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hand picked restaurants

A stone throw's away from the beach at Eastbourne stands an elegant boutique hotel - The Waterside. Inside you will find a venue that offers an inspirational menu combining an exciting mix of fresh ocean fare from the South Shore with an impressive array of gastro dishes filled with hearty flavours and prime seasonal ingredients.

The seafood restaurant also features a stylish conservatory and champagne bar providing suitable spots for enjoying after works drinks, pre-dinner aperitifs or relaxing moments after a meal.

The carte du jour is a gentle meander through starters like tian of hand picked crab, crayfish and prawn and pan-fried king scallops. Mains include Thai fish chu chee curry with coley, crayfish and coconut rice and sea bass whole grilled with garlic caper berry butter. Desserts range from vanilla pannacotta to caramelised banana cheesecake. There's an exciting cocktail selection and the wine list crosses many frontiers.

Experience is reflected in the cooking as healthy ingredients such as Thai basil, coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, chillies and ginger are deftly handled to transform into a variety of seafood and meat dishes. Usual suspects such as the classic satays and Thai red curry chicken and fish rub shoulders on the menu alongside the chefs' special that includes fried fillet of cod cooked with mushrooms, tomatoes and baby corn in a sweet and sour sauce.

The Thai House has a carefully chosen and extensive wine cellar to please most wine palates. Also expect tempting liquor coffees, dessert wines and Thai beers.

Located on Terminus Road in Eastbourne, in the South East of England, Mr. Hau's is a stylish restaurant a part of the Mr. Hau Restaurant group serving the finest Peking and Szechuan cuisine. The atmosphere is warm and friendly creating a delightful dining experience. All the food is freshly prepared on the premises by fully trained chefs who are passionate about serving great food and are innovative.

Their extensive menu offers not only special house dishes, but also sumptuous set menus that suit every pocket. Any of their dishes can be tailored to suit individual tastes and preferences, so don't hesitate to ask one of the friendly staff members. Some of the specialities there include deep fried smoked chicken, salt and pepper spare ribs, shrimps with crispy rice, barbecued pork with bean sprouts, sliced beef with spring onion and ginger, and grilled or steamed dumplings among others.

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.