By London standards Boulevard Brasserie, well established in the Opera Quarter on Wellington Street, is an old hand at providing excellent food and service since 1991. Surrounded by some of the best known and most vibrant centres of the London theatre, it is only 50 metres from Covent Garden Piazza; near neighbours such as the Royal Opera House, Lyceum Theatre and Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, ensure that Boulevard's credentials are impeccable.

Recently having completed a refurbishment, there's more to its credentials than just having the right neighbours, well demonstrated by menus that provide for every occasion, be it a night at the theatre, a family celebration, Sunday lunch, a romantic assignment, or a good place to seal a business proposition.

The theatre menu is a tour de force, operating pre- and post matinée meals in afternoon and evenings at prices that are an incitement to take the best seats available in the theatre of your choice. Three courses offer four choices on each and a typical meal might consist of gravalax, followed by a minute steak with fries and Béarnaise sauce, and petit pot au chocolat or Roquefort cheese with spiced pear. Private dining rooms can accommodate theatre groups of between 25 and 120.

An à la carte weaves its way through an extensive range of dishes, all of which sound totally beguiling, thus transforming the choosing of your meal into a Catch 22 situation. Where to start? One of the greatest mistakes to be made when eating is to hurry, particularly when ordering. Let nature, not the maître d?, has its way. Find space for some tartines, delightful little French sour-dough snacklets topped with Jambon cru ham, shredded duck and other delights, and revel in whole tiger prawns pan-fried.

La Français is never far from the scene and beef bourguignon and mash, confit de canard, steak frites and classic French onion soup sit comfortably with their English counterparts. The vegetables are a delight with a refreshing absence of root numbers and a light hearted hand applied to the rest.

However the ritualistic Sunday Roast is omni-present, made even more welcome by being served all day, thereby minimising the risk of getting overlooked by other events of which sleeping-in is but one.

A choice of some six desserts yields a classic crème brûlée, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and a rhubarb and raspberry bavarois, and the French return with a triumphant ménage of cheeses, bandying around such names as Comté, Saint Maure, Fourne d'Ambert and Munster, all served with quince jelly, grapes and celery, a very model of its kind.

A new feature to Boulevard Brasserie is the Boulevard Cellars - a cosy and intimate wine bar - offering a wide range of regional French wines and Champagne. Ample opportunities by the glass make exciting drinking a real possibility and a relatively short but very interesting range of after dinner treats for those with time and company on their hands is well worth considering.

Like many good restaurants nothing stays the same for very long with the exception of the standards Boulevard sets, which remain unremittingly high. A click on their Website will keep you up to date.

Established over 16 years ago and positioned in the heart of Theatreland, Palm Court Brasserie guarantees its reputation as one of Covent Garden's most established dining and drinking experiences with a stunning refurbishment and menu overhaul.

Opened by London restaurateur Brian Stein, it has been lovingly crafted to recreate a classically 1920's art nouveau environment. The intimate restaurant is perfectly suited for long, leisurely chats over a bottle of choice Chardonnay, or other choices from the vineyards of France, Italy and the New World, enhanced by a welcoming selection of dishes from the bar menu.

The walls are adorned with carefully selected images conducive to the art-deco feel and the eye is drawn to these by subtle use of varied lighting effects to create a subdued but cosseted ambience.

The beautiful, wrought-iron, centrally hung chandelier softly illuminates the surroundings and contrasts the failing, winter's light outside as the Covent Garden Piazza slides into nightfall. Palm Court Brasserie is an elegant time capsule and an oasis of sophisticated calm.

Palms absorb dishes by influence from Italian and French culture and gives them a traditionally British slant. The emphasis of Palm Court Brasserie cuisine is focused on light and healthy dishes representing an attractive fusion of the rustic and urban styles. Classic brasserie offerings such as steak frites and mussels cooked in white wine, garlic, parsley and cream, sit happily alongside pan-Mediterranean dishes including a seafood linguine of king prawns, clams with roma tomatoes, chilli and spinach, and grilled duck breast with dauphinoise potatoes, roasted vegetables and peppercorn sauce.

