Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

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.

At the Fish and Grill in Croydon, it's indeed all about the freshest fish and juiciest grilled meats. Malcolm John, of the acclaimed French restaurants Le Vacherin and Le Cassoulet, serves up more heart warming fare with this stylish British brasserie. The smart contemporary decor with its clever lighting, modern art prints and wooden tables enhances the dining experience, making this the perfect venue for a business lunch or dinner date. Located on South End, the Fish and Grill is just a 9-minute walk from South Croydon Rail Station.

The restaurant sources fresh fish and shellfish from the south coast and Cornwall on a daily basis, while rare breed meats and free range poultry are sourced from the best producers. A meal could begin with starters of South coast mussels and Suffolk bacon cooked with Dorset cider, potted smoked Cornish mackerel, and seared diver-caught scallops with green beans and hazelnut butter. There are also choices of Colchester or Carlingford rock oysters and a luxurious seafood platter.
    
For the main course, try the à la carte's Cornish line caught sea bass, cooked and served whole on the bone with tartar sauce, delicious whole grilled crab with garlic, chilli and ginger butter or classic beer battered haddock with pea purée. The Fish and Grill's grilled selection includes succulent choices of Aberdeen Angus T bone steak, Chateaubriand for two served with roasted bone marrow and chips and house burger with hand diced Angus beef, blue cheese or cheddar and bacon or jerk seasoning. If you wish, they can be paired with a side dish of sprouting broccoli with almonds and thyme, buttered sea vegetables, creamed spinach or minted Jersey royals.
  
A set menu delivers value for money with dishes such as leek and potato soup with smoked salmon, broad bean, borloti and feta salad, char grilled squid with bok choy, chilli and garlic and grilled old spot pork chop with glazed apples and BBQ sauce. While vegetarians are also catered for with dishes of asparagus with soft boiled duck egg and hollandaise or beignet of courgette flower stuffed with mozzarella, tomato and basil and served with green salad. 

For Sunday brunch the Fish and Grill offers starters of tomato and mozzarella salad, scrambled egg with smoked salmon and moules marinières followed by mains of grilled kipper with poached egg, grilled pork chop with apple and marjoram or steak burger with fried egg and chips, not to mention the roast of the day.

The breakfast menu's wholesome choices are perfect for kick starting the day and options include a full English breakfast with tea or filter coffee, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or crayfish, Aberdeen Angus steak sandwich or even pancakes with strawberries and maple syrup.

Tempting desserts bring the meal to a pleasant end at the Fish and Grill and include cherry Bakewell tart with yoghurt ice cream, English strawberry Pavlova, Knickerbocker glory and chocolate macaroons.

The wine list is an eclectic selection, featuring expertly chosen reds and whites from across the world. A range of draught and bottled beers, spirits, soft drinks and aperitifs also quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Matsuba restaurant on Red Lion Street offers a mix of contemporary and classic Japanese cuisine alongside sushi and sashimi in an intimate and elegant setting. This Japanese restaurant has grown rapidly within the neighbourhood of Richmond, since its opening over seven years ago.

A stone's throw from the Odeon Cinema and the Richmond Filmhouse, the restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a quick meal before or after a film. Other attractions such as the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, Richmond Park and Richmond Theatre are all just a short walk away.

Meaning 'leaf of the pine tree' in Japanese, Matsuba's stylish contemporary interiors feature dark wood and subtle light panels running along the length of the room, with vintage Japanese parasols adding an authentic ethnic touch. Friendly service from smartly turned out waiters is most welcome.

The kitchen offers authentic Japanese dishes with a slight modern twist and a touch of Far East Korean cuisine. Specialities here include dobin mushi, a clear soup traditionally served in a small clay tea pot, scallops seared in butter and the classic Korean dish, bibim bap served in a stone pot bowl.

You could begin with ebi tempura, tuna sashimi, crab and avocado sushi, cod's roe nigiri, Florida maki or California roll, all freshly prepared and flavourful. Then follow with such dishes as grilled squid with asparagus, gyoza meat dumplings, deep fried courgette discs served with tsuyu sauce, spicy Korean seafood broth, teriyaki duck with rice or Kobe beef served with rice and miso soup. Guests can also expect to find a range of set dinners, lunch boxes, speciality sushi and sashimi, and assorted party platter sushi sets. The Matsuba Special Bento Box is filled with mixed tempura, sushi and sashimi, teriyaki chicken, appetiser, pickles, salad rice, miso soup and fruit.

