Forget celeb chefs, drizzles, liquid nitrogen foams and food stacks, traditional food still exists, thank goodness in many places in Portugal. Tavira is a "real" town on a river in the Eastern Algarve. An old fishing port(tuna) where the local cuisine reflects the riches of the Atlantic.

This restaurant which has been there forever is run by Joao Pereira and his little team of cooks(yes lady cooks -not poncy chefs) who you can see frying and boiling and grilling in the tiny kitchen area.

don't think Ognisko's has much passing trade, because if you didn't know it was there you would walk right past it. The imposing entrance looks like the portico of an East European embassy, which it almost is. It is in a building that was donated by the then Duke of Kent to the Polish resistance during the Second World War. It now houses the Polish Club whose attached restaurant, Ognisko, is open to the public. You enter the restaurant through the club-like bar, which is set about with portraits of bewhiskered Polish officers, the two being separated by a wall of plants. The restaurant is large and magnificent - all pink walls and pillars - with an impressive collection of portraits gazing down on the diners below. I thought one was Zsa Zsa Gabor but was soon put right on that - it was the wife of a famous general. The rear of the room gives on to a splendid terrace but that was shut when we went, Autumn having just arrived. The tables are well spaced with proper linen napkins, candles and flowers. The food is, not surprisingly, Polish and slightly pricier than average, but you can have a three course set dinner for £11 so I had that. The food quality was patchy. The chicken consomme was OK and the pudding - pears - were out of a tin but the main course was good. I had pork, potatoes and pickled cucumber which was plentiful and well worth the money - the pork's sauce was particularly excellent. My companions had, among others, borscht, which was the real thing and good and a very fine liver dish. The house wind (French) was very palatable too. Service was excellent, by proper Polish ladies and one of them was kind enough to tell me the history of the place, which is fascinating. So although my £11 bargain was a bit of a curate's egg, it was unusual and interesting and a good and enjoyable night out. I would certanly go back. Harry

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.

Pancakes. Huge great big ones. I'm not kidding, they really are impressively large. Lots of different toppings, savoury or sweet, so it almost feels like an alternative Pizza Hut except the food tastes good, it has a pleasant ambience and there are no posters of Ruud Gullit from a TV ad three years ago. Its not cheap but unlikely to break the bank either. And they have a few good Dutch and Belgian beers to choose from. Approved King Mob

This place opened about 15 years ago, when I worked in The Cut. It had been a Barclays Bank, and they kept the polished wooden counter in the middle, giving the room quite a Spanish feel. I went once or twice, but I didn't think it would really take off. Nothing wrong with it, but it was usually pretty empty and I thought maybe Londoners simply didn't 'get' tapas. Shame, because it was good. Last week we'd arranged to eat at Livebait, but on a whim darted into Meson Don Felipe instead. What a difference ! It was heaving, but we managed to get two seats at the bar. Glass of fino each and three tapas did us nicely, especially as the tapas portions were more like a 'racion', and you get bread and butter. We got six big Champignones Fritos, (deep fried mushrooms) eight Croquettas Atùn (tuna fishcakes, spherical and a tiny bit dry) and an Ensalata Especial which involved more tuna, olives, tomatoes, egg, lettuce and mayonnaise. All good stuff and freshly made, it's obvious why it's popular. Understandably, they have crammed as many tables in as possible, and just as we were about to eat, the waiter asked us to move up so that two more people could squeeze in. And that's my only complaint, really. You can't sit comfortably at a bank counter anyway, but perched on a stool with people brushing past you all the time just ain't relaxin'. And 18 inches (Oh, OK - 45cm) behind you sit other diners, also on stools, at very small tables.