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hand picked restaurants

The Grove in Chandler's Cross, Hertfordshire opened last September and is a hotel that flouts normal country house hotel conventions. Though the outside of the 227 bedroom, Grade II-listed property may look typically impressive, inside it breaks the mould, as the decoration is decidedly unusual, filled with numerous works of modern art with only a few antiques.

Similarly Colette's, the French sounding dining room where Chef Chris Harrod actually serves Modern British cuisine - though admitting to French influences as he previously worked at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons for four years and at L'Ortolan - whilst it is boasts gloriously rested plasterwork the rest of the decor continues the 'up to date' theme.

Apart from Sunday lunch it is only open for dinner, the seasonal menu is a model of simplicity with a choice of around seven dishes in each of the three courses on offer. Choices could include: terrine of leeks with langoustine and truffle or white crab meat with sevruga caviar, coriander cured tuna and lemon confit dressing; followed by steamed sea bass with scallops and oyster tortellini in a lemongrass and oyster sauce, coriander sabayon or roasted Gressingham duck with date and tamarind sauce; finishing with a bitter chocolate tart served with a lemon thyme foam, iced chocolate powder and praline ice cream or passion fruit soufflé, coconut sorbet.

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.

When I asked them if they had a website address they said "no, we're too old fashioned for that", and the last surviving remains of my Luddite tendencies quickened a notch or two. Actually it's rather like walking into a massive bush when you make for the door and realise that the whole of this quite small cottage is choked not by holly, but wisteria.

Inside it's a completely different story, everything immaculate and ship-shape, with Ray Taylor and his team in complete charge of a retro on second-half-of-the-20th-century pub food. So be prepared for smoked salmon sandwiches, baked potatoes filled with a narrow variety of stuffings, and by way of a big nod to the future as it then was, chilli con carne, but say it in carefully hushed tones lest the deeply seasoned locals become agitated. Trouble was I found myself thinking that all of these look pretty tasty to me, even if I did draw the line at the prawn sandwiches with Marie Rose sauce, which suggests that Methuselah and I are not unacquainted.

One of the high spots of the Holly Bush is the beer, best bitter from Fullers of Chiswick, and what better to drown a rampant chilli con carne than a few pints of London Pride, or in extreme cases the ESB. This is a pub for connoisseurs, and those of a certain age and inclinations will feel entirely comfortable in this haven - or should that read 'heaven'?

And please - no overworked jokes about why the potter crouched - they've heard them all.

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.

Offering contemporary fine dining, La Brasserie at the Manor of Groves Hotel in High Wych provides the best of French cuisine infused with international flavours. Housed in a beautiful Georgian building set in acres of splendid Hertfordshire countryside, La Brasserie is a light and airy dining space with vibrant, contemporary decor that is transformed in the evenings, with candles casting a warm glow to set the tone for an intimate meal for two.

The eclectic menu, put together by a talented kitchen team, offers guests haute cuisine with a Parisian accent. Created with locally selected produce, the dishes carefully blend traditional French cooking with subtle international flavours and influences, and change on a seasonal basis. The well selected wine list sparkles with selections from around the globe. Guests can also enjoy pre-dinner drink, or a night cap in the attractive Atrium bar, with a range of cocktails, liqueurs and wines available to choose from. The hotel also offers private dining facilities with catering available for up to 500 guests.

Legend has it that Saint Alban's severed head rolled down Holywell Hill from the execution site before AD 324, but now with the opening of several boutiques and cafés things have moved on and changed for the better. Thai on The Hill is another welcome addition to the dining out scene, managed by the team behind Supattra House in St Albans.

The cooking is characterised by vibrant flavours that are altogether pleasing, starting with appetisers such as crab and coconut cake with sweet chilli sauce, and crispy spring rolls filled with grass noodles and vegetables. The main courses are well structured and focus on variety, there's stir-fried duck with ginger and jelly mushrooms and red tilapia fillet steamed with Chinese leaf, plums, ginger and coriander. The curry list, which embraces the medium spiced massaman with slices of beef or chicken, potatoes and roasted cashew nuts and the red, green, yellow and jungle versions, only show that the demand for curries is always set to remain strong at the Thai on The Hill.