Restaurant Shortlist

Price given is a meal for two, with one cheap bottle of house wine.
Al-Hamra - Lebanese restaurant in beautiful Shepherd's Market, at number 31. 0207 493 1954. £80
Aubergine - modern French, 11 Park Walk, Chelsea 0207 352 3449. £120
Bank - horrible building, great food. 1, Kingsway , 0207 234 3344. £70
Brasserie du Marche des Puces - 349 Portobello road - French 0208 968 5838. £50.
Brindisi - best tapas in town in our opinion. In Borough Market SE1, at London Bridge. No reservations, sometime slong queues. £40
Le Caprice - impeccable if a little clinical, Arlington Hs, Arlington St, 0207 629 2239. £90
Chez Bruce - on Wandsworth Common, tiny, so booking essential, modern British. 2 Belleview Rd SW17 0208 672 0114. £80
The Eagle - pub-cum-restaurant, popular with media types, noisy. 159 Farringdon Rd, WC1, 0207 837 1353. £40.
French House - litarary haunt above pub, better atmosphere than food. 49 Dean Street W1 0207 437 2799. £35.
Granita, famous for it's locals (most of the Labour cabinet) hyper trendy modern British. 127 Upper St N1. 0207 226 3222. £60.
Ikkyu - 67 Tottenham Ct Rd branch - good cheap Japanese 0207 436 6169. £35.
Iznik - atmospheric Turkish in Highbury, great puddings. 19 Highbury Park, N5 , 0207 354 5697. £40
The Ivy - OK comfort food, but service and atmosphere pretty near perfect, if you can get a table. West St WC2. £75
Kensington Place, perennial favourite, trendy, smart. 205 Church St W8. 0207 727 3184. £70.
Langan's Brasserie. You go for the atmosphere rather than the food. Open late. Stratton Hs, Stratton St 0207 491 8822. £65.
Livebait - famous uncomplicated fish cooking. The branch at 24 The Cut, SE1 is the original and best. 0207 928 7211. £50.
Moro - north African crossover, very fashionable, 34 Exmouth Market EC1. 0207 833 8336. £45
Momo - north African/french - superb, great food and decor, Heddon St W1 (off Regent's St) 0207 434 4040. £50 .
Nobu - import for star spotting if money no object. 19 Old Park Lane W1 0207 447 4747. £80.
Le Palais Du Jardin - nearest to a smart Parisian restaurant in Covent garden. 136 Long Acre, WC2. 0207 379 5353. £65.
Ottolenghi - one of our favourites. Will revitalise your taste buds. In Islington Upper St, Ledbury Rd Notting Hill and Holland St Kensington. £45
Pizza express - reliable pizza chain all over London, no longer cheap, their Kettner's (20 Greek St Soho) branch is spectacular £20.
Quaglinos - you go for the clientele, not the food. 16 Bury St SW1. 0207 930 6767. £60.
The Rotisserie - simple, well prepared food, reliable: Shepherd's Bush (Right next to the central Line tube Station) and 134 Upper St. 0207 226 0122. £40.
RSJ - a favourite after shows at the South Bank, good menu. 13a Coin Street, SE1. 0207 928 4554. £50.
Royal China: the best place for Dim Sum in the UK. 13, Queensway, W2. 0207 221 2535. £45.
Sarastro - food is average but the atmosphere is astounding - like an Opera Props room with earsplitting classical music. Worth looking into if you're passing (eg on our Temple to Temple walk) 126 Drury Lane WC2. 0207 836 0101. £50.
Sheeky's - theatreland haunt of well-paid actors and expensive fish. Much cheaper and easier than it's star-studded cousin, the Ivy. 28 St Martin's Court, WC2. 0207 240 2565. £75
Song Que - Best of a whole clutch of Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road, north of Liverpool St Station. Highly reccommended. £30.
Won Kei - rude waiters, passable food, big, noisy open til 05:00. Cash only. 41 Wardour Street. £25.