The extensive drinks list includes a wide variety of champagnes and carefully chosen wines to pair with oriental dishes and sushi. Speciality Japanese beers, rice wine sake, Korean soju and soft drinks are also available.

The restaurant also offers takeaway, office lunch, private and corporate catering. With excellent public transport links, Richmond Tube and Rail Station is just a short walk, the venue is also exclusively available for hire for all private and corporate special events.

Casa Nova is every inch an Italian restaurant, serving a good blend of modern and traditional dishes. Casa Nova is positioned in the middle of a quaint parade of shops in the heart of Virginia Water; less than a mile from the beautiful Virginia Water Lake and the famous Wentworth Golf Club, with ample parking immediately in front of the restaurant.

Inside, the restaurant is modern and surprisingly spacious. The décor is warm and inviting - just like the welcome you will receive from José and his staff. Over recent years, Casa Nova has established a reputation for the best quality food, cooked to order and served piping hot to the table.

The a la carte menu is extensive and is supplemented by daily specials. Monday to Friday and on Sundays, Jose and his team offer a good value set menu for lunch. On Sundays expect to find a selection of starters that could include the soup of the day, mushrooms sautéed in olive oil and chilli, served on a bed of spinach, pasta tubes with onions, cherry tomatoes and broccoli, or Parma ham and melon.

The roast of the day would certainly include roast beef, with options of baked salmon with cucumber and white wine, chicken, mushrooms and red wine sauce, escalopes of veal with cream and mushrooms, and marinated vegetables served on toasted ciabatta bread. Follow with dolci del giorno, the puddings of the day, and your Sunday should be fulfilled.

On other days an a la carte menu operates in the evenings, with starters of the day's fresh soup, grilled sardines with the smell of the sea still about them, avocado with fresh sea prawns, deep fried squid served with tartare sauce, or a Caesar salad with crispy bacon, to name but a few of the choices.

Main courses of grilled salmon steak on a bed of spinach with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar dressing lead off the fish courses, followed by grilled Dover sole served with rocket Italians, of course, love their veal and Casa Nova does justice to that inclination, with escalopes of veal with King prawns in a tomato, garlic, parsley and white wine sauce, or another version topped with Parma ham and mushrooms in a white wine and sage sauce.

Chicken is another staple part of the Italian cuisine and petto di pollo, breast of chicken with wood mushrooms in cream and brandy sauce, is popular. Scampi thermidor, a welcome dish in any cuisine, is served here with mustard, cream, brandy and rice.

Which takes us to other vital meat courses so beloved of Italians, with fillet steak in a brandy cream and peppercorn sauce, or roast rack of lamb with a red wine and rosemary sauce.

Sometimes there seem to be few differences between national cuisines and the grilled calf's liver with crispy bacon and bubble and squeak reminds us of this. For a real treat consider the half duckling in an orange sauce and Grand Marnier.

As with all Italian cooking, a lot of the fun comes with the service, the banter and quite often the flattery for the ladies in the party. Maybe Casa Nova is not called what it is for nothing, but satisfied customers suggest that this is the place to be for a fun Italian evening.

For a taste of genuine Italian cooking in deepest Surrey, take yourself - and your friends - along to Olivetto ristorante and wine bar and seize the opportunity to sample some of Italy's finest traditional cuisine.

Olivetto is located on Guildford High Street, in front of the Guildhall and the building dates back to Elizabethan times when it is believed to have been the house of the Town Mayor. The front room, also known as the Dickens room, is steeped in history and was probably the location of the Mayor's first meeting room.

The interior is much enhanced by open beams, wooden floors and an attractive bar where guests can enjoy a relaxed drink. This convivial atmosphere extends to the front dining area, an ideal place to savour a meal overlooking the High Street and famous Guildford clock, and to the outside seating available throughout summer.

Their Italian chefs have brought from their warm and sunny homeland some of the favourite recipes passed down from generation to generation, and all their dishes are freshly made to order. Should you have any special requirements then just let the waiter know and they will be happy to do their best to oblige.

As you would expect, in the normal warm-hearted Italian way, bambini are always especially welcomed, a real fuss is made of them and they don't get referred to as 'kids'.

All the pasta is freshly made by their chefs in traditional Italian style with choices like linguine served with a seafood mix and tomato, or penne served with a chicken and pesto sauce or tagliatelle with buffalo mozzarella, basil and cherry tomato sauce.

