The Bonnie and Wild is a simple idea done well – take quality and don’t muck about with it and do it all in an informal setting. This was opening night and any slight mistakes will hopefully be fixed in time for the next Saturday. Don’t forget to bring your own bottle and reservations are a must.

In the depths of Syon Park’s rolling green, the new Waldorf Astoria brings the luxury hotel brand to Middlesex. We went to the in-house restaurant, the Capability, for an evening of comfort, gorgeous food and impeccable service. It would be a shame to restrict visits there to high days and holidays.

I’d like to see what chef David Burke can do a la carte; the constrictions of keeping to the £40 line are perhaps too much to handle given the overheads of a place like this. That said the Lutyens meal deal is a fair one, nothing stunning but perfectly ok and you get to eat in a classier place than you deserve for the money.

It’s always a pleasure to discover new, vibrant parts of London that make you wonder how you ever managed to miss it. Heddon Street is one such enclave off Regent Street where hundreds of party-goers and vegetarians (and vegetarian party-goers?) flock for a nibble at Tibits before dancing the night away.

Annie Lund visits the self-proclaimed oldest dining room in the UK, to find a confusing but enjoyable dining experience.

There’s something about Sam’s that’s immediately reassuring. Nobody has thought to disguise it as a gallery-come-boudoir and there are no students loitering at an open-mike like opportunistic flashers. The Express Lunch Menu turns out to be a short and sweet celebration of classic British food.

If you’ve chased new restaurants to keep up with the times, remember that old restaurants only survive if they move with the times. The Gay Hussar might have been around for nearly 60 years but it is not stuck in a past of our imagination. Joanna Biddolph discovers modern dining, not rib-sticking stodge, at London’s longest standing Hungarian restaurant.

Namaasté Kitchen – Camden’s new Indian bar and grill – might be on the small side, with the possibility of your privacy being invaded by strangers on nearby tables, but it promises a fresh, delicious choice of grilled Indian grub in a stylish yet unpretentious setting.

There’s a lot of ‘small plate’ nonsense going around London right now, but Flatplanet is genuine and well intentioned and not simply a leap aboard an already clapped-out bandwagon. It’s not a first-date restaurant, nor somewhere to take your parents for their wedding anniversary, but it’s perfect for lunch, pre-flicks or a just a fast fill up on fresh food with world flavours.

In the depths of South London, Neo India promises a mix of familiar dishes together with a touch of the unexpected. We had a really good evening there, and while Crystal Palace is well-stocked with Indian restaurants, there’s more than enough on offer at Neo India to make it a regular fixture in the area. It’s a welcome addition, and definitely one to try, whether or not you’re a local.