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This attractive restaurant situated in the heart of Old Amersham is a marvellous dining destination where history and beauty come together with ease. This 17th century grammar school now houses Gilbey's and the building has character, elegance and grace while the delightful garden lends a much admired space for al fresco dining. There's also a private dining room where you can entertain up to twelve people.

There are quite a few wonderful dishes emerging from the kitchen and both the execution and presentation are indeed remarkable. The à la carte features starters such as ham hock and split pea ballotine with apple and star anise compote and toast; citrus-confit organic salmon with fennel and orange salad and horseradish crème fraîche, or seared scallops with cauliflower puree and curried raisin vinaigrette.

Further down the menu, main courses lead on to delights such as tenderloin of pork with braised white beans and baby gems, confit garlic and mustard sauce; fillet of Cornish hake with pea puree, crushed new potatoes and crab bisque, or roasted loin and breast of lamb with wilted nettles, Jerusalem puree and dauphinoise. Don't miss the puddings where warm chocolate brownie with white chocolate mousse and raspberry sorbet vie for your attention alongside a Gilbey's lemon tart with pistachio ice cream, although the selection of British cheeses provides a tempting diversion.

A very reasonably priced two course set menu is available Monday through Saturday for lunch and could feature soup of the day with crusty bread followed by red wine-braised oxtail 'open' lasagne with spinach, sautéed baby onions and mushrooms. On Sundays a traditional roast is always included, although be prepared for the size of the Yorkshire puddings!

Wine is a passion with the Gilbeys, made evident by the wine list which has been compiled by Tom Gilbey - Bill and Caroline's son, who runs a very successful and energetic wine importing company called The Vintner. Their full list changes regularly and hence they are able to introduce lots of new wines from throughout the world, not forgetting the established French classics.

Finally, a word about the front of house team. Headed by Pippa, they are about the best in the business and the Gilbey's know how lucky they are to have them all. Pay them a visit and you will understand why.

Consult their easy to use Website for up to date menus and other information on what's going on at this highly attractive place of good cheer.

As a name for a restaurant it is hardly likely that The Purple Goose will fail to attract attention, but it is for the quality of its quality classic cuisine that it is more likely to be remembered. Scott Ludlow, Head Chef and Proprietor of this friendly place, aims to offer the things that so many restaurants aspire to, such as locally sourced produce of high quality and a wine list that inspires and complements, and unlike some actually achieves the desired results.

Their mission statement (whatever happened to all those worthy and often totally unattainable essays into optimism?) is short and pithy: 'The Purple Goose Restaurant - you either love it or you haven't eaten there'. So let's examine that claim.

The notion of having a great list of dishes under each course is fast fading - partly because the credit crunch has brought a sense of reality to such matters - and six opening courses, say, gives not unreasonable scope. Soup of the day is a steady survivor and with imagination brought into play, is sound judgement. A grilled whole Brixham lemon sole with a caramelised shallot and parsley butter make regular appearances as does the twice baked crab and smoked salmon soufflé with prawn velouté.

The Purple Goose is big on its chargrill, offering a range of weights from sirloin, ribeye and prime fillet. A choice of three sauces will satisfy most though I have the distinct feeling that another personal favourite might not be refused - just ask. The meat is sourced from the local butcher and is matured for a minimum of three weeks. And should you aspire to a T-bone or some other weight of steak, again do ask.

Seven main courses may include slow braised shoulder of lamb stuffed with herbs and fruit, confit garlic and blue cheese sauce, pan-roasted cod in aromatic spices, or corn-fed chicken breast wrapped in Parma ham.

The habit of passing up on a dessert course could be quite distressing, and often so symbolic that it hardly survives the first 'oh, go on'. In any case a list of seven mouth watering options is not the easiest of temptations to avoid, particularly when it is supplemented by a cheese trolley to die for. Eton mess, vanilla pod Chantilly cream, or seasonal fruit and spring berry coulis contains all the delights you might expect to find, and the duo of chocolate terrine with frozen aerated strawberry milk bottle could well prove to be the undoing of all your good intentions.

