Bristol, in the South-West of England, is a pretty city with a great maritime history. Due to the creation, throughout the nineties, of out-of-town shopping malls, most of the city centre has been given over to clubs, bars and restaurants. Here are just a few places to eat if you ever find the hunger pangs striking:

Double Dutch

This pancake house was surprisingly unpacked at lunchtimes. For those who think the only pancakes are the sweet pancakes eaten on Shrove Tuesday in the UK, this will come as a bit of a shock.

The savoury pancakes just look like pizzas but on a very thin base. And they are big. Very big. And very filling. Just like with Pizzas, you can choose to create your own or from a full range of other masterpieces. Whatever you do, leave room for a dessert pancake. Even the traditional sugar and lemon is mouth-watering.

Service was quick and the surroundings quite pleasant but this was based on a Saturday lunchtime. It might be very different in the evenings.

Over the Moon

Unable to get into our favourite restaurant, Glasnost, we booked into Over The Moon instead. This is the second OTM restaurant in Bristol and we had heard many good things. The atmosphere was great right from the beginning although it all felt a little cramped. We had a noisy party of 10 and it took us at least two hours to clear the top floor of the restaurant which is a new record for us!

The food was okay-ish. The menus read really well with lots of dishes like Roast Spatchcock, Goats cheese and sun dried tomato flans, and roasted salmon but the quantities let it down a little. There were few vegetables to be seen, about enough for half the people and one patron described the Roast Spatchcock as 'looking like roadkill'.

It was a good place to eat and we had a great time but it didn't persuade us to change from out favourite Bristol eaterie.

Glasnost

Glasnost is our favourite eaterie which has just opened up the second floor of the restaurant. Despite this, it is so popular that there is a six week waiting list for bookings. It is situated in the middle of a residential area which can cause problems parking, and also in finding the place as residents have taken to covering up street signs in an effort to put people off.

The restaurant has a wonderfully informal atmosphere where you can be as noisy as you like, the staff will do just about anything to make your meal a great experience, and meals can sometimes go on into the early hours of the morning and it still isn't seen as a problem.

The menu is set for either two or three courses and there are a good selection of wines and bottled beers on offer. The menus change daily and have a variety of vegetarian choices on offer. Of the puddings, the house speciality, Maltesers and Baily's Cheesecake, is a must.

As well as your meal it is also possible to purchase art by Ailse Harding, a local artist.

The Firehouse

The people who own this restaurant are apparently from California and there is a definite air of San Fransisco in the menu. Their first restaurant in Bath was so successful that they have opened the second in the new harbourside development of Bristol.

Booking ahead was a definite requirement and we felt out of place for not being totally dressed in black. The waiting staff were all female, in their twenties and pretty interchangeable with each other. On the plus side the food was cooked in front of you.

The food was excellent but the wine was on the expensive side.

Edwards

Typical trendy wine bar/pub. Food quite nice and a bit different to the bog standard chain food. pasta was micowaved though so a bit dry and chewy in places.

The Riverstation

Le Muset

Located in Clifton. Three course meal with coffee cost £17 per head.

Parking an absolute nightmare. Looks tiny from the outside but is like the tardis in Dr Who. Food was great and included plenty of veg. BYO. Salmon with Prawns in Butter very nice. Copes very well with lots of large parties.

The Maharaja

Located on Station Road, Shirehampton.

No flock wallpaper, no colourings and no MSG. Good value for money and takeaway 10% less!

Henry Africa's Hothouse

Located on Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Mid Price Range.

Good place to eat although the music is very loud (too loud IMHO). Cocktail Happy Hour is always good to go for and there is a fixed price menu on Tuesdays which very good value for money. I heartily recomend the Tuna Steak, Ginger and Lime Salsa with wilted greems and Jasmine rice. Beware the nachos - the portions are huge!

Thai Classic

Located on Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Approx £18 for 3 courses.

Great food. Very solicitous service. Haw Mog Plaw v spicy and tasty. Need to book.

Toureg

Located on Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Approx £19 for two courses and £24 for three.

More expensive than we thought but food wonderful. French influenced North African food. Chicken Jerba a must. Starters huge. service wonderful. They had run out of beer but went out and bought some especially for one patron. Ambience of the Kasbah - includes tented areas to lounge around and drink coffee. Only irritation was the seats were saggy and the carpets kept rucking up every time you moved your chair.