This 120-seater restaurant is ideal for couples or quieter mature groups who wish to enjoy a relaxing meal in casual, leisurely environment, either before or after the theatre. Guests may enjoy dining by the French windows commanding a view of the artists performing in the nearby Piazza.

Alternatively, the restaurant's rear suite with forty seats may be sealed off, creating an ideal atmosphere for guests who wish for complete privacy during a meeting, buffet or seated party. A range of menus is available, and you could find one to best suit you. More details are available on their Website.

Do note that they are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Serving modern Lebanese food with flair, LayaLina on Beauchamp Place in the heart of fashionable Knightsbridge delights the palate as well as the senses with a vibrant ambience. Just a stone's throw from Harrods, Layalina is open every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., evenings here come alive with music and belly dancing, reflecting the typical verve and zest of traditional Lebanese culture.

The restaurant's executive head chef Joseph Chahine comes with nearly thirty years of experience and is highly acclaimed for his culinary skills. His extensive menu delivers a flavourful variety of dishes combining creativity with traditional culinary techniques. The mezze selection includes cold, hot and tartar dishes with choices of hummus, tabouleh, stuffed vine leaves, prime fish fillet topped with herbs and pine nuts and served with a spicy tomato salsa, crispy cheese filo and kafta nayeh - a traditional dish of minced lamb tartar mixed with parsley, onion and fresh spices.

A delicious beginning to the meal is followed by sumptuous vegetarian, fish, chicken or lamb main courses. Vegetarian options include artichoke heart stew of grilled artichoke, flavoured with olive oil, spinach mushroom, white cheese, onion and garlic. While fish dishes include roast fish, a classic Lebanese fisherman?s dish with prime fish-of-the-day served on a bed of seasoned rice with a fragrant glaze. Meat dishes include the house speciality of LayaLina lamb, slow cooked fall-of-the-bone lamb leg served with mushroom and rice of the day, or chicken taouk - a traditional  shish kebab of marinated chicken pieces, char grilled and served with roasted vegetables and garlic sauce could be equally satisfying.
 
No Lebanese meal is complete without a salad and choices here include fatoush, a mixed leaf salad with tomatoes, sumac, cucumber and roasted bread croutons, or a seafood salad with prawns, pickled calamari, anchovy fillets, mixed leaves and tomatoes, flavoured with green sauce, cheese and virgin olive and garnished with roast almonds. Other options include a rustic village salad of cheese, tomatoes and black olives or chicken salad of grilled chicken marinated with garlic, lemon and red capsicum, served on tossed green leaves with cucumber, onion and tomatoes.

The grilled selection offers marinated lamb cutlets with bouquet of wild herbs and mustard served with Lebanese couscous, or succulent fillet steak, and seasoned beef fillet grilled and served with mushroom sauce on a bed of asparagus, vegetables and flavoured rice. Sides of traditional bread, steamed rice cooked with minced lamb onions, pine nuts and Arabian spices, and thick cut potato chips served with homemade salsa or Lebanese pickles complement your main course dish.

Elaborate confections of baked fresh pears served with ice cream and mohalabiyah, cheese honey - a dessert dish of steamed cheese with semolina and honey, topped with ashta and syrup and sprinkled with crushed pistachio, and aish al saraya, homemade crispy dough cooked with honey, topped with cheese, banana and pistachio make for tempting desserts. Guests can savour a range of champagnes and cocktails in the trendy lounge bar and sample a variety of fine wines too. 

A two-course lunch menu comes with a complimentary glass of house wine. Sharing set menus are available too. LayaLina offers a takeaway menu and home delivery as well for the convenience of its patrons.

Guests can also chill out at LayaLina Privée, a late night cocktail lounge adjoining the restaurant. Stylish contemporary interiors with individual touches provide the perfect setting for Knightsbridge denizens and out-of-towners to relax and unwind in comfort while enjoying a range of exotic signature and classic cocktails. A main room and a VIP room can be booked for private parties with up to 150 people.