However, the menu is wide ranging, from starters like bocconcini di mozzarella - buffalo mozzarella wrapped in speck and served with balsamic dressing sauce, to pancetta e avocado - salad of bacon, chicken, avocado with balsamic dressing sauce, definitely well beyond your standard Italian fare.

Italians have special ways with fish, and you should expect to find fillet of sea bream, prawns, courgette, garlic and cherry tomatoes, served with mixed crushed potatoes and leeks, or pan fried fillet of cod with pancetta, chilli, garlic, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes and served with crushed potatoes and leeks.

Main course specials may include vitello al marsala, pan fried veal escalope and marsala wine sauce, served with oven rosated rosemary potatoes or strips of chicken wrapped in pancetta, sweet peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes and chilli sauce with mixed crushed potatoes and leeks.

Italian wine at its best is a real delight and the list at Olivetto starts with decent house wine by the glass or bottle, finishing with, amongst many others, a notable style of Moscadello made from the local grape and slowly fermented in new oak to produce a straw coloured yellow wine with golden reflections.

For further information on their events, and their ability to deal with yours, getting married at Olivetto, gift vouchers and many other things including their history and philosophy, click on their Website and become absorbed.

Given the restaurants and hotels of London and a yearning to get away from the centre of town on most occasions, I would have to look a long way before finding a more thoroughly desirable place to be than The Bingham, at Richmond.

Ideal for easy access to some of London's most visited attractions, and Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace and Twickenham Rugby come immediately to mind, this boutique restaurant and hotel really does have it all.

The Bingham's highly acclaimed executive chef, Shay Cooper, is the man who sees to it that these expectations are amply met, starting with an à la carte that explores the very best in British and regional dishes. Watercress risotto or summer vegetable salad pave the way for saddle of venison or lemon sole served with samphire, chickpea gnocchi, red pepper and shrimp ceviche. A tiramisu dessert lives well up to its promise. A tasting menu of six courses weaves deftly through the various à la carte options to give a meal of infinite skill and pleasure respectively.

A price fixe luncheon shows The Bingham is capable of combining value with quality, and on Sundays both menu and price make this a serious venue for family parties and leisurely Sabbath breakaways, possibly followed by their Afternoon Tea for the mega indulgent, a luxurious event that manages to escape the excesses of London prices whilst more than equalling the variety and sheer fun of this old English custom.

Visiting Twickers for the rugby? What better way to start than with a hearty lunch at The Bingham, well suited to supporters of both gender and concluding with a pre-match livener.

In keeping with its philosophy the wine list's light shines strongly on the 'boutique' winemakers and fine champagnes, and an inviting selection of wines are available by the glass and carafe. Wine Courses handled by that feisty and dynamic expert in such matters, Angela Reddin, are not unknown at The Bingham.

Fifteen bedrooms embody tranquillity and sensuous style, with bespoke art deco inspired furniture, sumptuous furnishings and state of the art comforts. The number of rooms ensures that the personal touch is retained and guests are known by name rather than room numbers.

As far as room facilities are concerned all the facilities that you would associate with a top quality hotel are there. The River and Superior River Design Rooms enjoy restful river views, with Whirlpool baths and two rooms have antique four-poster beds. In-room beauty treatments, same-day laundry, room service and complimentary newspapers assist in encouraging thoughts to turn with enthusiasm towards a lifestyle of convenience and freedom from everyday worries.

To ensure that these luxuries are enjoyed to the full, the Bingham offers a range of experiences such as The Bingham Lazy Sunday, the Bingham Theatre Experience, Sunday at the Polo or the Wimbledon Experience. Such activities generally require involvement on the part of a restaurant of impeccable charm and performance somewhere along the line. Bingham is listed in the prestigious Michelin Guide and awarded 3 AA Rosettes in 2010, underline its presence at The Bingham.

In an attempt to do the decent thing and give the whole balanced picture, one seeks for some area of perhaps slightly less than excellence at The Bingham. Don't waste your time, or if you do notify this correspondent and I will prepare my hat for eating, though it may be a chocolate one.

Their polished Website tells you lots, lots more, as well as keeping you up to date with this sophisticated but homely hideaway by the river in Richmond.

