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hand picked restaurants

If you're looking to catch a glimpse of Latin life and cuisine this side of the Atlantic, hop right in to any Las Iguanas outlet across the UK. Each eatery is designed differently and brings out diverse flavours and colours - from the stillness of the Argentinean Pampas to the energy of Rio at Carnival time - some outlets are bathed in colour while others are more sober. Don't be surprised if you come across a few life-sized Latinos too.

All the action is centred on the food, a fusion of native Latin American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African influences. Their signature dish called xinxim, Brazilian lime chicken in a creamy crayfish and peanut sauce with rice, fine beans and sweet plantain happens to be football legend Pele's favourite.

The tapas menu served throughout the day offers braised chorizo in Rioja wine with country bread; peri-peri, crisp cassava coated chicken with Brazilian style hot garlic; crayfish marinated with fresh mango, and quesadilla, a chargrilled tortilla filled with portobello mushroom, melted brie dressed with homemade tomato, garlic and coriander salsa.

Argentinean steaks are simply seasoned, flame grilled and served with potato, salad or cassava fries. Traditional fajitas - hot sizzling platters with onions and bell peppers, served with homemade salsa, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole and warm tortillas can be enjoyed with chicken fillet strips, steak, mushrooms or artichoke and squash.

Latin rhythm in the background and an extensive choice of wine, cocktails, champagne, beer and caipirinha, made from their very own cachaca, Brazil's national drink produced in their own sugarcane plantations  complete the picture.

Desserts such as Ipanema mess, made of creamy mascarpone, natural yoghurt, raspberries, guava preserve and crushed meringue lend the meal a befitting end.

Gastropubs are known to have taken Britain by storm and The Market Place brings a breath of fresh air to this enormously popular concept. Their food is simple but well cooked and, like most public houses, is traditionally British with an appealing modern twist.

The ambience is informal and relaxed and the service is attentive without being fussy. All their fish, ethically reared meat, organic vegetables and free range dairy produce ensure dishes are fresh and of good quality. Consider warm salmon fishcakes or smooth pâté for a start. Lemon sole on the bone, and sausage and mash are other choices that never fail to please.

It would be a good idea to sample the rhubarb fool with white chocolate shavings before bringing The Market Place experience to an end. The bar is stocked with a carefully chosen selection of whiskeys, wines, lagers, ales and champagnes to accommodate different tastes and occasions.

When the history of the rise (and fall?) of the gastropub comes to be written the authors could hardly have a better example than the Kensington Arms in Bristol.

Here was a sordid, student overrun, local pub. Since family life is centred elsewhere nowadays, and students are not renowned for their wealth, it is hardly surprising that the pub was going downhill - fast.

So along comes the 21st century solution, a transformation in rapid time, the self inflicted expulsion of those disenfranchised locals who still attended for the taking of drink, and a 'let's wait and see' welcome. This is always High Noon time for a new gastropub and the good news is that here it seems to be working despite £3 for a pint of beer but perhaps that will help keep the consumption to a level where theres some room for scholastic intake the following morning.

Grilled sourdough with Ortiz anchovies, red onion and Cornish butter makes a good quality starter. The risotto cake with smoked haddock, spinach and soft boiled egg is well reported upon, which is more than can be said for the skate and chips. Other main courses could include rump of lamb, white coco beans with red chicory and garlic cream, escalope of veal, steamed spinach, Royal Norfolk potatoes and Gorgonzola butter. For dessert hope that the Scottish raspberries with whisky and honey cream are still around.

Time will tell, but hopefully the refreshed Kensington Arms has risen to the spirits of the age and will keep everyone happy. If the food is anything to go by they should not have that much difficulty.

Teoh's has two outlets in Bristol, one in St Agnes, the other in Bedminster. St Agnes has withstood the test of time, Bedminster is relatively new but becoming increasingly popular. The same approaches are broadly common to both restaurants and buildings lacking in frills but not in comfort attracts an 'across-the-board' crowd who primarily want decent food at a reasonable price in unfussy surroundings.

The menu includes such well-tried favourites as barbecued coriander chicken, priking pork, Thai fishcakes, yakitori salmon, prawn black bean sauce, roast duck with barbecued pork rice and sweet and sour tofu. The pricing policy is simple, all main dishes are £5.25 and all puddings are £2.20, at which point you begin to see just why Teoh's is more than making the grade. House wine is £11 a litre, £5.50 a half litre. Teoh's policy of expansion has been sensible and is paying off, with further growth in mind perhaps?

A short walk from the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, the Royal West of England Academy and Bristol Cathedral, Zizzi Bristol Triangle provides excellent Italian cuisine in a trendy, contemporary setting. The restaurant's stunning interior features unique graffiti artwork inspired by the history of Bristol while the outdoor patio is perfect for a relaxed lunch or evening meal.

Close to Colston Hall, the O2 Academy and Bristol Hippodrome, Zizzi is the ideal place to grab a quick bite before or after a show.

The bustling open kitchen at Zizzi turns out freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers distinct sections of antipasti, salads, pizza and calzone, pasta, risottos and mains of seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.

Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.

Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu; creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.

More information can be found on their Website.