Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

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.

Baraca is one of Bournemouth's most celebrated restaurants serving a blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine on Charminster Road. It is easily spotted thanks to the decorative hanging baskets adorning the entrance which lead to an understated dining space enhanced by Turkish artefacts and lanterns making the ambience relaxed and friendly. The menu has a varied selection of authentically spiced meat and vegetarian fare, most of which are made from fresh ingredients sourced locally.

Whether it is delicious starters of pitta bread served with olive oil and zathar - a traditional blend of Middle Eastern spices, stuffed vine leaves, humus, and tabouleh, or main courses of marinated chicken wings served with chips and salad, there are plenty of choices to suit every palate. The signature special grill offers a mix of grilled lamb, chicken and kofte kebab, a Turkish dish of spiced lamb meatballs grilled on a wooden skewer. Desserts of baklava and kayisi krema, a dish of dried apricots and coated with nuts, bring the meal to a delicious close.

The affordable menu is complemented by a carefully selected list of wines from different parts of the world as well as a range of beers, spirits and soft drinks including Turkish coffee and mint tea.

A well liked local rendezvous, Tapas Plus is a family run Spanish restaurant and bar with an unpretentious interior and a consistent commitment to quality service and food. Split into two restaurants - Tapas I and Tapas II - it meets the expectations of those who wish to dine in a traditional yet relaxed, informal and homely charm ambiance as well as of those who prefer a modern and vibrant atmosphere while dining.

An accomplished kitchen favours well sourced luxury ingredients and an elaborate style, so expect amongst authentic Spanish tapas the likes of Galician style octopus, mussels in wine, onion, garlic and cream sauce and a platter of chorizo and jamon. A straightforward à la carte includes classic dishes such as chicken and shellfish paella and the pan fried duck breast with wild mushrooms and port.

Play a game of table football inside the restaurant or, on a day worth an outdoor approach, relax and enjoy a meal in the sunny conservatory.

You can seldom go wrong with tapas because there's something for every taste, and at West Cliff Tapas in Bournemouth, it's all too easy to let go of yourself and fully enjoy the fare with the help of the warm and friendly atmosphere. A touch of Spain in Britain is not at all incongruous given the popularity of tapas today, but what appeals largely is the focus in trying to make everything as authentic as possible without giving into the temptation to Westernize the concept.

A choice of twenty tapas includes fillets of anchovies marinated in olive oil, garlic and vinegar, chorizo with cider and deep fried Serrano ham croquettes. Salads are enticing but do try the main course of roast sea bass in sauce garnished with mussels and clams or a dish of traditional paella with chicken and mixed seafood. Finish with a slice of outrageously decadent chocolate cake or classic tiramisu.

The Highcliff Grill at Bournemouth offers some inspiring views of the sea from its vantage point above a dramatic cliff and its inclusion as a restaurant for the Bournemouth Highcliff Marriot hotel ensures that service will be of the highest quality. Gentle elegance and a trendy mix of colours creates a very warm and inviting ambience, and the menu features fresh and succulent seafood and steaks in a contemporary, yet timeless grilled fashion.

Amongst starters, there could be crab cakes with dill crème fraîche followed by a main course of organic pork loin cutlet with grain mustard mash. Seafood lovers will be delighted by the griddled tiger prawns with garlic and parsley, or the sea trout with crushed new potatoes and baby leeks. The grilled sirloin steak is an excellent choice should you be looking for more carnivorous options while a lemon posset with hazelnut shortbread is a delicious way to end and the global wine list supports your meal preferences remarkably.