Inamo

Why? Have you ever been to a restaurant and had a brilliant conversation, then a waiter comes over and interrupts you mid-flow? This will not happen at Inamo because the menu is beamed down to your table from an overhead projector, doing away with the need for waiters. This is called e-Table.

The interactive system also allows you to access ‘chef cam’ to eatch the chefs preparing your meal and it can project a game of battleships onto your table if you run out of conversation waiting for the food to arrive. When you’re ready to leave, you can use e-Table to book your taxi home. It’s ideal for dates – here is Zoe and her date playing with the table:

Where? Regent Street, London SW1Y. Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus

What to Eat? A delicious melee of Pan-Asian cuisine, which means the best bits of Chinese, Japanese and Thai. It’s served in sharing size portions which also makes it great for dates – it’s a sociable way of eating. For starters, choose from sushi or sashimi, beef salad, ribs, king crab or our favourite – succulent crispy prawns that came with spicy sweet chilli sauce. For mains, crispy duck was carved at the table (very impressive) while vegetable tempura was lightly battered so we felt we were getting some of our five-a-day. However, the best thing by far was the black cod with honey and miso sauce, the signature dish of posh Japanese restaurants like Nobu where it sells at £33. At Inamo it was equally good and just £15. We still had room for desert and tried a delicious macaroon with white chocolate mousse and lemongrass and coconut sorbet ‚Äì a perfect palate cleanser.

What to drink? The cocktail menu is dangerous (in a good way). Highly recommended for ladies is the oriental rose – vodka, fresh lemon juice, a dash of cranberry juice and rose liqueur while men can try to impress their dates with the spicy Inamo – mandarin puree muddled with spring onion and shaken with vodka and chilli syrup.

Cost: Smaller dishes average £6 – £8, larger dishes between £10- £15 and desserts are approximately £6. If you chose 3 dishes per head, it would come to a total of approx £50 – excellent value for money. Cocktails are around £8.50 each.

Contact: Inamo, 4-12 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4PE. 020 7484 0500

Check out the Inamo Website

Indali Lounge

Why? Restaurant owner Dr Kartar Lalvani is one of Britain’s most successful businessmen with his primary enterprise making vitamin pills and Indali Lounge attracts some well-dressed corporate crowds. However, it’s Marylebone location and decent-sized bar area means it is ofetn hired out for private parties by neighbouring TV channels. The BBC and Virgin Media (including Living TV) have offices down the road.

Where? Baker Street, London W1. Nearest Tube: Baker Street

What to Eat? Indali is London’s healthiest curry house! Dr Lalvani has created a menu with no cream and no butter. The rice dishes all have low GI, the cucumber raita is low-fat and the naans and chapatis are free from bleached starch and high in fibre. I was scared what effect all this calorie cutting would have on the taste but as soon as the starters came out, I was won over and by dessert I was happily full yet not weighed down. I went with a crew from Living TV and we shared a selection of starters. There are lots of vegetarian choices including Paneer Three Ways and Chaat Baked Aloo Tikki (moist potato patties served with chickpeas and tomato) but the Masala Prawns Grilled were so delicious I wanted them all to myself:

For mains, I must mention the Original Butter Chicken Tikka Indali, which is so unique it has a patent pending regarding it’s recipe! But all four of us had dishes we loved with a Lobster Bombay Dream curry, a succulent Soft Shell Madras Bhuna Crab and a Veggie Mali Kofta with Paneer Dumplings. As we’d done so well with the other courses, we were worried there would be a catch when it came to puddings but the Mango Kulfi did not disappoint ‚Äì a mix between sorbet and ice-cream. I also loved the Gulab Juman, which tasted like donuts, but they must be healthy as they are on the Indali menu.

What to Drink? Cocktails! Beer and curry may be traditional but cocktails are yummy! Try one of the non-alcoholic mocktails

What To Pay? Special deals include 20% off the A La Carte menu on Sundays and a two course business lunch for the criminally low price of £8.90. However, starters range from £4 ‚Äì £6, the vegetarian mains start at just £6 and desserts are mostly under £4! I reckon two people could enjoy one of the best dinners they’ve ever had for around £50 including a cocktail.

Contact: Indali Lounge, 50 Baker Street, London W1U 7BT. 020 7224 2232

Visit the Indali Lounge Website

Ivy

Why? If f you don’t see a celebrity then you are either blind or very, very unlucky. On my visits, I’ve seen a mix of people including Oasis’s Liam Gallagher, comedian Ricky Gervais, TV presenters Michael Parkinson and Emily Maitlis and actress Claire Sweeney. You never know who you’ll see, but you will always see someone.

Plus it’s open from 530pm until late so you can go pre/post-theatre (or both!)

Where? Covent Garden, London WC2. Nearest Tube: Covent Garden / Leicester Square

What to Eat? Classic British comfort food like fish and chips, shepherds pie and hamburgers mixed in with chef’s weekly specialities including suckling pig or fish of the day.

My favourite starters are Caesaer Salad and Bang Bang Chicken (chicken with peanut sauce), but you can also go for traditional classics like melon with parma ham or prawn cocktail. Gnocchi and Kedegree may be simple dishes but you’ll be pushed to taste them better elsewhere than at the Ivy. My favourite main is Shepherds Pie, which is served with a bottle of soy sauce on the side. Order this with minted peas and carrots.

I always save room for desert – either Sticky Toffee Pudding (comfort food) or Iced Berries in Hot White Chocolate (still comforting but slightly lighter).

What to drink? As much as we like fancy cocktails, the Ivy calls for a crisp glass of wine. And the menu is extensive with a brilliant range by the glass. Perfect for fussy drinkers like us.

What to pay? Getting a table is the stressful part ‚Äì prices are surprisingly low once you are in with starters around the £10 mark and a decent main such as Shepherds Pie around £15. Two people could dine with wine for £100 as long as you don’t splash out too much on the tempting wine and Champagne list.

Contact: The Ivy, 1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ, 020 7836 4751

See The Ivy Website