A glamourous venue in the heart of London's Canary Wharf, Boisdale offers guests a unique dining experience. Its capacious interiors, which can seat 200 guests, has a vibrant colour scheme of lacquer red and dark green walls with rich mahogany paneling, tartan upholstery and original art work adding to the stylish, sophisticated ambience. The delicious modern British menu features a range of expertly chosen Scottish specialities including Aberdeenshire beef, Hebridean shellfish and Scottish smoked salmon.

The restaurant - housed on the second floor of an Art Deco influenced city block - overlooks Canary Wharf's Cabot Square, offering fine views of the River Thames and the city skyline beyond. Live music creates a buzz with a host of jazz, soul and blues numbers from a host of leading musicians. The space inside is supplemented by a covered and heated Cigar Terrace where diners can light up their favourite cigars while relaxing in comfortable tartan upholstered armchairs and sofas. Cigar lovers can replenish their stock from the restaurant's Cuban Library and Shop which features some of the finest Cuban brands sourced from Hunters & Frankau and C.Gars.

You could also chill out at the art deco-styled Caviar and Oyster Bar, sampling a delicious range of seafood including Rossmore and Colchester rock oysters, cold poached lobster, West Coast Scottish langoustines, Atlantic prawns and Morecombe Bay potted shrimps. The superb caviar selection offers Golden Almas, Imperial Beluga, Classic Oscietra and Royal Salmon for the connoisseur. 

The à la carte menu offers tempting starter dishes such as Aberdeenshire chopped steak tartare with Melba toast, Dunkeld Scottish smoked salmon with a shallot and caper relish and ballotine of guinea fowl and Yorkshire pigeon. A substantial main course could include steak, onion and kidney pudding with poached rock oysters, Wicks Manor pot-roast pork belly and pigs cheeks served with Herefordshire cider, pickled radishes and Ayrshire bacon or Cornish black bream accompanied by watercress risotto, mussels and clams. Your choice of a range of 28-day aged Aberdeenshire steaks served with option of béarnaise sauce, garlic roasted field mushrooms or Rossinni seared foie gras could be equally tempting.

Scrumptious desserts of chilled bread and butter pudding brulée rich with sultanas soaked in Glenfiddich 15-year and served with apricot jelly, Valhrona chocolate cheesecake with ginger biscuits and crème fraîche or crème caramel paired with Chantilly and almond tuile round the meal off in style.

The restaurant's stunning Whisky Bar an unrivalled glowing amber display of a thousand bottles of the finest Scottish malts, ranging from rare gems such as Macallan 1937 and Macallan 1946 to fine varieties like Highland 1968, a 40-year old Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie Traditional, an 18-year old Aberlour and Islay Mist, as well as an extensive range of whiskies from Ireland, the United States, Japan, Wales and India.

The wine list offers a fine selection, with an emphasis on French wines as well as carefully chosen examples from South Africa, Chile and Portugal sprinkled amongst them including Symposium Blanc, Welmoed Chardonnay 2010, Sancerre Rose 2008 Cotes du Rhone 2007 and a rare Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1998.

Boisdale's four elegantly appointed private dining rooms, on the second floor, are perfect for that exclusive party, important business meeting or brainstorming working lunch you might have in mind.

For more information, do visit their Website.

A real taste of the Mediterranean is to be found at Terra, with dishes that have their origins in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and onwards. Located where it is it makes an ideal setting for business lunches, romantic rendezvous, dinner with colleagues or a great place to entertain that creaky relative who is considering making you his principal beneficiary. With theatres all round Terra is a great place for the pre or post suppers that set their seal on a successful evening out.

A menu that will instantly impress your companion with your sagacity and worldliness sets the ball rolling with a choice of 10 or more starters, the diversity of which has been known to change the nature of meals to a tapas party. Among the delights that await, look for pan-fried squid on a bed of mixed leaves with chilli and garlic dressing, or spiced meat balls served with tzatziki dip.

Salads abound as main courses, with basil, feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, olives and peppers as some main ingredients. The grill and griddle starts off with a lamb, sirloin, rib eye or ostrich steaks, possibly overshadowed by escalope Montenegro, char-grilled pork fillet, stuffed with Parma ham and feta cheese. If you have a somewhat jaundiced view on the limited appeal of risotto spare some space for their seafood version with calamari, clams, prawns and mussels, cooked in homemade tomato sauce.

