linguine in a tomato, coriander and chorizo sauce.

The same theme of comfortable food, well-cooked and presented, continues throughout the mains course with roast chicken breast in sour dough bread with baby spinach, tomato and mayonnaise, served with seasoned chips, and steak frites 6oz prime sirloin, served with a lemon, parsley and peppercorn butter.

The chalkboard carries a list of the day's specials, but every day except Sunday is Browns's afternoon tea day, served from 2 to 5.30 pm, and on Sundays it offers a choice of three roasts. It would be harder to find a dessert much more English than lemon tartlet with crème fraîche.

Browns at Glasgow are well able to deal with groups, and have special menus to look after their particular interests. Click on their excellent Website for further details and menu changes.

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes 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 Glasgow, du Vin has taken on the notable and highly respected One Devonshire Gardens, set in a tree-lined Victorian terrace in the fashionable and exciting West End of Glasgow. The list of awards would take up the whole of this review, each one of which must give its own particular pleasure to du Vin's owners; suffice to say that an appreciative press and côrps de critiques has not been slow off the mark to demonstrate its feelings.

Spread over five joined Town houses, the luxurious collection of bedrooms offers an unparalleled level of luxury, with luxurious duvets and Egyptian cotton bedding, fluffy bathrobes, satellite TV, CD and DVD player, mini bar stocked with treats, fresh tea, coffee and milk, and generously sized and plentiful toiletries. Some rooms forsake Victorian splendour for a more contemporary feel, including monsoon showers.

In the classy hallmark du Vin bistro a choice of four starters could include capuccino of lobster and pernod, truffle infused oil and organic smoked salmon cannelloni, spinach purée and plum tomato.

Main courses demonstrate a prime contribution to those Awards, with finesse and imagination from Executive Chef Paul Tamburrini and his team involved to a remarkable level. The poached and roasted breast of mallard comes with goats' cheese emulsion, toasted barley and xérès vinegar whilst the butter roasted line caught halibut is served with pommes purée, fine beans, and curried mussel jus. Round off with crème brûlée, with amaretto ice cream and financiers, or the chocolate marquis with pear sorbet, sesame tuile to complete a meal that has taken you to the stars.

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 two sommeliers, headed here by Sebastiano Ingaliso, 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.