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The vegetarian food here is immensely satisfying, with wonderfully fresh produce pepped up with splashes of inspiration. The menu, which usually features a daily soup, quiche/tart, casserole or moussaka, draws in flavours from around the globe. From Jamaican curry to a Roman-style vegetable stew, it’s all good, and served in generous portions. Don’t forget to try their its ‘scrunches’ – raspberry or strawberry depending on the season – cream, fresh fruit and crunchy oats.

When to go :
When you don’t mind the crush for a great value feed. The hot stews and curries are perfect for the season, packed with flavoursome veg (such as juicy aubergines and parsnips).

Address :
31 Neal St, WC2H 9PR (7836 9072). Covent Garden.

Chinese food in Chinatown very rarely goes beyond classic Cantonese cooking, but Baozi Inn (from the creators of Bar Shu, currently closed for refurbishment until April 2009) breaks the mould by serving the traditional street foods of Sichuan and Beijing. From the former, you can try spicy beef noodles with sharp red chilli oil or classic dan dan mian; from the latter, zhajiang mian (minced pork noodles) or the ubiquitous baozi (steamed buns) that are so popular in northern China.

When to go :
For lunch on the cheap. Slippery, al dente ‘dragon’ wontons in a flavoursome broth of your choice – spicy ‘red oil’, or clear and savoury.

Address :

25 Newport Court, WC2H 7JS (7287 6877). Leicester Square.
Info :
http://www.doshermanos.co.uk/2008/08/baozi-inn.html

Terence Conran still has the magic touch, it would seem. His latest endeavour ‘The Boundary Project’ includes a caff (Albion), food shop and bakery, smart dining room (The Boundary) – and a hotel and rooftop bar ’n’ grill to open later in the year. It’s Team GB all the way at Albion, with well-priced, straightforward and nostalgia-tinged British food. The menu covers the expected fry-ups and nostalgia puds (apple crumble and custard), yet the cooking is suprisingly refined. The setting is as comforting as the food, with perky service to match.

When to go :
when you need some something soothing to line your stomach. Whatever calls to you – pies, puddings, a massive bacon sarnie.

Address :
2-4 Boundary St, E2 7JE (7729 1051). Liverpool St tube/rail or bus 8, 26, 48.
Website :
http://www.albioncaff.com/

Mangal was the first Turkish ocakbasi barbecue in London, and its success sparked a wave of imitators in Dalston and across London. It is still as unpretentious and unreconstructed as it ever was, and owes its success not to the occasionally gruff service, the terrible noise from the grill’s extraction chimney or the cramped interior, but to to the quality of its barbecued meats, which are sublime.

When to go :
Cold evenings
Address :

10 Arcola St, E8 2DJ (7275 8981). Dalston Kingsland rail. Unlicensed.
Website :

The freshness and vibrancy of Vietnamese cooking is a revelation, and a kitchen as authentic as Song Que’s is a real asset in London’s culinary landscape. Decor-wise, it’s nothing to harp on about – paper tablecloths and cheap furniture hulked together in a large, thankfully high-ceilinged room – leaving room for us to wax lyrical about the even higher standards of cooking. Song Que, while excelling in plenty of Vietnamese staples – fresh summer rolls bursting with vermicelli and herbs, garlicky stir-fried morning glory – they’re best known for the clear, flavoursome broth in their signature pho, a humble rice noodle soup. A favourite among connoisseurs is the version with rare sliced steak and a rich meaty broth; the balanced flavours come together with fresh herbs (sawtooth, sweet basil), lemon juice and chillies.

When to go :
If you want something satisfying on a budget, or are looking for something to nurse that hangover on a cold night. The pho is obligatory; supplement it with dish of chargrilled beef wrapped in betel leaves (bo la lot).
Address :

134 Kingsland Rd, E2 8DY (7613 3222). Old St tube/rail.

The original Cah Chi in Raynes Park has long been one of our favourite Korean restaurants; this new branch has a different vibe, but it has the advantage of being slightly closer to central London. You won’t find watered-down Korean food – all the dishes we’ve tried here have been confidently rendered with no compromise on flavour. Crisp pa jeon (a sort of pancake) filled with fresh seafood and spring onions, or strips of raw beef sizzling in a stone bowl (dolsot) with rice, pickles and vegetables, being just two of many great examples.
When to go :
For Korean food without the clichéd barbecue-side theatrics. Fill up on the panchan (small side dishes) and move swiftly onto the grilled marinated meats.
Address :

394 Garratt Lane, SW18 4HP (8946 8811). Earlsfield rail.
Website :

If we had to make a comparison, Rosa’s would be Busaba Eathai’s homelier, cuter cousin – the pink and red decor with childlike stools for perching, communal tables and gentle lighting offers up the right mix of cosiness and charm. The food, while more home-style than Busaba’s, reaches similar heights with a hearty mix of familiar Thai dishes (pad Thai, stir-fries, curries), done consistently well with fresh ingredients. There’s supreme care given to cooking meats perfectly, seen in a faultless starter of satays and a succulent dish of lamb cutlets in aromatic yellow curry. The service is friendly but unintrusive.

The Pakistani family behind Nauroz has been moving around the London suburbs for nearly two decades. They set up a stunning karahi restaurant, make it hugely successful, then sell it and move on. You can currently catch them near Harrow, where the cooking is robust and focuses on earthy fried-onion masalas, tandoori kebabs, and top-notch breads. Robustly spiced deighi gosht (on-the-bone lamb chunks simmered in a silken masala of browned onions with cardamom) is an outstanding rendition of this homely dish. This place is just a caff really, so it’s not fancy, but it is usefully BYO.

When to go :
When fate takes you near Harrow. Meat or veg, and order a lassi to quench the heat.

Address :
219 Field End Rd, Eastcote, Middx, HA5 1QZ (8868 0900). Eastcote.

This fantastic eatery deserves all the praise it gets – not only does the owner Emma Miles, boast commendable culinary provenance (Miles used to work for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage restaurant), they do their darndest to make the Kitchen as sustainable as possible. Nearly all produce is sourced from within the UK, which goes towards the daily-changing, seasonal creations that have us coming back for more.

When to go :
If your carbon footprint is playing on your mind. The vegetarian dishes are a delight – especially the tortillas.
Address :

27-31 Clerkenwell Close, EC1R 0AT (7101 9959). Angel tube or Farringdon
Website :
http://www.theclerkenwellkitchen.com/

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