Lunch is served Wednesday to Saturday from an imaginative 2 or 3 course menu. The wine list at The Purple Goose is an example of its kind in that there are some 36 by the glass, making for really interesting drinking.

The Purple Room is an excellent haven for a party of up to 6 who want somewhere quiet and private to enjoy lunch or dinner. With its own private lounge, it is very affordable. Meanwhile the special events of the year are observed with élan.

Their Website provides further information and updates on menus for those wanting to plan in advance.

Housed in an attractive bay windowed period building, nestled among the shops bars and boutiques on Old Amersham Broadway, Caffe Uno Amersham offers an extensive selection of Mediterranean dishes in the heart of this charming market town. Its bright and airy interiors make it the perfect place to relax after a round of sightseeing or shopping. Local attractions such as the Amersham Museum, and Shardloes Mansion with its ornamental lake are within easy reach of the restaurant.
 
Easily accessible from High Wycombe and well connected to other commuter towns close by such as Rickmansworth, Beaconsfield and Chesham, Caffe Uno's modern décor with wood floor and comfortable booth seating and chairs makes it an ideal place to stop by for a hearty breakfast, quick lunch or leisurely dinner.
 
The a la carte menu offers starters of buffalo mozzarella salad with tomato, fresh rocket and extra virgin olive oil, chicken and chorizo spring rolls served with a spicy tomato dip or calamari dusted with seasoned flour and served with garlic mayonnaise.

For the main course, seafood lovers will relish such dishes as fillet of sea bass with green beans, capers and new potatoes in a white wine and butter sauce; tiger prawn risotto with baby spinach in a saffron sauce, or delicious paella with mussels and prawns alongside chicken breast and authentic chorizo sausage. Committed carnivores will be more than satisfied with a succulent rib eye steak with béarnaise or green peppercorn sauce; classic burger with 100% prime beef burger, ementhal cheese and garlic mayo in a sesame seed sour dough bun with your choice of side order or the char grilled chicken and field mushrooms with baby spinach in a Marsala wine. Vegetarians are also well-catered for with dishes such as broad bean risotto or aubergine parmigiana.

To round off select from a classic tiramisu, pannatone pannacotta with chunks of fruity pannetone, blood orange tart with cream or mini desserts of hazelnut marsala semi fredo, coffee cream latte semi fredo or Belgian milk chocolate semi fredo, served with your choice of coffee.

Caffe Uno is open every day from 9am; hungry diners can start the day with a hearty breakfast that could include eggs any style, streaky bacon, Cumberland sausage, mushrooms, tomato and toast; bacon or Cumberland sausage baguette, eggs Benedict, plain or chocolate croissant, muesli with yoghurt or honey and toast with jam along with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Separate lunch and children's menus are also available.

If you would like to take away something after your meal, Caffe Uno offers a number of its own products, many of which are used in the dishes served in the restaurant. These include extra virgin olive oil, char grilled Italian peppers, Italian rocket and almond pesto, Sicilian nocellara olives, almond amaretti biscuits and Cuneesi chocolates.

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

Ten minutes from Central Milton Keynes and two minutes from Cranfield, The Swan at Salford is an attractive tile-hung Edwardian pub in a lovely village setting.

Since opening in 2005, The Swan has won a great local reputation, a view endorsed by the British Institute of Innkeepers in 2007 when it voted owner, Andrew Coath, Licensee of the Year (out of 8,000 nominations). You may know The Swan's sister pubs, The Black Horse, Woburn and The Embankment, Bedford.

It would be possible to enlarge upon all this indefinitely, but our purpose here is to tell you about The Swan at Salford and how they put into practice their strongly held principles. Located in a rural setting, The Swan offers the pleasures of a country gastropub within easy reach of the town. After a major overhaul one of the significant addition has been a comfortable and relaxed dining room where formality exists only to enhance the experience of those who look for a sense of occasion.

