Victoria

The Victoria's location, on the edge of Richmond Park, is enviable; this building was a popular spark for local park-life long before chef Paul Merrett and his business partner took it over in 2008.

The site comes into its own in summer, when the large garden (popular with families - there's a kids' play area) is host to weekend barbecues. There's also a good-looking conservatory dining room and a pubbier room at the front.

Merrett has 'previous': before appearing on programmes such as the BBC's Economy Gastronomy, he earned Michelin stars at such credible restaurants as the greenhouse and Interlude, gaining a reputation for mixing British and Asian flavours.

Nonetheless, we found our starter salad of green papaya and cucumber with chilli and mint, served with onion bhajias, far too timidly spiced. Chicken and chorizo casserole with potato and aubergine also lacked punch, but the kitchen was on better form with a true-Brit Sunday lunch of roast Middle White pork with crunchy potatoes and apple sauce.

Sourcing is taken seriously, and cooking oil is recycled into bio-fuel. The wine list has some imaginative choices from Olly Smith, who appears regularly on Saturday Kitchen.