The Guardian's John Lanchester finds great value at Polpetto

John Lanchester finds small plates of honest food and great value for money at Polpetto, the tiny sister site of Italian restaurant Polpo in London's West End.

The Guardian's food critic says although the cooking isn't dazzling it's worth every penny. "It's not the subtlest or most delicate cooking in the world," he says. "But at £7 for each dish, the value is so good, you don't mind."

In the Sunday Telegraph, Zoe Williams can't fault the atmosphere or biodynamic wine at Bar Battu in the City, but finds the food is less to be desired.

Jay Rayner, writing for The Observer, says French cooking, a charismatic owner and a jazz jam night at Brasserie Toulouse Lautrec light up an unloved corner of south London, while The Times's Giles Coren considers Parisian brasserie Les Deux Salons a fascinating addition to the capital's restaurant scene.

Meanwhile, Tracey Macleod reviews Hawksmoor Seven Dials, the second outpost of the popular steakhouse and cocktail bar and discovers a beautiful restaurant that serves impressive food.

Relative to high-street fast food and the worst of the late-night kebab shops, chicken chain Nando's is good but its food is not delicious, says Kate Spicer, writing in the Sunday Times.

For these reviews in full, see What's on the menu?

By Kerstin Kühn

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