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Every so often one comes across one of those places offering a set meal, no choices, take what comes. What comes is usually excellent and for someone who has fairly catholic tastes there is usually not a problem. Of such an ilk is Halmpstone Manor, a romantic manor house with panelled rooms, set amidst glorious Devon countryside. Dinner comes as a five course event, as does lunch, drawn from a pretty traditional menu, with no choices until the dessert is reached. With house wine at £9.95 and excellent service, a very pleasant evening can be enjoyed in this idyllic spot.

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.

Situated in Braunton, believed to be Britain's largest village, Wild Thyme embodies a casual character with hordes of people stepping in for breakfast, smoothies, juices and Fairtrade organic coffee and tea.

Whether its huevos Mexicano - three eggs scrambled with a little red onion, tomato and fresh chilli, served with sausages and toast - or a veggie's full English, sometimes all you want is just breakfast, to last throughout the day perhaps. Here at Wild Thyme the most important meal can be had at any time during the day. Good quality ingredients are brought together in the home-cooked dishes section featuring pasta, tapas platter and chilli con carne made with lean beef mince using their indigenous recipe. The colourful salads capture the inherent flavours of crispy lettuce, spinach, creamy Devon Blue, fresh pear, walnuts, tomato and cucumber, dressed with honey mustard.

Watch acai, banana and apple combine to form a supercharged smoothie to rev up your energy levels as you prepare to take on the day.

A former country house set in beautifully landscaped and spacious grounds in a particularly rural part of Devon. The restaurant is open to guests and non-residents alike, with the Conservatory Restaurant offering a very comfortable roost for lunch or dinner.

The menu is quite traditional and starters might include dressed crab, moules marinière, or the chef's home made smooth chicken liver pate served with a port Cumberland sauce and toasted brioche.

Whoever named the main courses should be given a medal even if only for escaping the customary boring descriptions for well known dishes. Behold then a tasty number labelled "collision of land and sea", presumably 'surf and turf' re-invented? A 10oz sirloin steak cooked to your own specification, topped with King prawns and served on a bed of spinach and oyster mushrooms. Braised belly pork with Stilton makes an interesting combination, and sweet chilli chicken is effectively a supreme, sliced and pan fried.

Puddings offer a zesty lemon cheesecake, Belgian waffles or perhaps a fresh fruit brandy snap basket. A robust wine list shows signs of careful selection. Overall this hotel offers good value, with food skilfully assembled and served in tasteful surroundings.

In a tranquil and spectacular setting on the side of a wooded Exmoor valley, diners enjoy an aperitif and browse the varied wine list before settling down to an excellent five-course dinner. All dishes from the limited-choice, daily-changing menu are freshly prepared by the proprietors using locally-reared meat and locally-landed fish. The cooking is unpretentious and aims to be simply "a celebration of good food". Start with a home-made onion and thyme soup, followed by a small baked timbale of Mediterranean vegetables and goats' cheese, which is bursting with flavour.

Then choose between a succulent roasted rack of lamb with rosemary gravy and a fillet of wild sea bass with a red pepper sauce, both served with fresh vegetables. The dessert options always feature a traditional favourite such as sticky toffee pudding topped with Devon clotted cream; alternatively try the rich Baileys crème brûlée or the proprietors' special tropical Eton mess. There is a choice of superb dessert wines to accompany this course.

Round off the meal with a selection of first-class West Country cheeses, perhaps accompanied by a glass of port. Then adjourn to the bar for coffee and handmade chocolates in the company of the other guests and diners. The only curious thing is that, after such a satisfying evening, one's appetite for an English breakfast is always there the following morning!