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hand picked restaurants

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.

This modern Indian restaurant on Bristol's Park Street is a deservedly popular place. Great attention to detail has been taken with the interior to provide something a little different from the classic curry house interior and it certainly seems to be doing the trick. In addition to the classic Indian dishes we all know and love, there are also a few alternatives worthy of your attention. Interesting starters include roasted green pepper filled with a mixture of vegetables and onion seeds, or baked fish with onions, roasted spices and herbs. Main courses range from fillet of salmon cooked with a special blend of spices, herbs and a light sauce, to rezala, a ceremonial dish of lamb cooked with yoghurt and subtly spiced with fresh herbs. Expect to pay around £6 to £13 per main course option.

Reviewed by Linda Buttle

A well-established, handsome pub where so many of the attributes that one looks for in a good pub are pulled together in a masterly and business-like way. Whilst bar food is of good quality and well worth the wait if you can't find a table, it is probably the wide range of expertly chosen real beers that mark Hope and Anchor out. For instance Timothy Taylor Landlord makes a regular appearance and the landlord is said to keep a list of regulars and their drinking predilections - that takes dedication and organisation but it sorts out the men from the boys. There is a wide choice of food which is served daily from 11 am to 10.30 pm - oh, the joy of being able to go in after 9 pm and order food instead of being confronted by a po-face behind the bar intoning the dreaded litany, "no food ordered after 9 o'clock". No wonder the place is always heaving, but if that's the price you pay for success, so be it.

More than a touch of Gallic influence here, in surroundings which by their décor and culinary achievements lay claim to an essentially English cuisine, though painted with a very broad brush. Starters could include a very rich pea and ham broth, smoked salmon and lobster terrine, or roast quail served with a piquant smoked bacon risotto. It is with the main courses that Jameson's really excels, dishes such as whole roast wood pigeon glazed with honey and truffle and served on a cassoulet of white beans, roast rack of lamb with a crab flan and mild curry sabyon or mussels cooked in a gentle coriander chilli and coconut sauce. For pudding try to leave room for the rummer berries and citrus syllabub, a wonderful flavour combination. The wine list is spread well across the world and those on a careful budget will find much to please, whilst others will certainly not be disappointed. Service is well oiled and Jameson's continues to please and feature amongst the top restaurants in Bristol.