Food Of The Week: British cuisine

At these restaurants you can tuck into the best the British Isles have to offer. Who says we can't cook... By Andy Lynes

We British have so warmly embraced the cuisines of Italy, India, China and Thailand that we're in danger of forgetting our own fine culinary heritage. But all is not lost as chefs across the British Isles use their skills and showcase the superb local produce on offer, with some delicious results.

There's a taste of Wales on the menu at The Armless Dragon, 97 Wyeverne Road, Cathays, Cardiff (029-2038 2357; armlessdragon.co.uk), which translates as a platter of starter dishes that might include smoked Monmouthshire chicken with avocado and Carmarthen ham crisps or Pembrokeshire spider crab tart and sewin (sea trout) pancakes.

Classic British home cooking is given a fine dining twist at new Langtry's 21 Pont Street, London (020-7201 6619; langtrysrestaurant.com). Real-ale rarebit accompanies a silky cauliflower soup and there's an iced lemonade shot to go with your smoked salmon and potato pancakes.

Locally sourced Scottish ingredients prepared in dishes such as Arbroath smokie and saffron soup as well as smoked Finnan haddock or baked fillet of West Coast turbot on a smoked salmon risotto have resulted in a Michelin star for Braidwoods, Drumastle, Mill Cottage, Dalry (01294 833544; braidwoods.co.uk).

Chef Shaun Hill says he's "giving an English slant to the French brasserie menu" at recently opened The Glasshouse, Danesbury House, Sidbury, Worcester (01905 611120; theglass house.co.uk). Start with cockles and mussels on toast with cider sabayon and finish with a classic treacle sponge and custard.

It's not only the views of Snowdonia from Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, Gwynedd (01766 780200; neuadd.com), that let you know you are in God's own country; noisettes of salt marsh lamb topped with a leek mousse give a refined twist to a classic Welsh combination.

At The Mill Restaurant, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal (00 353 74 9136985; the millrestaurant.com), comforting Irish potato bread is transported from its usual place at breakfast to the dinner menu, where you'll find it paired with sea bass, seared Irish smoked salmon, crab claw and a sweet pepper sauce.

There's traditional Irish wheaten bread to go with a bowl of steamed mussels from Carlingford Lough at Mourne Seafood Bar, 34-36 Bank Street, Belfast (028-9024 8544; mourne seafood. com).

Enjoy a "wee bite" of haggis with neeps (turnips or swede) and potatoes or order a more substantial dish of clapshot (mashed swede and potatoes) with Scottish salmon and cucumber skewers at Stac Polly, 8-10 Grindlay Street, Edinburgh (0131-229 5405; stacpolly. com).