I've eaten here twice. The first time my Ugandan friend brought me because we wanted East African food and she recommended this place. The parking is lousy, but that's not the restaurant's fault - the little side street of Hackney look like a cruising spot for twocers, and I was nervous about leaving my nice little car there.

Anyway, once in the restaurant, the owners were nice to us, and soon brought us Tusker beers, which made me forget about my car. My friend had lots of meaty things and I had tilapia fish. We had little samosa starters, and we ordered the African beans in rich tomato sauce as well. The portions were generous. It wasn't long before I couldn't move, and was forced to drink another beer. Overall very enjoyable, and afterwards my car was just where I'd left it.

I commute, and on the nights when I drive I need some time to eat or have a drink until rush hour traffic clears enough to allow me out of the city. So I look for inexpensive places with decent wine that aren't packed in the early evening. (In the same situation? Post some reviews - there must be lots of us who need ideas for quiet places in N/E/S London to wait out the evening rush hour.) I read or write until the food comes so I pick restaurants with enough light to see by. Being single I avoid places packed with couples (so's I don't feel too envious) and it's cool if there are a few attractive fellow diners to glance at occasionally.

Jane King used to be a milliner. She was a very successful milliner, her hats ended up in the big West End stores and she had reached the top, millinerally speaking. So she looked for fresh challenges and new worlds to conquer. She decided to open a restaurant and, I'm pleased to report, she's gone and done it again! Perhaps she could try a political career next and sort the country out. But not just yet - I hope the Hatters Bar is around for a quite some time.

El Torero, The Side, NE1 1PR tel 0191 233 1122

Friends had told us that we might have to wait for a table at El Torero the Spanish Tapas Restaurant if we called in on a Friday night. Although it appeared busy, we were ushered to a table immediately when we arrived at about 7.40pm. By the time we moved to the bar after 9.00pm the place was full and diners who had not booked were being advised that they might have to wait over 30 minutes for a table. Most appeared quite happy because they were going to get a table and it would give them the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere and people watch whist they waited in the bar. It is so interesting to see people come in off a cold street into a warm vibrant restaurant with the staff fussing round them. It adds to the atmosphere to hear the Spanish language being used at a high volume and fast rate as drinks are ordered and tables prepared by the mainly Spanish staff. There were large parties, couples and family groups all seemingly having a great time.

The Maharaja on the Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton has a very traditional name for an English Indian restaurant, and like the traditional English Indian restaurant, it is run by Bangladeshis. Unlike many traditional English Indian restaurants it is possible to get Bangladeshi food.

I visited Bangladesh a few years ago and as non-meat eater I had pretty much the same meal for every day of my three weeks there. At the time I was heartily sick of it, but since I’ve been in Britain, I’ve been looking for a repeat of that cullinary experience.