The other week the Surrey Comet ran a piece about the top ten eateries in the area which came up on my twitter feed. I was really intrigued by the article as I wanted to see if I’d eaten in any of the listed places or would be enticed to visit others. All my friends will tell you, I absolutely love cooking, especially baking and never pass on the opportunity to eat out. I read cookbooks a lot and scour the internet for recipes on a regular basis, so really know what I like and don’t like. However after discussing this piece with my husband (who is a Celebrity Masterchef finalist…just saying!), we concluded that tastes are very much subjective, so where one person thinks is amazing to eat; others may strongly disagree. Another factor to throw into the mix is that restaurants can sometimes have an ‘off day’ which can really work against them if that happens to be the day someone decides to review it.

We all know how difficult the catering industry can be and often it’s hard for an establishment to make money, especially if they haven’t established themselves. Even those restaurants who have the greatest reputation, can find themselves under harsher scrutiny as they aim to maintain high standards. With that in mind, Michael and I like to give places a chance to impress and have found some great local places. Deea on the Richmond Road used to be a favourite of ours before we had our little ones and I had my first vindaloo in Maya, another Indian restaurant but in Surbiton (please note I was heavily pregnant so my taste buds were all over the place!). When it comes to Italian food, Terra Mia is just so authentic and unassuming and after a recommendation from a friend, tried Trattoria Calabrese which was also fantastic. Across the river in Hampton Wick, we had a great meal at The Forresters Arms, so sometimes it’s worth travelling a bit. Finally, the other night we ate the best pizza at The Canbury Arms as they’ve just installed a new pizza oven. I could go on but I’m told space is limited for my column. If you have any restaurant suggestions please share them and I won’t hold you responsible for a dodgy meal.