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.

Just north of Hadrian’s Wall, Battlesteads has been winning prize after prize for its hoteliering, but what about its food? Annie Lund visits the restaurant on a scorching day in the North East.

The Commonwealth Club by Trafalgar Square has always exuded an impossibly glamorous mystique. Its parade of international flags brightening the stucco-ed pillars, its jetset moniker and my visions of dallying diplomats, have always made it a bit of an exotic draw. Now, on the first Saturday of every month, its restaurant, the Commonwealth Kitchen, will be hosting music and reader events.

The blues: is it just for old men? Is that why two 50-ish blokes were dispatched to achingly hip Camden to review Blues Kitchen? Moray Stuart discovered that there is no room for chat at a live music gig.

Malcolm John’s empire continues to expand apace. This experienced chef/owner doesn’t do this by blowing up bloggers’ noses, but by picking undervalued locations outside Central London and delivering good French Bistro style food at a good price.

The trouble with heading someplace that everyone proclaims ‘you’ll absolutely love!” is that it immediately puts the recipient of such a comment on the back foot. But Gidleigh Park deserves all its accolade and acclaim. The food is sublime; packed with beautifully juxtaposed flavours.

Recently refurbished, The Grazing Goat has a ‘modern rustic’ feel, both to its bar and the first floor restaurant, with its wood clad walls, wooden floors and furniture enhanced with a scattering of artefacts. We had a great meal at The Grazing Goat, their service is attentive and the staff very helpful.

There’s a good reason Soho members clubs are the preservation of society’s elite, and that’s to keep plebs like us at bay. Caroline Sargent did a just job of proving how sound that door policy is on her recent visit to Century Club.

Right wing nutcase? A legend in wet fish? A lifelong fan of Thatcher? Henry Root was all of these and now he’s a gastropub too. Anita Pati goes to see what the old man is cooking up in Chelsea.

More like a canteen than a café, even today there are more tables full than empty, quite a feat when you consider it’s a Friday afternoon and, as I may have mentioned already, we’re in the middle of a leisure park. The dining room is bright, clean and ever so slightly clinical and runs a ticket system when it’s even busier.