The à la carte menu together with a selection of great Sunday roasts is also served on Sundays. On sunny days we have a BBQ on the terrace throughout the week and offer an al fresco menu all day everyday.

If you are after a quick bite or a light lunch - just tell them - they'll happily advise on the best options for you.

A typical evening, for instance, offers a pleasurable setting to the after-work unwind groups, and others seeking a special setting for a meal that is reliable rather than over-challenging. This is well-achieved through the abilities of Head Chef, Mark Godbehear, whose first aim is to assess and meet the expectations of a clientele that knows what it wants.

A meal can start with a visit to the deli board, either for nibbles or starters - a selection of interesting cheeses, cold cuts, veggie or fish, as well as an Indian influence. The perfect way to share some of the best products they source. On their menu, you will find the very best quality fresh ingredients - fantastic sausages; free-range chicken and eggs; seared scallops and seafood; 28 day dry-aged Aberdeenshire steak - sourced from producers who take pride in their products and an ethical stance in their production.

The Swan always makes the most of seasonal ingredients - this ensures they avoid air-freighting and keeps us in touch with the cycle of the year - while combining the best of great British cooking and influences from around the world that are now part of our culture.

The wine list bears the imprint of somebody who knows about wine, and whilst not lengthy is very much to the point. It is always heartening to see well-respected labels in evidence, with prices mostly contained within the £13 - £30 range, offering value for money and well-travelled choices.

The gastropub is not a phenomenon created by the marketing men, it is primarily a reasoned response to public demand. The Swan is a fine example of a thoroughly thought-through answer to that question.

For more information about this attractive gastropub, do take a look at their Website.

Opposite the City Limits bowling alley in the popular Xscape Entertainment Centre, Chimichanga Milton Keynes offers authentic Mexican food in a vibrant modern setting. As well as the numerous attractions inside the Xscape Centre, the restaurant is also just a 4-minute walk from Milton Keynes Theatre and the Milton Keynes Gallery.
 
Chimichanga's extensive à la carte caters to a variety of palates. A wide range of delicious appetisers includes crab cakes, Buffalo chicken wings and empanadas, a traditional crispy pastry filled with a choice of chicken or chorizo sausage with cheese and served with sour cream. Other choices include piri piri prawns, Cajun chicken with chilli sauce and jalapeno bullets, a dish of deep fried jalapeno peppers with cream cheese and chilli sauce. Appetisers to share include chicken nachos or taquitos, crispy flour tortilla tubes with a range of fillings including cheese and black beans, chicken, cheese and salsa and chorizo and cheese.

Light bites include a range of tortilla wraps including a classic fajita wrap with a choice of char grilled fajita steak or chicken served with peppers and onions in a tortilla with Jack cheese. Vegetarians are catered for with the delicious courgette and Portobello mushroom wraps which comes with chipotle chilli sauce and jack cheese. There's also a number of tempting salad options such as blackened tuna salad with tuna steak coated in a special blend of Cajun spices, blacked on a hot skillet and served over a bed of mixed leaves with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

For something more filling diners could opt for a tortilla burger, made from 100 per cent fully traceable prime Scottish beef wrapped in a flour tortilla with mayonnaise and served with changa chips.

The char grill section's succulent offerings include barbecue baby back ribs served with change chips and jalapeno coleslaw; sirloin mojo rojo, a centre cut sirloin steak marinated in chilli, garlic and coriander and served with beer battered onion rings and change chips, Santa Fe chicken with rice, black beans and guacamole or flame grilled piri piri chicken.
 
Sumptuous Mexican specialities naturally include chimichanga, a flour tortilla fried golden brown with Jack cheese and served with your choice of filling ? either chunky beef chilli con carne, BBQ pulled pork or bean chilli - sautéed onions and peppers and garnished with sour cream, chives, guacamole and tortilla croutons, as well as a variety of burritos, enchiladas and tostadas. There are also chipotle meatballs, Mexican paella, chilli de la casa and south-western crab cakes. The grande quesadilla is a baked flour tortilla sandwich with your choice of filling and drizzled with sour cream and served with Mexican rice and chipotle chilli sauce.