Brasserie Vacherin is a stylish upmarket French restaurant to unwind in after a tough day's work or to enjoy an indulgent dinner with family and friends. The latest addition to Malcolm John's collection of restaurants, it is open all day from 8 a.m. onwards. Tasteful décor, creative lighting and a modish interior, with an abundance of pictures decorating the walls, all create an ambiance that exudes the elegance and sense of style associated with the French. On Sutton's High Street, the restaurant is a stone's throw from Sutton Rail Station and a 6-minute walk from The Secombe Theatre and boasts an outdoor seating area perfect for al fresco dining in the summer.

Good flavours abound on an ambitious a la carte menu, with a special emphasis on fresh fish and shellfish sourced from the south coast as far west as Cornwall. Reflecting the fresh seasonal flavours of traditional Parisian bistro fare, diners can expect starters such as pea and mint soup with smoked ham hock; home-cured salmon gravadlax with fennel and red onion salad; chicken liver parfait with gherkins and radish as well as goat's cheese and cobnut salad with beetroot. There are also luxurious oysters, shipped in from Colchester every day, as well as Atlantic prawns and fresh mussels cooked in cider.
 
Mains include the restaurant's delicious fish pie made with smoked haddock, prawns, mussels and baby leeks with a brioche crust; supreme of salmon with Savoy cabbage, Alsace bacon and cockle butter and pan roasted cod with chorizo, haricot blanc and basil cooked with San Marzano tomatoes. Alternatively, there's choice of new season lamb rump with warm spiced aubergine relish, pine nuts and mint, Barbary duck confit with orange sauce and braised endive or butternut squash fetuccine with crème fraîche and cobnut gremolata.

The grill offers succulent Aberdeen Angus beef burger with Roquefort, gruyere or Alsace bacon; corn-fed chicken paillard, wild rocket and crispy shallots with honey mustard dressing and dry-aged beef fillet tail with grilled flat mushrooms. The restaurant is also open for breakfast every day; diners can opt for a coffee and a pastry or choose something more substantial such as eggs Benedict with Florentine or royale, or even a classic full English breakfast with all the trimmings.
A prix fixe menu delivers value for money with such dishes as grilled pork cutlet, spiced apple sauce and celeriac mash, salmon fish cake with tartare sauce and salad and salad of chicken livers with watercress, cucumber and sherry vinegar dressing. A Sunday lunch menu is also available.

Tempting desserts of chocolate fondant with raspberry sorbet, tarte fine aux pommes with caramel ice cream, Kerala vanilla crème brûlée, petit pot au chocolat and rum baba with poached pear bring the meal to a fitting end.
 
An extensive drinks list offers an assortment of white and red wines, Port, sherry, spirits, beers and cider. Aperitifs include champagne cocktail, raspberry bellini, vodka martini cocktail, Malibu and Noilly Prat.

More information can be found on their Website.

Using only the freshest ingredients, the restaurant serves a variety of seasonal dishes such as cassoulet duck and pork; Dorset crab mayonnaise with avocado and avruga caviar; and hare ravioli with celeriac purée, grelotte onions and Chanterney carrots, which can be enjoyed by a couple or the whole family in a warm and intimate setting.

The desserts offer a choice of plum clafoutis, with crème fraîche and Kerala vanilla crème brûlée, which is definitely worth giving a try.Sampling from an extensive drinks list of vintage champagnes and a good selection of white, red and rosé wines by the bottle, caraffe or glass, makes for a delightful ending to the entire dining experience.

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

In the heart of the Surrey village of Warlingham, Chez Vous delivers superb French cuisine in a relaxed, contemporary setting, surrounded by picturesque North Downs countryside. Housed in a beautifully renovated old flint stone cottage on Limpsfield Road, Chez Vous carefully combines many of the building's original features such as arched doorways and pillars with sleek, contemporary furnishings to create a chic ambience. A delicious, predominantly French menu, likewise, combines the classic with the modern to satisfy the palates of all good food aficionados.

There's a soothing aubergine and cream colour scheme with banquette seating in the restaurant, and marshmallow stools and cube seating in the lounge bar. There is a wonderfully informal atmosphere perfect for appreciating the kitchen team's gastronomic flair. Abstract works of art on the walls, Swarovski lighting and Indian rosewood tables add a stylish touch to the ensemble.

Innovation is at the heart of the culinary oeuvre of acclaimed Chefs Martin Bradley and Laurent Pacaud, reflecting their history in such renowned establishments as The Savoy, Gleneagles and La Barbe restaurant. Fresh seasonal ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible, are artfully melded with exotic spices from around the world to create delicious gourmet fare that reflects the colours and flavours of the season.