Lest you think Italy may have been overlooked run an eye down the list of pasta dishes, including a tagliatelle alla Terra with wild rocket, scallops and white clams in a white wine sauce. See Terra and live! Desserts are as naughty as you had hoped for, and there are no reports of disappointed diners on record.

A short but punchy wine list may be limited on choice but the ones that matter are there, with house champagne well within limits, house wines that make comfortable drinking possible by the glass or bottle.

Their special offers make for smiley faces, and so make best use of your time and your wallet. For details of offers, menu changes and other good news click on their Website. A taste of the Mediterranean seldom comes at such good rates as these.

The award winning Fire Stables on Church Road has a contemporary feel to it, while at the same time it's also warm and cosy with wonderful views of the garden from the dining room. The pub is a more convivial space with plenty of mismatched wooden furniture for that old world atmosphere and is great for a quick and tasty lunch, while the slightly more formal restaurant is just right for a relaxed and unhurried meal.

The modern British cuisine featured at this restaurant uses fresh and seasonal ingredients, with most of them being organic and sourced locally to ensure that the taste of their dishes is unrivalled. Begin with potted chicken liver and port pâté with crusty bread and move on to roasted haddock supreme on a new potato, broad bean, vine tomato and sorrel salad. Sweet endings could include the likes of mascarpone and pistachio cheesecake with lemon and poppy seed ice cream. The drinks list at Fire Stables includes a happy medley of wines, beers and ales.

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

Located on the riverside in the centre of the lively cathedral town of Ely, offering quality eating and drinking in perfect surroundings, The Boathouse is steeped in history. King Canute and Hereward the Wake would have been familiar with the Great Ouse upon whose banks it stands, and in 1944 the Boat Race crews launched from the building when the Race was staged outside London during the war years.

Nowadays The Boathouse is a leading hotspot of Ely, a town renowned for one of the most outstanding cathedrals in Britain, with a brilliant programme of events taking place in and around this ancient place of worship throughout the year.

There is a main menu, in which you can be sure the locally caught eels, a great Fenland delicacy, will feature. Sure enough, amongst the starters is smoked eel and carrot salad, a baked duck parcel with sweet and sour cucumber; mushrooms on toast with chives and poached egg, or chicken liver pâté with red onion jam.

Main courses follow much the same pattern with roasted cod fillet, potato dumplings, spinach, fried mushrooms and green herb sauce. Denham Estate lamb cutlets are served with balsamic roasted red onions, tomatoes, new potatoes and port sauce, whilst sirloin steak comes with hand cut chips and a choice of sauce from the board.

Amongst the desserts there are some very tempting indulgences, like black cherry and kirsch crème brûlée, chocolate and hazelnut parfait, or the ubiquitous hot sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

At lunchtime a more limited menu is on offer with four starters and mains, which could include warm honey and thyme goats' cheese; sausages and mash made on site, and rhubarb and pear crumble. There can be few pleasanter places in Ely in which to enjoy a leisurely lunch than the sunlit quayside area outside The Boathouse.

A wine list drawn mainly from The Languedoc fields eight bottles at £20 or below, and several by the glass or carafe. The Boathouse is a valuable addition to the area and on present form looks set to thrive, in order to find out more a visit to their Website is definitely recommended.

Think of Brighton, and English's springs to mind, particularly if seafood is your weakness; owned by the Leigh-Jones family since 1945, English's has established itself as one of the most famous seafood restaurants in the South of England. Established by the Braziers during the last century, the restaurant is set within three fishermen's cottages dating back 400 years with wonderful al fresco dining. The three series of murals painted in 1996 by two local art students, Catarina Perestrello and Mark Davies feature Edwardian dinner scenes in the Spode Room. The Wedgwood Room has after dinner pleasures, and the Minton commemorates the handbag scene from 'The Importance of Being Ernest', with none other than the author himself casting a sardonic eye over proceedings. The menu includes a comprehensive array of seafood dishes with a particular emphasis on local and sustainable produce.

Head Chef Gavin Lee started his career about 19 years ago at The Savoy in London, his interest in food started from a very young age, and he was lucky to be offered an apprenticeship in this premier London hotel at the age of 16. He has not looked back since. Gavin draws his inspiration from the creative process; the way a dish starts out in his head and culminates in a delicious meal. It's really about how the journey evolves along the way. Being a chef has also given him the opportunity to travel, having worked in some of the best kitchens in America and New Zealand amongst others.