The lunch menu offers a choice of two or three courses while a children?s menu caters to the tastes of the little ones.

Round off the satisfying meal with scrumptious dessert of giant Mexican profiterole, chocolate fudge brownie or honeycomb smash cheesecake. Alternatively, end with a speciality coffee or liqueur. Chimichanga offers a variety of wines, beers, cocktails, margheritas, sangria and soft drinks to quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Café Rouge has over one hundred branches throughout Britain all offering a wide range of dishes drawn from the French cuisine. Slightly less than half their branches are in or close to London. Almost inevitably the décor and design of each restaurant differs from the others, but there is a general curtsy towards La France.

Many restaurants do an excellent breakfast, or shall we say petit dejeuner, at which such delights as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted brioche, croque Madame, croissants and pain au chocolat make welcome appearances, and to their credit the English traditional gets top billing.

An array of small dishes takes in pulled pork pâté with French bread, and spicy beef and lamb sausage with harissa mayonnaise. Salads and pasta feature largely, as do baguettes and croques. Quick dishes, ideal for lunch, include slices of saucisson and cured pork loin with French bread.

Moving on to more serious stuff we find steaks, an 8oz bavette and thin cut rib eye, with a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce. No French menu would be complete without the poulet jaune grille, pan-roasted breast of corn-fed chicken served on a warm taboulé of bulgar wheat and a medley of roasted vegetables with minted crème fraîche, or a steak frites before moving on to the crème brûlée, or the tart tatin. Almost invariably the coffee tastes like coffee should, something that sadly can all too often still not be said of our English restaurants, who depend too much upon technology and too little on the acquisition of a certain flair for this important conclusion to a meal.

By now we all know that the French, despite their distinctive habits when it comes to matters of satisfying the inner man, maintain a miraculous longevity of life. This is generally attributed to a number of causes, of which a measured consumption of decent wine is foremost. Café Rouge, you may be pleased to hear, encourages this with a well-chosen selection of French wines. Their prix fixe lunch and meals for children, both at a very reasonable figure, also offer excellent value.

Their Website will keep you updated on menu changes, news and other competitions and offers from the Café Society.

The Beefeater Grill range of restaurants, owned by the well established firm of Whitbread has transformed over time into what is now predominantly a cooking platform for chargrill. The restaurants are warm, modern and stylish, with low lighting and contemporary artwork. A comfortable, cosy, mainly booth layout offers guests their own space with no feeling of being hurried at any point. Staff are friendly and helpful if need be - what a difference that can make to a good evening out.

Be it the wide open spaces of Argentina, the intimate setting of a French restaurant, or a busy grill in London's West End, there's no denying the popularity of chargrill. As the production of quality beef, chicken, fish and lamb has grown, prices have come down by comparison, and the simple and traditional art of minimally cooking dishes by chargrill, sealing in the flavours and tastes by intense heat has caught the public imagination.

All the steaks at Beefeater Grill are matured for a minimum of 28 days before being seasoned. Whether it be juicy rib eye, the classic sirloin, that emblem of the Sunday lunch, a tender fillet, or a delicious 7oz rump, all grilled to your own specification, you're never far away from perfection. Even beefburgers have shaken off their dubious image and the highly popular Beefeater burgers are made from 100% beef.

The popular sirloin with giant prawns offers a treat to those for whom an alliance between sea and pasture is a natural attraction, whilst a 16oz steak platter links rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye into one mouth-watering dish served with chips, battered onion rings, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Many of us love rib meat, and the rack of ribs at a Beefeater Grill has a meaty rack smoky flavour; maple ribs of pork with a choice of three sauces, mojito, smoked caramel and apple glaze, or Bourbon and black BBQ. And if all else fails and you are totally baffled by the wealth of choices, ask to have a word with the Steakmaster who will help find what is right for you, together with the best cooking method. These guys leave nothing to chance.

