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A good-quality Indian restaurant, with a reputation for discerning cooking involving the use of fresh spices, agreeable staff, all of which has greatly endeared it to the local population who like their Indian cuisine as much as anybody else.

A former coaching inn, thatched and with more than its quota of old world charm. Chef Emma Sexton offers a seasonal range of menus, with dishes whose ingredients come from reliable local suppliers as well as the pub garden. Start with the Cornish white crab meat accompanied by an Oloroso jelly and walnut cream and caramelised onion biscuit, followed perhaps by the duck threesome, duck breast, leg and duck sausage.To go with it a white bean, tomato and smoked bacon cassoulet, some shredded spinach and fried potatoes, rounded off with a chocolate marquise. Allow time for the wine list - not far short of 300 wines, peppered with classic names and years.

The Carrington Arms is a traditional family run countryside inn, situated in the picturesque village of Mousloe, serving seasonal modern British fare. Lighter options including sandwiches and pub food are also available in the bar. The restaurant features a large garden seating area and pub patio. The meat and sea food counter is famous among the locals. Guests can enjoy a range of local beers as well as taste wines from the extensive list.

Start with smoked ham, black gammon, chicken, and duck with rustic bread and chunky homemade pickle and fish fillet goujons, whitebait, crayfish tails, and smoked trout with a creamy tartare sauce. For mains order Gloucester old spot pork with whole grain mustard, crushed new potatoes and a sage and cider cream, and the Carrington Arms steak burger. To finish off, try the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake and peach and honey pavlova topped with almond praline.

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.

The Red Lion is a quaint little restaurant and pub located in the picturesque village of Milton Bryan. Housed in a centuries old building, the restaurant retains the original flavour of the place and is tastefully furnished and welcoming. The intimate and comfortable country pub offers patrons a relaxing atmosphere in a period setting, with walls of exposed bricks, an open fireplace and ceilings covered in wooden beams. Surrounded by a well-kept garden, guests can even enjoy meals al fresco or take a walk around to view the stunning countryside.

Offering guests a large choice of homemade fare which is fresh and organically produced, the menu consists of dishes of pumpkin and truffle risotto with crisp parmesan; grilled lemon sole with warm potato salad, lemon and caper butter and roast duck breast fondant potato with braised red cabbage.

Desserts are a choice between cinnamon cheesecake honeycomb with mulled pear; dark chocolate slice with candied orange and milk sorbet and a variety of homemade ice creams.

YO! Sushi Milton Keynes is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.

If you're looking to catch a glimpse of Latin life and cuisine this side of the Atlantic, hop right in to any Las Iguanas outlet across the UK. Each eatery is designed differently and brings out diverse flavours and colours - from the stillness of the Argentinean Pampas to the energy of Rio at Carnival time - some outlets are bathed in colour while others are more sober. Don't be surprised if you come across a few life-sized Latinos too.

All the action is centred on the food, a fusion of native Latin American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African influences. Their signature dish called xinxim, Brazilian lime chicken in a creamy crayfish and peanut sauce with rice, fine beans and sweet plantain happens to be football legend Pele's favourite.

The tapas menu served throughout the day offers braised chorizo in Rioja wine with country bread; peri-peri, crisp cassava coated chicken with Brazilian style hot garlic; crayfish marinated with fresh mango, and quesadilla, a chargrilled tortilla filled with portobello mushroom, melted brie dressed with homemade tomato, garlic and coriander salsa.

Argentinean steaks are simply seasoned, flame grilled and served with potato, salad or cassava fries. Traditional fajitas - hot sizzling platters with onions and bell peppers, served with homemade salsa, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole and warm tortillas can be enjoyed with chicken fillet strips, steak, mushrooms or artichoke and squash.

Latin rhythm in the background and an extensive choice of wine, cocktails, champagne, beer and caipirinha, made from their very own cachaca, Brazil's national drink produced in their own sugarcane plantations  complete the picture.

Desserts such as Ipanema mess, made of creamy mascarpone, natural yoghurt, raspberries, guava preserve and crushed meringue lend the meal a befitting end.

Whilst the 42 Loch Fyne restaurants have a shared background there is a welcome degree of individuality encouraged throughout the group, which makes for customer interest. If you like wholesome, fresh and reliable seafood caught and reared under carefully controlled conditions, well presented in unfussy surroundings, and you enjoy being well looked after by pleasant staff, Loch Fyne is for you.

There is an increasing awareness of other food staples with an extended choice of meat dishes, but it is the original fare upon which their success was created that prevails. Loch Fyne kippers, a fine bouillabaisse, braden rost, kiln-roasted salmon fillet, and the toothsome oysters on ice, with a selection of accompaniments, all are to be found throughout the various restaurants, as well as Glen Fyne 21 day aged rib-eye steak and Scottish smoked venison. There is invariably a well-travelled wine list available which is sensible, both in content and prices.

Loch Fyne's greatest achievement has been to prove to a sceptical populace that chains or conglomerates can be made to work in the eating-out public's best interests.

Across its varied locations in the UK, The Living Room group of restaurants have become synonymous with delicious food in a comfortable atmosphere. Soothing music, a relaxed ambience and typical gastropub fare, aptly named Home Comforts, along with European influences have made this into a popular dining destination regardless of the venue. The execution is simple and the presentation, fantastic, so naturally the overall experience becomes something that you cherish and come to savour.

From the á la carte, choose beer battered tiger prawns with a sweet chilli sauce and wasabi or something from the small plates selection which includes chorizo sausage pan fried in chilli and red wine. Amongst main courses, the steak, ale and mushroom pie vies for attention alongside a rib eye steak with peppercorn sauce and chips and the chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and raspberry compote qualifies for an exceedingly rich dessert. The drinks list has contemporary and classic wines and champagnes which meet all requirements suitably.