Due to the seasonality of the products, the menu changes regularly to take advantage of the best that the markets have to offer. Ingredients are, whenever possible sourced locally and an ever increasing emphasis is put on sustainable sources both locally and further afield. Oysters are particularly popular, with a selection of rock oysters available all year round and a selection of native oysters available from September till the end of April. All the oysters come from well respected suppliers who take the utmost care and attention to ensure a superior product for the customer.

Great care and attention is taken in the selection of wines making the List. Bringing you a variety of wines with interesting back stories as well as great tone, character and taste. A good deal of time and effort has been spent sourcing, tasting and compiling a carefully chosen mix of wines, champagnes, dessert wines and half bottles which means it goes beyond the examples widely available on the High Street. The list is tweaked and refreshed on an on-going basis, whilst retaining many of the firm favourites. You also cannot fail to be impressed with the selection available by the glass, which offers variety and flexibility to your choice.

Whether you choose to sit 'sur le terroir', at the famous Oyster Bar or in one of the Edwardian plush dining rooms you will experience a traditional and expertly executed service which has all but disappeared in the modern wave of the branded restaurants. Whether it's due to the notable volumes of regular guests or the confidence and surety throughout this establishment, there is a genuine and relaxed friendliness in the air. The stereotypical pretentious nature synonymous with celebrated restaurants certainly does not exist here.

It's hard to say anything more about this restaurant so just go there, sit outside on a good day and enjoy superb seafood with the salty breeze off the Channel; or nestle into the plush red velvet and gold décor for an evening of unbridled pleasure.

For vastly more information about English's, a unique Brighton institution, their private dining and full menus, do visit their Website.

The Restaurant is situated behind the Brasserie and is the focus of 1 Lombard Street's central theme. Located in a grade II listed, transformed corner bank site which until 2008 might have been calculated to instil some frisson of security. Alas, no more. Instead, from a circular bar cocktails of both a lethal and aristocratic origin, with names forever associated with the surrounding City and its preoccupation with matters of money, are dispensed by staff who certainly know what they are about.

The neo-classical interior is graced by domed skylights by Pietro Agostini and curving banquettes provide a particularly plush surface for the hind quarters of the well heeled. What better place than to regale ones self with a big boy's lunch whilst taking a short break on a hard day making money?

The full à la carte does not stay still for long but expect to find dishes along the lines of starters of carpaccio of tuna, oriental spices and toasted sesame seeds, radish, ginger and lime vinaigrette, or salad of Cornish crab and avocado with brown crab meat, herb mayonnaise, lemon oil and bloody Mary sorbet. However, the scallops 'mid cuit' with citrus and tarragon, virgin olive oil, liquorice and fennel will bring a quiet smile of delight to the connoisseur.

From the main fish courses the seared sea bass with fennel seeds, Provençal vegetables, basil mash and warm saffron and tomato vinaigrette is a rare treat, whilst amongst the meat and poultry the limousin veal fillet comes to table with sweetbreads and asparagus Chablis and sorrel velouté puff pastry.

From an impressive list of puddings keep a lookout for a chocolate, whisky and coffee praline lombardo. There's also a feuillantine of caramelised Granny Smith and Guinness ice cream topped off deliciously with glazed hazelnuts. A wine list that is impressive in its scope includes legendary names and years.

1 Lombard Street - The Brasserie and Restaurant are bookable online, please use the drop-down booking box to bring up Brasserie in it; be careful to use Restaurant if you want to book that.

Their Website is well worth visiting as a prelude to the real thing.

The history of The Old Bull and Bush goes back to 1721 but it leapt to fame in the 1920s with the music hall song 'The Old Bull and Bush' sung by Florrie Ford, the 'Madonna' of her time. It is one of those pubs that have surfaced on the mainstream of casual eating in the UK and are taking an increasing share of the market, evidenced by their growth in numbers and the popularity of what they have to offer. If this results in a 'type' there is certainly no harm in that.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have an al fresco eating out space - The Old Bull and Bush has a front courtyard with soft bench seating and cafe style furniture - and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Old Bull and Bush, with its traditional pub hospitality, deep leather seating and attractive teak furniture provides ample evidence that this is true.

But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings, and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, garlic pizzette with caramelised onion and rocket, a box baked camembert with stiratta romagna and homemade tomato jam, and Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with warm flatbreads. Amongst the starters is freshly made soup, baked mushrooms, spinach, dolcelatte and stiratta romagna, and gambas, garlic, rocket and aioli with rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops of the day.

