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Orchid Bay gives customers an opportunity to not only sample authentic Thai cuisine but dine in surroundings decorated with lovely traditional Thai artefacts. Conveniently located close to Bedford's main shopping centre, the restaurant is a great place for a quick bite at lunchtime, while shopping or a satisfying meal after work.

The cuisine is made distinctive by ingredients such as coconut milk, lemongrass, basil and galangal that Thailand has to offer. It is the use of all this that makes dishes such as king prawns on skewers with vegetables; spicy salmon soup, and roasted duck with tamarind sauce burst with exciting flavours.

The zesty green and red Thai curries or sea bass coated in chilli can be had with jasmine rice, chicken is stir-fried with asparagus in oyster sauce and a lovely som tum of raw green papaya salad with garlic, chilli, lemon juice, ground peanuts and tomato cools you down. Vegetarians are well catered for with sweet corn pancakes, and crispy tofu stir-fried with mixed vegetables.

In the cosmopolitan town of Luton, the Frog and Rhubarb is a well known pub, frequented by residents and visitors in search of a satisfying and tasty meal. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming and there's an air of laidback leisure that is highly appealing to those who seem to be running on top gear all the time, showing them a delicious way to slow down. Diners can eat in the delightful courtyard garden or in the dining area that is liberally dotted with comfy leather chairs. The cuisine is typically British with some interesting elements thrown in for good measure.

A starter of haddock fishcake with mixed leaves and chilli jam goes down well, followed by a spicy steak burger with tomato salsa and jalapenos, served with chips. From the Mediterranean menu, you could try the Tunisian lamb stew with flat bread, lemon and herb cous cous and finish with a Belgian waffle topped with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Their excellent drinks list offers beers and wines from around the world.

The Five Bells is Stanbridge's local 400 year old country pub and eating house. The original character of the building is enhanced by rich blush-coloured walls, reclaimed timber furniture and low beamed ceilings and the comfort of the adjacent dining area balances beautifully with the homely and intimate style of the lounge bar.

The dishes on the English menu are all created using fresh, local produce, including char-grilled meat and fish supplemented by a range of traditional specials. Expect to find lamb steak on a minted pea mash and seared albacore tuna from Scotland. They also offer a fantastic chateaubriand, a huge chunk of best fillet steak for two to share. Desserts include the gooey chocolate fondant and a twist on the classic black forest trifle.

There is always a good range of wine, lagers and real ale to complement the food you order. In the summer the pub gardens play host to open air barbeques, al fresco dining and lazy afternoon drinking.

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean.

Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.

Located in the centre of an area that contains a wealth of new industry and development, the village of Heath and Reach lives up to its bucolic name, offering an oasis of peace and quiet in the middle of some very attractive countryside.

Within the panelled dining room and half timbered bar most things from a bacon butty to a succulent steak are available. All the meat is local, organic and free range, and supplied fresh on a daily basis. Starters of honey glazed chicken, a warm goat's cheese salad, or duck pâté croustini make a pleasant start to the meal.

Steaks, rump, fillet or gammon are served with either a crisp mixed salad and chips or vegetables of the season. Steak melt is pan fried then topped with mozzarella and bacon, served with mixed salad and chips. Lamb steaks are served with cranberry and thyme jus, whilst the sweet pepper salmon is an oven poached fillet with a sweet pepper, tomato and basil sauce. You have to look around a bit for the fish but a plaice fillet topped with prawns in a citrus sauce is certainly worth seeking out.

For those who like it hot, chicken fajitas are there, and the traditional surf and turf has more than a hint of the Chef's secret spices.

Puddings are a riot of indulgence with hot chocolate fudge pudding, plum and marzipan crumble, to name but two, all served with choices of custard, cream or ice cream.

A large pergola and garden area makes for pleasant al fresco eating.

The elegant and warm interior at Nakom Thai Restaurant is a delightful setting in which diners get to taste some authentic Thai delicacies. Fresh flowers, bright lighting and comfortable furniture mark out this restaurant while the welcoming atmosphere and warm service complete the picture.

Starters are designed to share and the delectable spread of satay chicken, Thai fish cakes, golden parcels, prawn on toast, spring rolls and vegetable tempura may be hard to resist but those who wish to go solo could try the spicy mussel pancakes or crispy tofu with sweet and sour dipping sauce and crushed peanuts dip. Seafood main courses encompass stir-fried prawns with bamboo shoots and Chinese mushrooms with oyster sauce and a special crispy fillet of fish topped with a light curry sauce, coconut milk and lime leaves.

From the curry section there's the popular mussaman of chicken or beef cooked with potatoes, onion, roasted peanuts and tamarind sauce.