More information is available on their Website.

Chutney Mary in the Kings Road, Chelsea, started out life in 1990 and has never looked back. Perhaps this is a comment on the British attitudes to Indian cuisine, and curry in particular, for when the late Robin Cook made his 'chicken tikka masala' observation he was not far wrong, and in an age when multiculturalism is fashionable we could do a lot worse than concentrate on exchanges of culinary traditions. Their colourful Website is a mine of information and well worth a regular browse.

From the outset Chutney Mary has been picking up the gongs, and deservedly so. In 2002 a major transformation took place, bringing the restaurant even more into the London mainstream, and the awards continued to flow, including Best Modern Indian Restaurant in London for 2003 and 2004.

Fay Maschler, writing in the Evening Standard remarked "Not so much Bollywood as jolly, jolly good", and if, as one suspects, she was referring to the décor as well as the food she could hardly be more right.

The approach to food here is to combine traditional Indian recipes with the contemporary ways that food is going in India, presenting refined Indian cooking at its very best. The emphasis on seafood will be welcome to many who wonder why more conventional Indian restaurants have so little on the menu, particularly with a coastline that extends so far.

Tapas have their Indian counterpart in kebabs, and breads, always a hot number if you'll pardon the pun, have the attention of those who would extend their range. Starters at Chutney Mary could include a real artisan soup, spiced seafood of great delicacy, a well presented chaat and flavoursome kebabs. There is no hesitation here in using the ingredients and produce of the country such as game, and applying Indian cooking techniques and adapted recipes. Prices start at £6.25 up to £9.50, with more for lobster.

Main courses cover the whole range of cooking techniques and produce, including game. Prices range from £15.50 to £22.50, amongst which poultry, lamb sourced from Devon and seafood feature prominently. If there is one country in which vegetarians get a really square deal it must surely be India, and at Chutney Mary there is a choice of two platters, one of which is a traditional North Indian composition of vegetables and daal.

A more modern approach comes in the form of seven mini-dishes such as stir-fried banana flower with coconut, baby courgette masala, okra and water chestnut combined into one platter. Indian food is by nature colourful, though to look at some of the dishes served elsewhere the colour element has been lost to a universal Windsor brown occasionally alleviated by a touch of turmeric or the flash of a chilli defying the colour ban.

Chutney Mary are to be lauded for helping to put to flight the universal assumption that Indian food is worthy only of pints of indigestible lager, or CAMRA approved ales whose own flavours tend to be submerged in a flood of curry.

Wine is taken seriously, aided by an input from Matthew Jukes, the writer on wine, to whom the buying of wine is no great hardship. Their attitude to wine can be clearly seen in the glassed-in, temperature controlled wine room. Some of the fruits of his labours are to be seen there and be found in a wine list that has attracted warm support, particularly the helpful annotations.

Cha Plu has become something of a local West London landmark for Thai cuisine. On Fulham Road, right opposite the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, it's the sort of place where you could linger over a relaxed meal and drink with family and friends. The restaurant's stylish interior blends Thai statues, bronze masks and other traditional artefacts with leather chairs and dark metallic tables to create a delightful contemporary ambience.

The extensive à la carte menu includes starters such as yum pu nim, a dish of succulent deep fried soft shell crab served with Thai mango salad; pla murk gra tieum, dried crispy squid with garlic and pepper and typical Thai style charcoal grilled loin pork on a stick served with a tamarind chilli dip. If you prefer a salad then go for charcoal grilled duck breast mixed with fresh chillies and lime juice, minced chicken with spring onions, lime juice and dried chilli or som tum, a traditional papaya salad.

Main course dishes capture the essence of authentic Thai cooking with offerings such as lamb massaman, lamb braised and cooked with mussaman paste, potatoes, onions, and peanuts; beef pad kra chai, stir fried sliced tender beef with sweet basil, krachai leaves, pepper seeds and fresh chillies; stir fried light buttered crispy pork loin with pepper and garlic and tamarind duck, roast duck breast on pak choi topped with tamarind sauce.