The salads - sorry that should read 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, hoisin, carrots, spring onions, watercress with plum sauce, and for the seafood fiends some prawn, avocado, pecans, mango, bacon with orange and pomegranate vinaigrette 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 pomodoro, mozzarella, oregano and basil, piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños or rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes. For the big event there is a roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes.

The classic burger, which has risen from the confines of fast food chains, carves a niche for itself on the menu and comes with gherkin, mustard mayo, cheese, relish and chips. For hearty eaters there are rib-eye and fillet steaks, and spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and chips. A wide range of supporting dishes include green salad, Belgian chips and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and there is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

The Old Bull and Bush stocks a wide range of beers, both ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good traditional English gastropub.

A well constructed Website enables you to keep in touch with menu changes or forthcoming events. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

On the outskirts of Waltham Cross, a well-heeled county town close to the borders of Hertfordshire and Essex, the Goff's Oak delivers delicious modern British and Mediterranean food in stunning surroundings. Close to the M25, in the heart of the rural commuter belt just north of London, the Goff's Oak combines the warm welcome of a traditional country pub with the sophistication, expertise and service of a slick city restaurant. A carefully compiled wine list as well as a selection of cask ales, draught and bottled beers complement the food perfectly.

Alongside the excellent a la carte menu, the Goff's Oak believes in adding that unique touch to make diners feel special. A celebratory Supper Club menu offers a two-course meal for two with a bottle of exclusive Rothschild champagne for just £40. Steak lovers can look forward to Wednesdays when they can enjoy their favourites along with a bottle of red wine at half the price. On Sparkling Thursdays wine connoisseurs can relish a variety of champagnes and sparkling wines at special prices.

Lunch or dinner here can begin with starters of sticky pork ribs with watermelon, ginger, soy and chilli; Moroccan lamb koftas with fattoush salad and tzatziki and chorizo, or a sharing platter of garlic pizzette, caramelised onions and rocket. You could, alternatively, try salad of spiedini of chicken and chorizo in a  piri piri sauce with feta cheese, roast peppers and salad leaves.

Adventurous Italian dishes include a stone-baked gamberetti pizza with toppings of tiger prawns, char grilled courgettes, chilli, tomato, gremolata and basil; pasta of braised rabbit with Aspall's Cyder, pappardelle, mushroom, spinach, cream and pangratatto  or pulled pork with pea and Applewood Cheddar macaroni add an authentic Mediterranean flavour to the à la carte.

The grill offers traditional favourites including succulent spit roast maple gammon with Brussel sprout and parmesan gratin or fillet steak garni with watercress, confit tomato, grilled mushroom and hand-cut jenga chips. Seafood lovers could consider battered haddock with frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas or sea bass fillets served with sweet potato, spinach curry and tzatziki.

Unlike many run of the mill 'gastro pubs' vegetarians are also well catered for with tempting dishes including box-baked camembert on stirata Romana bread with homemade tomato jam; baked button mushrooms with Pinot Grigio cream and garlic or a hearty cannelloni al forno with spinach, leeks, butternut squash, ricotta and tomato sauce.
 
Scrumptious desserts include white chocolate crème brûlée, Black Forest tiramisu, gypsy tart with whipped cream or chocolate marquise with chocolate sauce and bring any meal to a fitting end. A cheese plate with Colliers Cheddar, camembert and gorgonzola could be equally satisfying.

An extensive selection of aperitifs, digestifs, bottled beers, soft drinks and hot drinks quenches the thirst. The wine list offers a delightful selection of delicate whites and robust reds from the Mediterranean as well as some examples from the rest of the world.

Liked it at the Goff's Oak? Then why not visit sister pubs The Nag's Head in Brentwood, and The George and Dragon in Epping.

More information can be found on their Website.

As you walk the cobbled path to enter, an element of curiosity prevails. Comfortably situated off Barnet Road, The Arkley is a smart village inn and dining, whose pleasingly understated structure and design give a cosy and homely feel. The stripped out inside is a clever fusion of countryside grace and self consciously modish décor with rustic wooden furnishings, neutral tones, sensual textures and eye-catching modern art.

The atmosphere is one of joviality particularly when the sun is out, and the world seems a better place as you enjoy an al fresco meal or lounge in the warmth. The outside of the pub is set with comfortable chairs and benches, easily seating around forty-five diners at a time. For all those special occasions, The Arkley could be just the place with its retro-chic theme and bespoke menus to suit all tastes and budgets.

