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Another popular Oxford ethnic eatery in Central Oxford and responsible for reducing many a good grant by a few quids over the years. The setting is homely and the furniture particularly impressive with that sturdy sort of furniture which somehow always manages to retain an elegance. The range of dishes is not that wide but there's something for everyone and if you are out looking for somewhere to go with your friends and have a long leisurely evening, as well as a good choice of puddings, Bangkok House is worthy of your attention.

And so the wonderful variety of cuisines available in Oxford rolls on. Edamame is clearly popular, as the lines outside at lunchtime bear witness to, but it does seem to be one of those places that you either love or don't. The food is excellent but inexpensive Japanese home cooking and sushi, the real thing.

They rotate three quite different and relatively small menus through the week to ensure that ingredients and their preparation are as fresh as possible!

The location may be a bit cramped and the emphasis on the food rather than on fancy décor but what is wrong with that? My vote goes with those people queuing up to enjoy real value and genuine Japanese food. It is difficult pinning down an average cost per head, as they vary what they serve depending on the time and the day; Thursday evening is is the time for their popular "sushi night" with a nigiri set costing a mere £8 for seven pieces.

Friday and Saturday dinner offers a wide selection of tapas-style options, with people typically choosing to spend up to £14 per head. Lunch is even cheaper, and certainly less than the £10 that I have allowed.

They do not take bookings, except if you want to book the whole place on a Wednesday or Sunday evening when they are not normally open, but they do insist on a minimum food spend of £400, the maximum numbers are 31. They take credit cards but only in the evenings when they ask for a minimum spend of £10 on each card transaction (no Amex or Diners Club).

Branca opened in 2000 to the sound of trumpets as it focussed on a wide gap in the university city's gastronomic provision, and has never looked back. Modern design and a mature approach to what they do certainly help. Branca says of itself "we tend to be a lively venue, casual in feel but with generous warm service". This statement offers one of those all too rare occasions when the spin lives up to the reality and with up-to-the-minute information reflecting snappy management and genuine interest in the customer it is not difficult to see why Branca is such a success.

The menu follows the same pattern, designed to inform and simplify rather than confuse. From the antipasta comes a mixed taster plate of three separately listed items, the deep fried squid, parma ham and buffalo mozzarella. The stone baked pizzas also do a mixed platter of which pepperoni, fontina cheese, chilli and spinach is but one. Meat and fish tend to follow a less Italian path, but the real thing is there if required. Puddings are a medley of Italian indulgence, a delight to people of any age but especially to children who are made to feel very adult and important at Branca.

The wine list is brief but perfectly adequate, all Italian as you might expect, with six reds, six whites one of which, a Sicilian, is the house wine at £11.45 a bottle. Branca deserves every bit of the success it is reaping.

Reviewed by Michael Tebbutt

Things seem to move fast at Wagamama - the Asian inspired, noodle restaurant chain that was started in 1992. As soon as you decide what you want to eat, your order is taken via a PDA, and wirelessly networked to the kitchen, so it can be made fresh and served right after. The restaurant chain does not believe in taking reservations, and all customers are seated on a first come, first serve basis. In fact, be aware that most of the tables are long ones and you will often be asked to share them.

The restaurants are modelled on traditional Japanese ramen bars that have been popular for hundreds of years - ramen are Japanese style noodles, served in a meat-based broth, topped with pork, dried seaweed or even corn. Chilli beef ramen, made of noodles in a spicy pork and chicken soup topped with a marinated and grilled sirloin steak and fresh vegetables, is hearty and satisfying.

Apart from ramen, you could opt for the coconut soup based kare noodles or teppan, cooked on a hot, flat griddle. They also offer many rice dishes like katsu curry, chicken fillet deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs, served with a lightly spiced curry sauce and sticky white rice. Vegetarians are definitely not ignored, as they can opt for saien soba, made using whole-wheat noodles in a soup topped with stir-fried vegetables, seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil and garnished with sliced spring onion.

Meat and vegetable dumplings, skewered chicken, deep-fried prawns and raw salads double as both sides and starters. Steamed green soya-beans, called edamame, go well with drinks - hold them up to your mouth and squeeze the succulent beans from the pod. If you've noticed, Wagamama is more about eating healthy food fast and less about the order. Don't be surprised if you're served the main course before the side dish - order isn't important, the aim is, don't wait - just tuck in and share.

Wash down your meal with sake, plum wine or even a Japanese beer. Wind up your meal with coconut reika - three scoops of dairy coconut ice cream topped with a fresh, tangy mango sauce and toasted coconut flakes or the tamarind and chilli Pavlova, with a crunchy meringue base served with a raspberry and tamarind sauce.

At Wagamama, you can also shop for cookbooks, sauces, ramen bowls and t-shirts. The restaurant is all about enjoying genuine, reasonably priced, Pan-Asian cuisine in a sleek but informal setting.

Without any shadow of doubt the best Italian restaurant in Oxford in the view of most. Not only does the place have that frisson of sharpness that goes with those of a certain disposition in places on the Italian peninsula, creating just the right setting, it also offers the most wonderful Italian food of the type offered by mama mia and then just a little tweaked to iron out any idiosyncrasies. To go with it there is a wine list worth many an evening's serious study as the superb food comes and goes. This is the stuff of which legends are made, created by real and genuine people almost by accident, rather than some ghastly corporate plan dreamed up by struggling folk. The privilege of participation in that legend does not come cheaply, but the memory will linger on long after the flavours have subsided. Go for it.

That would you say about a place that offers a serene atmosphere and also three distinctly different cuisines to suit varied tastes? If this sounds good to you, do try the Annora International restaurant at the Tree Hotel and enjoy their English, Thai and Indian food. Catering to a wide clientele, the restaurant is popular with executives, young couples, groups, academics and families alike, and can seat up to eighty people.

The charming interiors create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, while the exquisite modern artwork forms a beautiful backdrop to an enjoyable meal. Sebastian, the chef takes great pride in changing the menus every six to eight weeks, and if you are not a purist, you can be creative and order a mix and match of dishes from the three styles of cuisine. They complement each other admirably and are suitably supported by an impressive choice of wines as well.

Whether you try the gai hor bar toey, Thai marinated chicken wrapped in pandan leaves and served with a sweet chilli dip, or the prince of Indian cuisine, the chicken tikka with succulent cubes of chicken, marinated overnight in yoghurt and Indian spices and baked to perfection in a tandoor, the food is prepared to suit your taste and presented aesthetically.

The melt in the mouth mushrooms and boursin consists of two giant field mushrooms baked with garlic, herb cheese and served with crusty white bread - a real treat, as are their hearty soups with their rich, creamy texture and taste. A special attraction is the Grand Sunday Buffet which offers a lavish spread of international salads, cold cuts, a variety of starters, seven Indian and Thai curries and a traditional roast with all its trimmings.

Located in the quaint village of Iffley, just a stone's throw from Iffley Lock, the Annora International restaurant has won many hearts and was recently voted as the best restaurant in Oxfordshire by listeners of Fox FM radio.