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Housed in the luxurious Beales Hotel, in Hatfield, the Outsidein Restaurant is a plush extension of this four star hotel. The sleek contemporary hotel was extensively rebuilt in 2003, although the building dates back to 1907, and it's stylish yet comfortable ambience is carried through the restaurant with its wood panelling, beige and ivory colour scheme and striking chandeliers. The plush seating and friendly staff add a very desirable cosiness to the sophisticated surroundings.

The kitchen team's commitment to using the highest quality, locally sourced ingredients is evident in the seasonal menu which may include dishes such as cream of spring pea soup with ham wonton and chive cream, steamed cod wrapped in pak choi with Jerusalem artichoke puree, broad beans and red wine sauce. The desserts include sticky toffee pudding and warm apple and rhubarb tarte tatin. OutsideIn also serves breakfast and a selection of light bites including salads, sandwiches and paninis throughout the day. The lunch menu includes British favourites of burger and chips or chicken tikka with basmati rice.

The restaurant's commitment to working with local producers includes the extensive wine list which features red, white, and sparkling wines from East Anglia and Bedfordshire as well as Italy, Spain, France and the New World.

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.

Côte is a chain of medium priced brasserie style restaurants that mirrors the trend in Paris, with a drift away from sophisticated food to less complicated cooking. So it should come as no surprise that they won the 2009 Good Food Guide's award for 'Best Value Restaurant in the UK'.

Inside there is none of the usual rather dated trappings, which have been replaced by a more chic, clean-cut approach to both décor and furnishings. Olives, bread and pissaladière set the tone for what is to come, with starters of rillettes or a warm Roquefort salad to name but two from a good range. Then choose between light mains such as wild mushroom cassoulet or tuna niçoise, or a meat and fish menu that includes duck confit and roast sea bass fillets with Savoy cabbage and peas in a white wine and cream sauce.

Desserts are a little more traditional, witness a convincing coupe noire or classic crème brûlée. Côte provides a genuine Gallic eating renaissance in elegant surroundings where you can dine with other people who are clearly enjoying the whole experience.

The town of Bushey, Hertfordshire has been featured extensively in movies and television shows due to its proximity to a couple of film studios. Yet, despite all the glamour constantly making its presence felt there, it retains an old world charm that manifests itself in the form of The Horse and Chains. This modern British pub is housed in a building that dates back to the 17th century and has been recently refurbished and taken over by Tom Aspey of Dylan's restaurant.  

The Horse and Chains focuses on skilfully prepared simple meals that are fresh and seasonal and you can see the results when you order starters of smoked trout mousse with rye bread and lemon, or maybe a main course of sea bream with crispy potatoes, ratatouille vegetables and pepper sauce. Desserts include spiced crème brûlée, while the selection of draught beers, ales and wines proves confirms they do not skimp on quality.

Located within the quiet village of Fowlmere, The Chequers Inn has retained its old world charm within its oak beamed and exposed brick walled interior. On a sunny day there's nothing better that sitting out in the beautiful garden and sipping on a drink as you peruse the menu; alternatively you could consider relaxing over a meal at the conservatory.

The menu keeps diners busy with its interesting variety of starters such as venison carpaccio with a rocket and Parmesan salad finished with olive oil and game pâté served with homemade spicy pear chutney and toasted brioche. For main courses a pan-fried Gloucester Old Spot pork escalope is delivered with stir-fried cabbage and pancetta topped with sage butter served with a potato rösti and veal jus, and a featherblade of beef braised in a Portobello mushroom red wine and thyme sauce arrives with bubble and squeak and char-grilled leeks.

Pizza Express remains a hugely popular bedrock of casual eating. Its popularity is testimony to the fact that across the country, they have restaurants where you will always be guaranteed a good nosh, with children's tastes being well catered for.

Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have introduced Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Siciliana.

These pizzas are now thinner, bigger and crispier, and if that sounds like a marketing line, it is. However, unlike many such lines, this one is true, and their quality is always consistent, though cleverly they have still managed to retain a homemade feel to their pizzas.

As an alternative to pizza, try their pollo pesto - cavatappi pasta with torn chicken breast, mushrooms, red onions and mozzarella in a creamy gruyere, parmesan and pesto sauce and finished with grana padano - or the niçoise salad with mixed leaves, yellowfin tuna, free range egg, green beans, potatoes and tomatoes with olives, anchovies, capers and house dressing.

Many of the big chains have come a long way, and Pizza Express is certainly amongst them. One of the first to be quoted on the Stock Exchange - in 1993 - Pizza Express is not a franchise operation and retains tight control through its own staff.

Their wine list - though short - contains some surprisingly good offerings, especially their intense Australian Chardonnay, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from Cusumano, Sicilia.