Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Berkshire Downs in the village of Chaddleworth, The Ibex is housed in a Grade II-listed cottage that once served as a bakery before being turned into a traditional country pub. Guests can let their hair down in the comfortable setting for an evening of conviviality with wholesome pub grub fare in what is the village?s hot spot.

Several months of refurbishment have returned the Ibex to the heart of the community. Diners can expect to enjoy dishes such as fishcakes, beef lasagne, chicken chasseur, carpaccio of tuna with rocket and red pepper coulis and open beef Wellington with thyme jus. Staples of beer battered fish and chips, bangers and mash, steak and ale pie, shepherd's pie and chicken curry with rice as well as a range of burgers and sandwiches could do justice just as well. Round off the satisfying meal with spotted dick or pear and almond tart. Greene King real ales and guest brews plus a range of wines by the glass provide further cause for pleasure.

The Bull Inn is a well-known restaurant in Bisham Village, quite close to Bisham Abbey and for the past decade or more they have been responsible for bringing a little bit of France to this side of England. Comfortable seating options looking out into the pretty garden, which is also perfect for al fresco dining, warm welcome from the staff and the anticipation of numerous gastronomic delights makes this lovely restaurant extremely popular amongst the local clientele as well as those who happen to visit.

Typically French, the cuisine runs the whole gamut of choices from fish, poultry, grills and even delightful flambées. For appetisers, there could be a cold crab salad or frog's legs sautéed with tomatoes, garlic and onions and entrées might include a fillet steak topped with pate and Madeira wine sauce on a crouton base. The dessert trolley offers numerous delectable choices and the wine list is extensive, featuring some fine selections from the house cellar.

The hotel is located in the picture postcard village of Cookham Dean, less than hour's drive from London. Housed in a country style cottage, the chic interiors come as a pleasant surprise as there is nothing rustic about it, except for the warm service.

The restaurant has an a la carte menu and offers spinach teriyaki omelette with a green salsa and roast cod with buttered beans and broccoli served with an interesting orange hollandaise sauce. The simple menu offers a selection of cheeses and desserts too. Gary Hollihead runs the state of the art kitchen efficiently and personally supervises the delectable cuisine offered.

The restaurant offers hand picked wines from around the globe and the cocktail bar boasts a log burning fire in winter. In summer, the place is transformed and the wonderful garden and Mediterranean courtyard are thrown open to diners. The chic and intimate dining rooms are a wonderfully romantic dinner setting. The serene settings, great cuisine and friendly service make this a perfect getaway for a relaxed meal.

Konrad Liu is the chef and owner of Ascot Oriental, a lovely restaurant that lays great emphasis on making the experience of dining complete, with tasty food, good wine, warm service and beautiful surroundings. This has helped the haven to become one of the best dining destinations of its kind in Berkshire. The 100-year-old building in which Ascot Oriental is located went through an extensive refurbishment to turn into an appealing little place locals love to call their own.

Spend time over a pre-dinner drink in the garden patio and head to the main dining area to enjoy an exciting oriental meal. The focus is on cooking fresh ingredients in a hot pan with an infusion of spices that make dishes such as seared teriyaki marinated tuna fillet with crushed peppercorns burst with flavour. Look out for barbecued pork ribs, fried fillet of lemon sole in pine kernel and orange sauce; and tofu with pork, prawns, shitake mushrooms and preserved cabbage.

The conservatory room is regularly used for private and business functions.

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.