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 Veeraswamy's Restaurant

 Mr. Chow Rastaurant

Eating out? London offers something for everyone, rich or poor.

At the top end of the scale are some of the finest and grandest eating places in Europe, such as the Connaught Hotel. There, in the Grill reached through an elegant porch guarded by a top-hatted doorman, you will find a warmly paneled room, fastidious waiters and superb French and English cuisine. The Chef is famous and the restaurant must be treated with respect - no open-necked shirts or trouser suits here. You must also be rich enough not to worry about the bill.

For the serious gourmet who also wants a little style, London offers a big choice. The Grill Room at the Savoy Hotel still follows its tradition of classic cooking in the French style, and quiet efficient service. Even today, when the cosmopolitan types come here for its fame, not an eyebrow is raised. Here one pays not just for the food, but also the bands, the floor show and the name.

The working Londoner often thinks more of his beer than his food. Many cheap cafes offer the same monotonous menus of "meat and two veg" "fish and chips" "beans on toast". But if you search away from the busy main streets you can find all kinds of places that are highly popular, not only for their price or convenience, but for their food.

The traditional fish and chip cafe is hard to find now in central London. It has been superseded by American-style fried chicken and hamburger bars. But you can still find them. Look down the end of Villliers Street, off the Strand. Under the railway bridge in the most insalubrious surroundings can be found excellent fish and chips. There is no decor or table service . But the service is quick and the place clean.
In the City of London are many lunch places. A Fixed menu of three course may cost less than a starter at one of the grander establishments. Extremely popular with the office personnel, who may have "luncheon vouchers" from their employer, they provide the main meal of the day to many there is usually a cheerful waitress calling "love" or "dear" to her regulars. The food can be unexcitingly English: steak-and-kidney pie, spotted-dick, rolypoly pudding and custard. But at least the service is quick, and the bill modest.

Left, right and below London offers eating out to all tastes, from the Connaught to the corner cafe.


London's Top Restaurants

"Carrier's"
2 Camden Passage, N1 01-226 5353
Open to 23.30 Closed Sunday

"Connaught Hotel"
Carlos Place, W1 01-499 7070
Open to 22.00 Closed Sat dinner Sunday

Lacy's
26 Whitfield St, W1 01-636 2323
Open to 23.00 Closed Sat lunch and Sunday

"Mirabelle"
56 Curzon St, W1 01-499 4636
Open to 23.00 Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays

"Le Relais du Cafe Royal"
Regent Street, W1 01-930 6611
Open to 23.20, Sun to 22.20

"Savoy Grill and Restaurant"
Strand and Embankment, WC2 01- 836 4343
Open to 22.30 Closed Saturday

"Cafe Royal"
68 Regent St, W1 01-437 9090
Open to 23.30 Closed Saturday lunch, Sunday

"A L'Ecu de French"
111 Jermyn St, W1 01-930 2820
Open to 23.30 Closed Saturday lunch, Sunday

"Le Gavroche"
61-63 Lower Sloane St, SW1 01-730 2820
Open to 24.00 Closed Sunday

"Mr. Chow [Chinese]"
151 Knightsbridge, SW1
Open to 23.45

"Simpson's-in-the-Strand [English]"
100 Strand, WC2 01-836 9112
Open to 22.00 Closed Sunday

"L'Etolie [French]"
30 Charlotte St, Wi 01-636 7189
open to 22.00 Closed Saturday and Sunday

"White Tower [Greek]"
1 Percy St, W1 01-636 8141
Open to 22.30 Closed Saturday and Sunday

"Gay Hussar [Hungarian]"
2 Greek St, W1 01-437 0973
Open to 23.20 Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays

"Veeraswamy's [Indian]"
99-101 Regent St [entrance in Swallow St, W1] 01-734 1401
Open to 23.00, Sunday to 22.00

"Hiroko [Japanese]"
6-8 St Christopher's Place, W1 01-935 1579
Open to 22.30 Closed Sunday

"Bloom's [Jewish]"
90 Whitechapel High St, E1 01-247 6001
130 Golders Green Rd, NW11 01-455 1338
Open to 21.30 Closed Fri from 1500, Sat and Jewish holidays