Restaurants James Pembroke

MICHAEL NADRA, CHISWICK THE YELLOW BICYCLE CAFÉ, BLANDFORD

‘Outside Soho, the London areas with the richest pickings for restaurant-hunters are not the fleshpots of Notting Hill, Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea, but the proudly bourgeois zones of Islington, Chiswick and Shoreditch.

I am astonished by the high standard and variety in Chiswick. Coming along King Street from Hammersmith Broadway, there’s L’amorosa, the best-value Italian I know in London; India Zing and Potli, two of my favourite Indian restaurants; Saigon Saigon for Vietnamese, Kalamari for fluorescent pink taramasalata; the majestic Villa Geggiano, owned by the family of the 16th century Tuscan original, and La Trompette and Nedone for Michelin one-star seekers – all this within half a mile and plenty of cheap parking.

Michael Nadra now has a foothold in both Chiswick and Primrose Hill, where there’s a sunny terrace. The staff are warm and attentive, and they promptly turn down the muzak when asked. So it’s no surprise there were a fair few local Oldies finishing their supper when we arrived at 8pm.

They have an identical menu at lunch and dinner, but change the price from £22 to £33 for two courses, which is such a good idea. As a result, you get a much better choice than usual at lunch.

We feasted on quail with pickled girolles and red onions, dandelion and hazelnut dressing, and a piquant salmon ceviche to start, then duck and lentils, and cod with moules marinière.

It’s a bargain, but not as cheap as tiny La Tarantella, the Neapolitan pizzeria/ trattoria next door – two courses plus a

drink for £13 at lunch during the week.

Last summer, I had to drop my son at Blandford. North Dorset, haunt of Notting Hill second-homers, is bereft of good places to eat, for the reasons above. So I Googled the day before, veering from the ever-reliable if unimaginative viamichelin.co.uk and say-anything-thatcomes-into-your-head Tripadvisor.

The latter gave five points to the Yellow Bicycle Café, and rightly so. The kitchen in this pretty café is a stove atop a low bar and next to the till. Aproned Steve creates delicious flatbreads with ludicrous but very successful toppings (butternut squash, prosciutto and brie or black pudding, chorizo & pea purée) and renowned breakfasts, which include campfire beans. Their soup and sandwich deal, £6.95, is worth driving 20 miles for.

Best of all, Steve is a technophobe. There is a sign – ‘NO, WE DON’T HAVE WI-FI. TALK TO EACH OTHER.’ My son nearly collapsed at the prospect of being forced to spend forty long minutes without making surreptitious checks that his entire virtual social life had collapsed.

Michael Nadra, 6/8 Elliott Road, Chiswick, London, W4 IPE and 42 Gloucester Avenue, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8JD; www.restaurantmichael-nadra.co.uk

Yellow Bicycle Café, 30a Salisbury St, Blandford Forum DT11 7AR (closed Sunday and Monday). No website. Tel: 01258 480356