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YO! Sushi Oxford 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.

Housed within The Macdonald Randolph Hotel, famed for its five-star hospitality, is a restaurant and bar that serves delectable fare in elegant and luxurious surroundings. Sporting an old world décor, with wood-panelled walls, university crests adorning the ceiling, impeccable furnishings and beautiful architectural details all over the hall, the restaurant serves modern British cuisine prepared by experienced chefs from organic ingredients sourced locally wherever possible.

The a la carte menu offers traditional starters of slow braised oxtail with pickled red cabbage, ham hock with parsley and caper terrine, and smoked salmon and rye bread with crème fraiche and beetroot. Mains include dishes of roast côte de boeuf with fondant potato and béarnaise sauce, and fillet of wild sea bass with fennel puree and langoustine sauce. Tempting desserts of banana delice, cooked with orange juice, cacao liqueur, vanilla and flambéed with brandy or iced chocolate parfait with cointreau anglaise and pistachio truffle can be savoured by those with a sweet tooth.

Guests could then relax with a post-dinner drink in the iconic Morse Bar which was regularly used in the acclaimed Inspector Morse television series.

Is this the only Slovak restaurant in Britain? Counter claims to this site please under cover of a plain brown email. Meantime, let's be adventurous and say it's the only one we know about. Making comparisons with other mid-European cuisines it all began to assume some shape and a common pattern began to emerge. Not least is the robust attitude to food, perhaps something to do with Good King Wenceslas and all that excessive snowfall?

Shall we start with the devil's toast, rye bread with smoked sausage, onions, tomatoes, peppers, fresh chillies and melted goats milk cheese - a meal in itself, do I hear you say? There's a whole lot more. The vegetarian version of DT for instance, with the sausage thoughtfully omitted, or rum battered aubergine with goat's cheese, thick slices of the stuff, deep-fried and served with a homemade tartar sauce.

Now let's take a look at the main events. Segedin is a creamy pork and sauerkraut goulash, gently seasoned with paprika, nutmeg and caraway, and served with sautéed potatoes, or knedla to give them their home name, and they accompany many Slovak dishes. The stuffed peppers have been wrenched from the vegetarians and packed with pork, rice, onions, garlic, parsley and egg, then served with tomato sauce and - guess what - knedla.

Slovaks clearly like their puddings, starting with fruit dumpling, filled with apricot and served with traditional poppy seed and butter sauce, or for full appreciation with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

An alarming array of cocktails make for a pleasurable approach to the evening, perhaps even further, and for the more conventional a wine list offers promising reading.

The Plough Hotel is a glorious Elizabethan manor house on the edge of the Cotswolds, originally built as a gentleman's house for a local woollen merchant, it is now cherished by those seeking a tranquil place to get away from it all. Inside several layers of 1970s chintz have given way to the thoughtful use of natural elements and many original features such as stone mullion windows, fireplaces and beams still remain intact.

The cooking is modern British, which works to good effect and the dishes embody simple flavours and freshness, so when you're all ready to go try Brixham crab cakes with mango salsa, or crispy duck with pancakes. The following course could be something seasonal like steamed local asparagus spears with melted butter and black pepper or hollandaise, or look out for pan fried sardines with lemon, capers, parsley butter and Jersey Royals.

Discover the joys of al fresco dining during summer months when the restaurant spills onto the beautiful terrace and gardens. The Plough is also a fine place to absorb the most captivating aspects of Cotswold life or just enjoy a game of croquet on the lawn.

Jamals's biggest virtue is its consistency. There are probably better Indian restaurants in Oxford, but Jamals keeps a steady centre of the road pace with tasty, well-spiced food to which none but the pickiest would take exception. The place is outstanding in one important respect and its Awards for cleanliness and hygiene are a big point in its favour.

As with so many Indian dishes the names do not always mean a lot, nor even the descriptions; often it is the subtlety of the spices that makes the meal, together with the friendly service. Quite unreasonably I tend to warm to those restaurants from which the balti is an absentee, yet even with that there is an impressive range from which to choose. So back to consistency, which in most people's vocabulary equals assurance, a quality that would guide me to Jamals for a pleasant meal amidst cheerful décor at any time.

The Bull, which changed hands and style in 2008, is housed in a former 15th century coaching inn and is more than just a place for good food and drinks; here guests can also relax in one of the inn's five well-equipped ensuite bedrooms. The Bistro holds tremendous atmosphere helped on by the wealth of old timber and a huge inglenook fireplace that does the business famously when the conditions demand.

The menu will certainly induce some pleasant thinking, offering a choice of three short menus - bistro at The Bull, fork food and set lunch. From the bistro carte keep an eye open for beef carpaccio with watercress and shallot and pan-seared sea bass and langoustine. Some really good lunchtime delights include ham hock terrine, chicken crustade and blueberry cheesecake, while enticing forkfuls of lyonnaise salad and pork and leek sausage help bring the greenery to life.

Thanks be that there are still old inns like The Bull that continue to survive in a form that the more senior members of the populace continue to enjoy with  great pleasure; a sentiment that is by no means confined to one age bracket. It is worth noting that every weekend they open the pub up specially for breakfast from 10 until 11.30 on Saturday and Sunday.

The Old Parsonage is one of the best loved landmarks in Oxford, a typical Cotswold composition of style and substance. At one stage of its history it served as a refuge for clergy, and has been home to a number of distinguished literati, including Oscar Wilde.

Nowadays it provides a refuge of a different kind and being handy for the city centre is convenient for both town and gown. The bar and restaurant are combined and offer breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner from an imaginative menu. Do not expect the full dining experience, but bear in mind that Gee's, fives minutes away, is part of the same group.

The menu could include baked goats' cheese and roast beetroot salad; spicy Moroccan lamb tagine; roast partridge, game chips and bread sauce; fillet of halibut, crushed potatoes and hollandaise, and a selection of British cheeses or simply a delicious glass of mulled wine for warmth and cheer.

If you?re getting married in Oxford, The Old Parsonage offers a delightful setting for your big day.

A 16th century building is home to this dramatically fashioned dining room with its gallery and old beams. The versatility of the approach in the kitchen is demonstrated by a skilful starter of shredded salsa vegetable spring rolls, deep fried and reposing on shallot and pear marmalade and a little basil vinaigrette. Generally I prefer my steaks as unfussed as possible but if I was looking for a change I would be very tempted by the grilled sirloin steak on rosemary roast potatoes with a Stilton glaze and oyster mushroom sauce. The baked chevre goats cheesecake on poached balsamic plums and passion fruit syrup would ensure a happy end to the meal, particularly as helpings err on the generous.