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hand picked restaurants

The Black Horse Mountain Range Restaurant and Bar is a new kind of pub that aims to recreate the atmosphere, service and range of freshly cooked meals that are a trademark of counterparts in the mountain regions. Tastefully decorated in heritage-style paint colours, beams and fireplaces, it takes things one step further with a gorgeous sun room and terrace for warmer days and, of all things, a skittle alley.

From the mussels and baby back ribs starter to steak ciabatta and lobster bloomer for main course and mountain range banoffi for dessert, the menu fits the theme with a substantial choice of dishes. If you are adventurous, why not try their do-it-yourself, sort of indoor barbeque idea, christened hot-rocks, featuring a six inch square piece of granite, sufficiently heated, which is used to cook a selection of meat, including beef, pork and lamb?

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.

An ideal place to celebrate a great occasion or a family dinner, the restaurant at the Highdown Hotel, situated in the middle of Sussex countryside, within the lush greenery of Highdown gardens is an ode to fine dining from a carvery menu that is unashamedly British, and relaxed comfort. Formerly the home of Sir Frederick Stern, the hotel caters to both the business as well as the leisure traveller. The place is a welcome stop for diners wanting to savour the finest delicacies prepared by a well trained staff.

For those wanting to pack in a fair bit of sight-seeing on their trip, the restaurant offers a number of places making it well worth your while. Should you be seeking a wedding location it is likely that the Highdown Hotel would be of interest.

For some time I made the mistake of thinking that no group of restaurants in the region of 200 locations could hope to maintain the quality for which I was looking.

Then one day I decided to put my prejudices to the test, walked into Oxford Ask! and discovered that I could not have been more mistaken. Their claim to serve freshly prepared quality food in stylish and comfortable surroundings with friendly and efficient service proved to be absolutely spot on.

Since then I have also discovered that a degree of consistency seems to operate throughout their restaurants, and that certainly does take some achieving, implying a degree of management that is enviable. They are perfect places for an impromptu snack, a bit of culinary grazing, or the full works, and families are catered for particularly well.

Their trendy décor usually comprises tiled floors and black furniture with well set tables that sparkle with glass, silver and spotless linen. Ten starters include crostini and bruschetta, followed by a range of salads, pasta and al forno, oven baked pasta, some with chicken.

The pizzas are stone baked in the oven, creating a crisp, authentic and delicious flavour, and they all come topped with mozzarella and tomato. Calzone introduce a touch of opulence with a folded pizza baked in the oven and topped with garlic butter and melted grana padano, whilst inside expect to find chicken or a vegetarian mix.

Amongst the specials may I warmly, in every sense, recommend the polpette al forno, a popular Milanese dish of beef meatballs sautéed in garlic with fire roasted peppers, caramelised onions, chilli and pomodoro sauce, with penne pasta, topped with cheese and oven baked.

An enticing selection of desserts list banoffee pie and tiramisu amongst them, and the coffee tastes like coffee, which may sound banal, but I guess you know what I mean.

Thanks to a well selected wine list speculative drinking can offer handsome dividends, even with prices rarely crossing the £20 barrier.