The kitchen's approach to cooking is mostly modern British, underpinned by a slight Mediterranean focus, with great emphasis placed on sourcing high quality seasonal ingredients. There's something for everyone and all occasions and you will find traditional favourites such as pizzas, steaks and fish and chips interestingly juxtaposed with chef's daily specials.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, box baked Camembert with rustic bread or Greek mezze of taramasalata with humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbread.

Amongst the starters expect to find freshly made soup of the day, oak smoked salmon with buttered asparagus, melon, Serrano ham, feta and chilli ice cream or red onion tart with jersey blue cheese, watercress and roasted vine tomatoes. The salads ? more generally referred to as 'leaves' - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots, spring onions and plum sauce and for the seafood fiends some smoked trout, prawn, pancetta, creamy lemon dressing, watercress and spinach goes down extraordinarily well.

For the big event look for a fish dish that includes the likes of smoked salmon and prawn fishcakes, baby spinach and hollandaise. The fillet steak with truffled mushroom sauce and frites is well worth trying too, so too the rib-eye steak with jersey blue cheese stuffed mushroom, watercress and fresh horseradish salad. Pastas include spaghetti, asparagus, and lemon mascarpone with poached free range egg, rocket and panagrattato.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes Belgium frites and mayo and sweet potato fritters and Asian dip. For desserts resort to the classics ? chocolate fondant, vanilla pod cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding. Local cheeses enjoy a wide popularity

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, many just one word but very accurate, even if ?regal, intense and youthful? does sound rather like a generous heiress of infinite promise. The Arkley also stocks a wide range of traditional cask ales alongside well known bottled brews.

Check regularly on their Website for menu changes and arrangements for special events and celebrations. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

The Rising Sun Hotel in Lynmouth is the harbour side inn of your dreams with a thatched roof, ancient beams and haphazard wooden floors, and dates from the 14th century. It is steeped in history with oak panelling, crooked ceilings, thick beachstone walls and creaking uneven floorboards. Their modern approach to food in their 1 AA Rosette restaurant is confident and it is clearly presented, with a lot of the raw ingredients produced in the area, like Lynmouth Bay lobster, local game and salmon fished from River Lyn itself.

It was in one of its rooms that R.D. Blackmore wrote several chapters of his West Country classic Lorna Doone. It sits overlooking a tiny picturesque harbour and Lynmouth Bay with its stunning backdrop of the highest hogback cliffs in England, and situated on the edge of the Exmoor National Park, where herds of deer, wild ponies and birds of prey roam free.

As it has grown it has absorbed neighbouring cottages including the one (featured here) in which Shelley and his 16-year old bride Harriet are said to have spent their honeymoon. Shelleys Cottage has lost none of its romance and now consists of a double bedroom with half-tester bed, sitting room, private garden with quite spectacular views and is ideal for those wanting something extra special.

Many of the bedrooms have half-tester beds and were refurbished by international designer Suzanne Lansdell of 'Pour La Maison' in London, combining the latest design fabrics with traditional elegance within a 14th century ambience, assuring their guests of an unforgettable romantic experience.

For starters the choice could consist of: Cornish crab with sweet pepper and mascarpone tortellini; chicken liver and foie gras parfait with homemade piccalilli; Italian tomato bread soup or Parma ham with black figs, rocket leaves, toasted pine nuts and vintage balsamic.

There is a wide range of fish and seafood dishes, such as whole grilled sea bass with tarator, fennel and new potatoes, but you might care to go for the braised pheasant with pancetta and quince and Braunton greens; slow cooked belly pork with pommery mash potato and spinach, or rib eye steak served with a béarnaise sauce and hand cut chips.

The times given are for the service of food in the restaurant, an excellent choice of bar food is available from 12:00 to 15:00 and 19:00 to 21:00; this generally focuses on fresh local fish and game as available, and, according to season may include Lynmouth Bay Lobster salad, Exmoor game casserole, fresh sea bass and other generally 'upmarket' bar food in the region of £7 - £12 per dish.

They offer an extremely enterprising and well put together wine list, of varied international parentage, with many of the choices below £20, and the vast majority under £30; also three dessert wines and a very decent selection of half bottles, over ten in all. More information on residential packages, menus and much more can be viewed on their Website.