There are several good things about Kettners: the first is that they don't accept reservations. That means you can stroll in any time, ask for a table and usually get one - they are open every day 11am till midnight. Another good thing is that this rather grand restaurant (est 1863) has an impressive entrance, beautiful ceiling, white linen napery, charming waiters and a ladies room so glam you have to go (even if you don't want to go) is quite affordable. As soon as you walk in the door you think "Blimey, I can't afford this" but when you get to the menu there are lots of things like pizza, pasta, salad and burgers, as well as more traditional things, like fish and lamp chops. There were seven of us and we got a lovely round table in the middle of the room. One of us had egg, bacon and chips, two had fresh crab salad, one had a burger with big fat chips and everyone else had pizza. The crab salad was the most expensive at £9.99. The food is good - but it isn't gastronomic heaven, and doesn't pretend to be. It's a place to enjoy yourself: there's a grand piano in the smaller dining room; someone played songs from the shows on our last visit, but sadly not this time. (Shaddap, in this context it's cool, OK) It might be a good place to take parents visiting London, who wanted to eat out at a posh place in the West End, but didn't want anything too fancy or foreign. Or children, to give them their first experience of a grown up restaurant, because there's lots of familiar food on the menu. Or, as in our case, a bunch of you have just been to the cinema or theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, and want to eat together. With two bottles of house wine, mineral water and four desserts, the bill with service came to £18.50 each. DM

29 Romilly Street Soho London W1

Tel: 020 7734 6112