The seafood section offers a variety of delectable dishes including sea bass neung see eiw, steamed sea bass fillet with light soy sauce, ginger and spring onions; stir fried river prawn with red curry paste and lime leaves and stir fried scallop with asparagus.

You could also try house specialities of stir fried sirloin with Thai green curry paste, coconut milk lime leaves, bamboo shoots, kra chai roots and sweet basil; spicy pan fried sea bass topped with Panang curry sauce or stir fried soft shell crab with black pepper seeds, red and green peppers and chillies. The assorted seafood sizzling platter delivers stir fried king prawns, squids, scallops and mussels, cooked and flavoured with sweet basil, fine beans, onions, red and green peppers and chillies.

The royal banquet set menu for a minimum of four persons offers a platter of mixed appetisers such as chicken satay, Thai fishcake, crab spring rolls and goong hom pah, all served with variety of dips and followed by tom yum tiger prawn or chicken tom kha soup. For mains, there's a choice of dried green curry halibut fillet, duck red curry, beef pad lemongrass or pad Thai prawn and chicken served with steamed jasmine rice. Round off with Thai pancake served with vanilla ice cream. A three-course set menu is also available.

The same care and attention to detail extends to the drinks list which offers a selection of wines and champagnes from around the world as well as cold beers, ales and spirits. The cocktail menu includes classics such as pina colada, mai tai, mojito, daiquiri and margarita as well as a range of non-alcoholic cocktails to enhance the pleasure.

More information can be found on their Website.

For those hardy souls seeking the perpetual party, the answer to your desires exists in the heart of Covent Garden. Referred to by Time Out as 'a phenomenon', this is a pretty accurate description. Live bands are on stage every night, and a great line-up of some of the best DJs in town between them make very sure that the tempo stays high and the enjoyment level never droops at Roadhouse Covent Garden.

Fuelled by a 60-strong cocktail list the pace is emphatically party whether you are celebrating, commiserating or just trying to forget - no problem - get in there and do your thing, Happy Hours come and go as the evening wears on, no matter what day of the week, but with 50% off most drinks it pays to be around at the right time.

Why not call down on a Monday or Wednesday for Roadhouse Rockaoke? Instead of just listening to one of their amazing live bands, they give you the chance to get on stage and sing with them. Pick a song from the extensive list and compete for your chance to win a £100 bar tab.

All this sybaritic living can be very taxing, and a vast array of dishes that cover a medley of cuisines are served in the Diner to sustain you, starting with the small bites, call them tapas if you will, with crispy-fried calamari, beef satay and jalapeño cream cheese peppers amongst the list.

Then come the real starters like nachos grande, char grilled chicken and cheese quesadilla and the Roadhouse classic burger, followed by their combo collection that might be termed the hearty school of eating - well what else can you say about of a full rack of barbecue ribs and two chicken breasts, and the fully loaded version with a couple of steak and chicken breasts each and French fries, onion rings and salad.

But it's the grill that really hits the high spots, with a New York strip, cut from the centre section of the short loin to produce some great flavour and texture. There's a barbecue big rack, char grilled and smothered in their signature BBQ sauce, served with chunky coleslaw and fries; blackened salmon, basted in Cajun spices with spring onions, mashed potato and red pepper sauce or flame grilled fajitas served sizzling on tequila and lime infused peppers with a choice of filling.

The Bailey's sundae is certainly not aiming to be left out of the calorie contest while the hot chocolate fudge cake resumes its position as the king of desserts. The diner has its own happy hours, and the cocktails are brought to your table; no scary journeys for you from the bar to your table with a fistful of precious fluids.

The Roadhouse is very keen in the offers department and it pays to keep an eye on their website, where print off vouchers can be the source of an excellent value evening.

It almost goes without saying that a party night out at Roadhouse is a real blast, with a great range of nights from which to choose the bands and DJs you like, and food and drink to keep everybody, yes even the vegetarians, thoroughly happy.

