Play - Eating Out

Here are some Restaurants that I count as memorable eating experiences . Please let me know what you think if you visit them. Tell me your favourite dish and I'll add it to the listing. Contents African Greek Lebanese French Indian Spanish Malaysian

African

• Souk

  27 Litchfield Street, Covent Garden, London. 020 7240 1796

  Last Visit: 9/5/2000

  A favourite for some time now, this is a restaurant with lots of atmosphere, serving North African food. I love the Couscous here; One day I'll get adventurous (maybe) and try something else.

• Calabash

  The Africa Centre, King Street, Covent Garden, London.

  Last Visit: 11/1997

  Unpretentious is the best single word to describe this favourite. The short menu never varies, the wine list gets ever shorter, and the decor is minimal (you could almost be in Nairobi). The service is friendly though, and the food is exotic and tasty.

  • Favourite #1 - Doro Wot - Chicken served with a dark and very spicy sauce.
  • Favourite #2 - Dioumbre - Lamb served with couscous (a mild dish).
  • and not forgetting plantain as a side dish.

• The Cafe

  The African Heritage Building, Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya.

  Last Visit: 9/1991

  The only genuinely African food we found on our visit to Kenya (everywhere else we were served bland 'international' cuisine). Served cafeteria style, in a venue which seemed to be the hangout for travellers and local students.

Greek

• The Vine Cottage

  Church Street, Rickmansworth, Herts, UK

  Last Visit: 09/1999

  Very lively, very nice food, very reasonable prices.

Lebanese

• Al Hamra

  31-31 Shepherds Market (Nr Picadilly), London. 020 7493 1954

  Last Visit: 15/9/1996

  The menu varies from familiar items (if you're used to, say, Greek food) to the decidedly exotic. Very enjoyable experience, not a cheap restaurant, but then you only get what you pay for, don't you ?

French

• La Baracane

  38 rue de Tournelles, Bastille, Paris, France.

  Last Visit: 9/5/1995

  What can I say ! I found this on in the Time Out Paris guide, and it certainly lived up to the review ("way above the bistro norm"). Exquisite food at reasonable prices.

• Hotel des Bas Rupts

  Gerardmer, Vosges region of France.

  Last Visit: 6/1992

  Two-star Hotel, I think, possibly three, so we didn't have particularly high expectations when we booked in and took the option of half-board. What a surprise ! The "menu" when it arrived had 5 dishes listed (in copperplate handwriting) but it turned out there was no choice involved, 5 dishes was the standard demi-pension menu. And what wonderful food ! We stayed 3 nights and had an excellent meal every evening, of a quality that would have cost the earth in London.

Indian

• Eastern Eye Balti House

  63A Brick Lane, London E1 6QL

  Last Visit: 30/3/1996

  Quiet Restaurant, subtly flavoured food. I approve.

Spanish

• Biggles

  Denham Aerodrome, Tilehouse Lane, Denham, Bucks, UB9 5DF UK. 01895 834241

  Last Visit: 5/1997

  You might have guessed from the name that this restaurant does not make a great play of it's Spanishness. However the the Iberian dishes are there to be found on the menu. Nice, spicy food, reasonable prices.

Malaysian

• Family Restaurant

  Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara, Malaysia

  Last Visit: 4/1998

  Welcoming, friendly restaurant. It's one of 4 floating Restaurants on the opposite side of the river from the main resort buildings in the Malaysian National Park. (If you're going to visit, it's the only one painted blue). Memorable not so much for the food as the friendly atmosphere (say hello to Wan, who seems to be in charge). Also memorable for, let's be honest, the rainforest location, and all that goes along with it.