On a menu that is a delight to read, let alone choose a meal from, expect to find smaller dishes such as traditional prawn cocktail, whitebait, chicken liver pâté and baked Camembert, or juicy lamb koftas served with yoghurt and mint dip. There's something about a good steak meal that always leaves a gap for a little temptation to sweeten up the scene and from amongst twelve options look for Belgian chocolate cheesecake, treacle sponge pudding or a caramel apple crumble pie.

Throughout the day a wide range of more general dishes are yours for the ordering, sandwiches, jackets, classic favourites like fish and chips, pasta, salads, and sharing dishes of nachos, potato shells and a Beefeater Grill combo. Next door to many of the restaurants are Premier Inns, so staying the night whatever the circumstances need not be a problem.

And what about wine? Endorsed by Matthew Jukes, wine writer in the Daily Mail and bon viveur in his own right, a wine list that marches with the menu completes an impressive and compelling invitation to enjoy whatever takes your fancy at the nearest Beefeater Grill.

Click on their Website for menu updates and special offers.

Housed within The Hub, in the city's bustling central business district, Zizzi Milton Keynes The Hub serves traditional Italian cuisine in a smart contemporary ambience. Both the Midsummer Place Shopping Centre and Centre MK are just a 10-minute walk away, making Zizzi the perfect spot for a quick meal after a busy day of shopping. The restaurant is also within easy reach of many of the city's other attractions including the vibrant Xscape Entertainment Centre, Milton Keynes Theatre and the National Bowl.

The bustling open kitchen at Zizzi turns out freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers distinct sections of antipasti, salads, pizza and calzone, pasta, risottos and mains of seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.
 
Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.
 
Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu; creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.
 
More information can be found on their Website.

Bella Italia is a restaurant that pulsates with Italian style and fashion, where the day starts with breakfast, not least the Inglese, the familiar bacon, sausage, mushroom, tomato and fried or scrambled eggs and sauté potatoes with ciabatta toast so beloved of hearty eaters seeking a good start to the day, particularly when they don't have to prepare it. A vegetarian option is available, along with the bambini of sausages, tomato and scrambled egg, or a strapazzata, scrambled eggs on ciabatta toast. A cappuccino or hot chocolate offers a more gentle awakening and croissant or pastries are welcome at almost any time.

It is always worth remembering that eating Italian is a great opportunity to work away through something rather more liberating than the conventional 3 course English meal. Little and often seems to be the motto but move on to the antipasti and it's immediately obvious this is no easy task, confronted with well over a dozen dishes, not one of which you really have the heart to turn down. The selezione classica assembles a few of the favourite starters; oven baked lemon and rosemary chicken wings, spiced meatballs, calamari, mini garlic butter-filled calzoni and lightly battered courgettes served with flamed pepper and lemon herb dips.

A speck e rucola pizza, added to a traditional margherita brings together two traditions with Italian speck ham providing the second, but it is within the pasta and risotto dishes that you can adapt almost any main ingredient, as well enjoy some of Italy's most traditional treats. Who can deny a well formed spaghetti Bolognese or penne Marco Polo? And not for nothing is a nicely prepared spaghetti carbonara the preferred dish of many.

From a selection of five choices amongst the secondi many will head unerringly for controfiletto ai ferri, a 7oz sirloin steak char-grilled to preference and served with garlic butter, roast field mushrooms, fries and rocket, or the fritto misto, lightly battered prawns, cod fillet, calamari and courgette with fries and a herb lemon and caper dip.

Could anything be more appropriate than The Godfather, for 1 or 2 naturally, with nutty chocolate fudge brownies, vanilla and toffee ice cream with chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls, and rest assured the coffee will do justice to the meal.

With a wine list that makes few concessions to other countries - and why should it - good Italian food can receive an equally national baptism by wine. For further enlightenment, news about their on-line shop and special deals, a click on their lively Website will reveal all.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.