Do note their cover charges - Mon and Tue £5 after 22:00, Wed £5 after 21:00, Thu £7 after 21:00, Fri £10 after 21:00, Sat £5 after 19:00, £12 after 21:00.

Their programme never stays still, so stack their Website amongst your all time favourites as the key to a real party.

In the heart of London's Mayfair, close to the landmark luxury hotels The Dorchester and The Ritz, La Brasserie Mayfair is the newest acquisition by the owners of Fakhreldine, and rather unsurprisingly specialises in modern European food, majoring on the best of France, Italy and Spain, an attractive trio when it comes to matters of culinary distinction.

At the helm of this landlocked temple to Copia and Bacchus is Italian chef Erik Paternoster. His aim has been, and remains so, to create a restaurant that mirrors a modern-day French restaurant. However, he will sometimes smilingly refer to his Mediterranean Brasserie. So no red and gold but a monochrome theme, reflecting informality. Whilst enjoying your meal you can watch a range of top musicals or listen to the soundtracks of you favourite old musicals.

Despite its 80 covers La Brasserie soon fills up with guests anxious to enjoy a number of dishes ranging from the exotic to the simply gorgeous. If I wasn't already a hopeless addict when it came to prawns I would fall for gambas "pil pil", prawns cooked in bubbling oil, chilli, garlic and parsley. A classic salade Niçoise revolves round a French style tuna salad, composed of red onions, green beans, boiled eggs, capers, anchovies and black olives.

Down amongst the big boys a simple fillet of cod, pan fried, is blessed with braised leeks and a parsley sauce. One could hardly ask for a more straightforward dish, yet it's the twinning that counts here. The same goes for spaghetti with garlic, tomato sauce and basil. A poulet Paillard with roast new potatoes and spinach carries a hint of true country cooking using the best of ingredients and allowing them to make their contribution over time rather than being blasted to anonymity amidst a host of choices.

None of the countries that contributes to La Brasserie Mayfair can be said to be short of ideas when it comes to dessert time. Two classics, an Italian tiramisu and the much loved crème brûlée are always in demand, and the meal can be even more enjoyably extended by an assiette de Fromages.

The menu is made up of only 15 dishes including starters and main courses, and five desserts. For those accustomed to lengthy menus that can leave you baffled and with a feeling of deprivation, this might at first glance seem to be a challenge. But look closer and the clever way in which the tastes and flavours have been linked becomes more apparent. Add to this the fact that the prices are gentle on the pocket

Whoever selected the wines had no need to travel beyond the three countries either, and they chose well, picking wines that respond to the theme of simplicity - and integrity. For those in need of something a touch different, jugs of Sangria Espanola, sometimes described as the national drink of Spain are very much in evidence.

Their Website will tell you more about this coming together of three star European countries that have so much to offer in terms of culinary pleasure.

The Fish and Grill in Putney follows its namesake in Croydon with chef owner Malcolm John continuing to do what he does best. Freshly prepared seafood with a choice of grilled steaks is served in a laid back cozy ambience with dark wood furniture and leather upholstery, perfect for an enjoyable evening with family and friends. Al fresco dining on the terrace can accommodate up to 30 guests. The Fish and Grill is a 7-minute walk from Putney Rail Station.

Diners are greeted by a fresh fish bar showcasing a wide ranging selection sourced from the South Coast and Cornwall. Rare-bred meats and the free-range poultry offer delicious alternatives for lunch or dinner. The meal could open with starters of salt cod fritters served with crushed pea aioli, Dorset crab with mayonnaise, whitebait with aioli or Carlingford oysters. The potted fish selection offers smoked mackerel with toast and breakfast radish, curried shrimps with gem lettuce and Cornish gurnard with citrus, toast and Waldorf salad.

Alternatives to fish and seafood starters include a Natoora Italian charcuterie board and English asparagus with soft boiled duck egg and hollandaise as well as salads beetroot with goat?s curd, pickled walnut and wild mushrooms and endive with honey and grain mustard.