A meal here could begin with starters of a zesty gin and ginger cured river trout served with a wasabi pannacotta and Seville orange vierge; terrine of local pheasant and Armagnac prunes studded with pistachios, fresh quince and apple chutney jelly or classic market fresh mussels steamed with white wine and fresh herbs finished with a dash of cream.

The mélange of interesting flavour combinations continue with main courses of sumptuous fillet of Scotch beef crusted in cracked pepper and served with caramelised beets, red onions and an aged balsamic jus; crisp roasted supreme of chicken resting on a leek and chervil mash with wild mushroom timbale and a mild mustard cream or the more overt Eastern flavours of lime leaf steamed delice of halibut and pak choi served with oriental prawn dumplings and a soy shitaki broth.

Desserts of scrumptious hazelnut and honey scented iced nougat parfait with amaretto crème Anglaise and chocolate tuille; pistachio ice cream and poached pear basket with a rich chocolate sauce or a lighter and flavourful passionfruit and orange tart served with a mango and pomegranate salsa is indeed manna for the sweet tooth.

Alternatively diners can choose to eat in the smart lounge bar where they can enjoy set 2-course or 3-course lunch menus. A handpicked wine selection includes a range of whites and reds from France, with examples from Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Languedoc and Alsace along with a sprinkling from the rest of the world. A variety of special coffees, liqueurs, Port and other spirits is perfect for afters.

Having first established their reputation as wedding caterers par excellence throughout Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and London, Chez Vous continues to cater to weddings, private parties and corporate events with bespoke menus and end-to-end services.

Guests can also opt to stay overnight in the equally well appointed Chez Vous hotel at the same venue with rooms being refurbished and ready for use in 2012.

More information can be found on their Website.

Located near Hampton Court Palace, this is the sort of hotel that Henry VIII would have thoroughly approved of, good and handy for the Portsmouth road, convenient for the River Thames and altogether what a good-bloke King needed. Nowadays modern versions of Henry and many others find it equally welcoming, ideal for weddings, meetings and events, with the largest of their 6 conference rooms capable of taking 300 people reception style.

The Riverview Restaurant, open to guests and local residents alike, specialises in continental and pan-Asian cuisine, and Chef Bhaskar Banerjee can be relied upon to produce attractive and tasty dishes that have a wide appeal. The menu is presented in such a way that it is made easy to suit whatever the circumstances dictate.

If you are tempted by appetisers then these could include steamed mussels served with spicy tomato sauce or white wine sauce or plum tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Given the evident Asian origins of this restaurant, you should not be surprised to find dishes like mourgh bemisaal, char-grilled breasts of chicken in rich tomato sauce scented with fenugreek and served with pulao rice, chutney and salad or nariyal adrak macchli, chunks of salmon stewed in ginger, coconut scented onion sauce and served with steamed rice, chutney and salad. While vegetarians should be delighted by mutter paneer, described as an exotic melange of cottage cheese with fresh green peas, and served with steamed rice, chutney and salad.

If you are looking for something more traditional then Fish Ahoy is pretty self-explanatory and very recognisable as beer battered cod fillets with chunky chips, the famous mushy peas and tartare sauce; a never failing source of comfort food. Still in that area, beef bourguignon, French style beef with streaky bacon, mushroom - shallot stewed with Burgundy wine and served with celery mash. Amongst side dishes keep an eye open for chunky chips, steamed vegetables, naan bread and roasted new potatoes.

Desserts of berry and white chocolate torte, apple crumble or tiramisu may not be too kind to the waistline, but certainly help a feeling of well-being with which to bring your meal to an end. In fact it might even introduce thoughts of a good night's rest to follow, in which case it is but a short step from the Riverview Restaurant to one of the hotel's comfortable rooms, where air conditioning, a mini fridge, 24 hours room service, LCD screen TVs all are there to make your stay as restful as you wish.

Executive rooms provide extra comforts for those perhaps staying for longer and with a riverside view of the Thames from your balcony, and extras like bathrobes, complimentary magazines and WiFi connection life can seem very relaxing. There are 5 accessible rooms, all of which are DDA compliant.

In fact life can be a breeze at the Holiday Inn, and their Website will give you updates on prices, menus and special packages to suit the mood.