Woods, Tunbridge Wells

Unlike those restaurants that fork out a small fortune on interior décor then ruin it by overlooking the acoustics, Woods looks to have spent about twenty quid on its upkeep – witness the chipped paint, old carpet and mismatched furniture – yet joy of joys you can actually hear yourself talk there; even my friends’ small ‘mmms’ of pleasure were audible as they tucked into hearty lunches on this miserable, damp day.

Woods is like one of those gems of a restaurant you stumble across occasionally in small French towns – unpretentious and a little frayed, but the high ceilings, elegant archways and marble floor give it bags of character.

We were four people, hungry and in a hurry, so no starters or desserts and no wine during the day. Two open sandwiches - one of steak, the other of chicken, bacon and tarragon - scored well for taste though the latter had too much mayonnaise.

But there were no complaints about juicy plump sausages curled atop mustard mash and smothered in Bramley apple gravy, nor tender beef and Guinness casserole: perfect insulation before heading back out into the drizzle.

Jake Withers

Signor Franco, Tunbridge Wells

At a traditional Italian restaurant you generally get what you want, and Signor Franco doesn’t disappoint – warm terracotta walls, Verdi in the background and plenty of Mediterranean knick-knacks to compensate for a view of the pub opposite.

What you don’t expect are moody waiters and jaw-dropping prices.

While sipping our aperitifs - my spicy tomato juice was good, though Mrs Hicks thought her champagne a little like prosecco – we waited for our anti-pasti, in my case tender, fresh squid and a piquant salsa verde and for Mrs Hicks a rather bland bresaola and parmesan.

No matter, because the 1999 Barolo though not cheap at £44 was soft, smooth and supple and a new waiter cheered the atmosphere.

Mrs Hicks fell for the maitre’d’s description of the barbecue-spiced baby chicken for her main course, but like a holiday romeo, he was all talk, for the chicken arrived looking inelegant and tasting bland. My sirloin steak was cooked to order but smothered under a Barolo sauce that owed more to cornflour than the grape. Fortunately, the sweet potatoes, courgettes, peppers and spinach in garlic all worked well.

Dessert was mixed – fruit and ice-cream were exactly right but the orange and grand marnier platter was a tad sickly.

We had a pleasant evening but for a whopping £167, even allowing for the wine, we wanted a bit more.

Major Hicks

Signor Franco, 5a High Street, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 549199, www.signorfrancorestaurant.com

Soprano, Tunbridge Wells

A visit to a good tapas bar rarely disappoints and Soprano - odd name for a Spanish restaurant, but there you go - certainly met our expectations, not only in terms of the food, but also the decor and the reception from the staff (that said, the very blonde waitress seemed rather more Estonia than Estoril).

The food, with one or two exceptions, was spot on. Tasty and tangy, the proportions were just right, and each dish left me and Mrs Hicks wanting more - always a good sign. In particular the anchovies were incredibly more-ish as were the patatas bravas (potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce).

Our splendid Rioja was bold but not overpowering, even though the second bottle put up a good fight. The slightly cramped interior of Soprano might not be everyone's glass of San Miguel but we found it added to the friendly ambience.

And at around £35 per head including coffee and service the evening was a resounding success. Ole, indeed.

Major Hicks

Soprano, Old High Street, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 535842, www.sopranowinebar.co.uk

Masala, Tunbridge Wells

Mrs Hicks and I enjoy Indian food as much as you, but again like you had never really wondered why. So we thought we’d give Masala, in the Pantiles, a proper going over.

Quickly seated, poppadums and drinks arrived with almost indecent haste, and orders were taken with equal brevity. My minced kebab was zingy and light, whilst Mrs Hicks' lamb tikka was both juicy and tender, rather like Mrs Hicks.

After a short wait during which we gently eased through our pints of Kingfisher (the King of Beers!) the main courses were presented to us. My Goan chicken was spicy, but a bit long on sauce, short on meat. Mrs Hicks' lamb madras balti was a succulent success.

With the traditional accompaniments of pilau rice, nan bread, and Bombay aloo the meal did everything it said on the tin. Sated, we had room for nothing more. The decor and piped music bordered on cliche but at £55 this was an unpretentious, perfectly pleasant Indian meal. And what is wrong with that?

Major Hicks

Masala, 51 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 616700, www.masalathepantiles.com