After the appetizing beginning to the meal you could follow up with mains of grilled Cornish lobster, pan roast skate with capers and samphire, whole grilled crab with garlic chilli and ginger butter, beer battered haddock with pea purée and pea ravioli with mint butter and aged parmesan. The grilled selection includes a succulent Aberdeen Angus fillet steak on the bone, veal chop with lemon and marjoram, Southdown lamb cutlets and Chateaubriand for two with roasted bone marrow, all served with triple cooked chips and béarnaise or pepper sauce.

If you feel like going with the set menu then you could dine on starters of squid tempura with tartar sauce, leek and potato soup with smoked fish or salad of watercress, with endives, brae-burn apple, beetroot and grain mustard. For mains try aged rump steak with dripping chips, whole grilled Cornish plaice with clams and monks beard or house burger made with hand diced Angus beef, blue cheese or cheddar and bacon or jerk seasoning.

A children's menu offers the little ones dishes such as grilled maize fed chicken with mash potato and cooking juices, fish fingers with tartar sauce and green beans or broccoli and tomato, basil and mozzarella fettuccine.

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

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.

A delightful neighbourhood restaurant in the West London suburb of Chiswick, Le Vacherin on South Parade serves traditional Parisian bistro food. The brainchild of head chef and owner Malcolm John, formerly of Brasserie St Quentin in Knightsbridge and a product of the Café Royal training with Herbert Berger, a chic setting supplemented by a convivial atmosphere sets the tone for an enjoyable meal, whether it's a business lunch or a romantic dinner.

A regularly changing menu uses the freshest and finest of seasonal ingredients and a prix fixe lunch or dinner could begin with starters of smoked duck served with apple and celeriac rémoulade; chicken liver and foie gras parfait with brioche, radishes and gherkins or roast bone marrow, parsley and garlic crust with heirloom beetroot and horseradish. The lunch menu also includes the house speciality, and namesake, baked Vacherin with a truffle and almond crust for two.

The excellent gastronomic experience continues with delicious mains of aged Hereford rib eye with pommes frites, sauce béarnaise or poivre; confit of wild rabbit with Dijon mustard, sprouting broccoli and frites; breast of pheasant with fondant potatoes, chestnuts and chorizo or sea bass with brown shrimps butter, cockles and pommes purée. If you want to share, try the 28-day aged Châteaubriand with green beans and frites or the roasted crown and confit leg of Barbary duck with caramelised endives, pommes mousseline and orange sauce. 

Vegetarians are well-catered for with starters of poached pear with Roquefort, endives and walnuts, pumpkin velouté with sage and pine nuts or twice baked cheese soufflé, endives and walnuts. This can be followed by mains such as gratin of parsley gnocchi and trompette mushrooms with ricotta beignets or pappardelle with wild mushrooms and black truffle.

Sunday lunch at Le Vacherin could begin with starters of beignet of frog legs with aioli, Burgundy snails in garlic butter or a delicious pumpkin soup with sage and pine nuts. This could be followed by succulent roast rib of beef with duck fat potatoes and Yorkshire pudding; duck confit with green beans and creamed chanterelles; middle white pork cutlet with kale and flageolet beans or beetroot and roasted squash risotto with mascarpone.

The dessert menu is no less indulgent with offerings of Venezuela chocolate fondant with mascarpone ice cream, cinnamon doughnuts paired with apple and calvados sorbet, bread and butter pudding with aged prunes topped with prune and Armagnac ice cream and profiteroles with coffee ice cream and caramel sauce. A range of French farmhouse cheeses offers a delectable alternative.

Le Vacherin's carefully compiled, French dominated wine list complements the food perfectly and includes tempting examples of white and red wines such as Sauvignon Elégance Côtes du Tarn, Pinot Blanc Réserve Particulière, Bourgogne Pinot Noir and Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne. There's also a selection of aperitifs, cocktails and spirits.

While the main restaurant can cater for up to 80 diners for a special occasion, there is a well-appointed semi-private room can accommodate up to 30 guests.

More information can be found on their Website.