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It's not often that you find an Indian restaurant pinning its advertising to one item on the menu, but at the Brunel Raj they are big on the special King prawns, and closer inspection reveals that they are not wrong. Given that plump, juicy, melt-in-the-mouth prawns are allegedly near to the British eating heart, it may well be a sound policy.

Also on offer is a wide range of the traditional Indian dishes, including a fish tikka starter made with cubes of marinated salmon, barfi and, of course, the prawns in a special medium hot sauce.

Décor is smart and the restaurant is much favoured by the pleasantly upwardly mobile.

Located in Whiteladies Road, The Rockfish Grill and Seafood Market is all about an undivided, deep rooted passion for seafood. An excellent rapport with fishermen in the port of Brixham on the South Devon Coast ensures only the best and freshest seafood is brought to the table. The ambience is relaxed and the service, friendly and informal. This is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy the catch of the day cooked to your liking.

The menu changes daily to reflect what's in season, but a regular meal at Rockfish Grill, would go something like a starter of Dartmouth crab, a plate of fried seafood, a cutlet of English veal with anchovy and parsley and a rhubarb fool or Eton mess for dessert. There is an extensive list of wines including dessert wines and port wines to choose from and delish coffees and teas for caffeine lovers. Come to Rockfish Grill and Seafood Market for fresh catches and a relaxed friendly ambience.

Carluccio's was started by Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio as a small café and shop stocking Italian food and ingredients in 1991, and grew into a restaurant serving authentic cuisine at sensible prices in 1999. Antonio is an expert on food and has been a wine merchant, restaurant manager and owner, cookery expert on television and author of twelve cookery books. It is therefore not surprising, that today Carluccio's has over fourty-nine outlets across the UK.

Antonio believes Italian cookery involves minimum fuss and maximum flavour. This is exactly what his restaurants try to do by using fresh produce, and working largely with families who make things the traditional way - with care. Their passion also translates into special events like hands-on cookery classes and recipe sharing, Antonio and his team regularly organise for interested guests. They also offer takeaways and a catering service.

The breakfast menu offers croissants and breads served with butter and preserves or honey and free range eggs, either scrambled or fried and served with pancetta or ciabatta. They also have long cured Parma ham and healthier options like muesli and fruits. These are best had with coffee, tea or freshly squeezed juice. Carluccio's offers an impressive list of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines which complement your meal.

The restaurants offer a range of soup and salads which give your meal a nutritious start before moving on to the mains. If you like pasta, enjoy the small filled parcels served in a ham and cream sauce, or sample the Neapolitana spaghetti with whole fresh clams, garlic, herbs and chilli. The branzino con salsa e patate, fillet of pan fried sea bass served with tomato salsa and sautéed potatoes and Somerset rib-eye steak with rosemary potatoes, called bistecca di bue con patate, are good options too. If you are looking for something lighter, you could opt for the numerous sides called contorni and panini.

In the Tuscany region of Italy, meals end simply with almond biscuits dipped in a sweet local wine, Vin Santo and eaten. You can enjoy that experience at Carluccio's, or settle for a more conventional dolci of tiramisu, warm chocolate and kahlua pudding, your choice of Italian cheeses or gelatos in different flavours.

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.

Since Spring 2007 Pizza Express has gone even more Roman, and following the success of that particular example of listening to their public have recently introduced even more Romana pizzas, including the scorching Etna and the hearty Salsiccia.

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 tortellini, pasta shells stuffed with meat and subtle combination of cream, ham and grana padano, or the nostrana salad with new potatoes, torn chicken, avocado, red peppers, green beans, mixed leaves and parsley topped with a free range egg and served with baked dough sticks 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 mildly-oaked Italian Chardonnay from Cercasole, and a big, full-bodied Merlot from La Tunella, while the house wines are very drinkable indeed.