The Old Crown in New Oxford Street is one of the older buildings. It probably wasn’t designed to be a pub, perhaps originally a shop, and it is in estate-agent parlance ‘bijou’. That means small. In the summer, though it has floor to ceiling windows that open wide, a corner location and tables outside that look like they were made from old railway sleepers or similar. Chunky chic.

Take a short walk from the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and you are spoilt for culinary choice. However, Seasoning Restaurant & Lounge stands out with its clean and simple decor of funky perspex chairs, white walls and contemporary Indian music.

Expecting ‘Pea’ and mint soup, my father looked startled when he received almost bare crockery (albeit by Thomas Keller). He soon relaxed when this was flooded at table with chilled, softly textured liquid that captured the verdant spirit of an English garden. It came with a crusted tuille of polenta and fresh, yielding Parmesan custard, served separately. Inspired and invigorating

Noisily chatting in a great many accents, the long queue of hungry customers snaked towards a funk of odours. Amidst the scaly perfume of a fish counter beached in sunshine.They came for this: the cosy, welcoming, tempting aromas of sourdough momentarily torched at 500 degrees…

So fresh is the fish, displayed in crates just inside the door, that the sea bass and mullet stare at you with accusing bright eyes, the crabs blow bubbles and neighbouring lobsters thoughtfully flex their claws against the restraining rubber bands.

The thing you have to say about Little Bay is that their food is very good indeed, surprisingly good, remarkably good and, what’s more, it’s bloody cheap. You also have to say that the restaurants themselves are rather odd.

Not Chapter2 anymore but Chapters. All day dining, even at breakfast. Can Blackheath cope with a new style for its old favourite? We take a book, we mean look.

This new establishment has a menu offering choices of authentic Turkish and Italian cuisines, not some kind of fusion idea, the dishes are distinct and separately listed on the menu. Nar certainly is offering something a little different, delivering great food, it is well worth the trip to Vauxhall to sample it.

Past 3D cameras and an increasingly famous commissionaire, ‘No. 20’ is the restaurant at Soho’s ‘Sanctum’ Hotel. This is London’s answer to Paris’ boutique ‘den of opulence’, the Hôtel Costes. Chic and shiny, dining room details include crocodile-skin chairs (not crocodilette), taut, bronzed banquettes, glass sheathed pillars and positive photo panels by the MOD’s official artist, Xavier Pick.

Spring is still in the air at Morgan M, the fine dining restaurant in Islington and the eponymous Monsieur M has generously invited us round to sample the Spring Menu, just as it is about to end. It has to be done at lunch though; the restaurant is far too popular with the well-heeled locals to be able to sacrifice an otherwise productive table in the evening.