Last weekend I took a trip down memory lane venturing to Grove Park in Chiswick where I first went to school. A lovely leafy part of West London that perhaps embodies the spirit of Chiswick more than the High Road or Turnham Green.

My destination, Annie’s immediately felt like home, every detail of this charming restaurant is comforting and thoughtful. Blankets hang off the back of chairs for chillier evenings and above the front door a humorous (but true) sign reads ‘Life is too short to drink cheap wine’. The décor is bright and magical, golden mirrors reflect the colourful, happy vibrancy of the place and flowers sit contentedly on the tables. It is located on the corner of Thames Road and I envy the nearby inhabitants who can call Annie’s their local. All the staff are warm natured and friendly, ensuring our visit was extra special.

The menu is filled with tempting dishes and we made several ‘final’ decisions of what to eat before changing our minds yet again. It soon occurred to me that Annie’s is the type of place where anything you order will be amazing. Sitting outside in the breezy sunshine, the heat tickling our skin and sunglasses shading our eyes, it truly felt like the first day of summer. So we chose a meal to match the seasonal feeling.

After wake-up orange juices, and a couple of the new cocktails (lychee martini and spiced apple and cinnamon martini) both irresistably yummy, our starters arrived. Enticed by the daily specials, I chose the cheese souffle, which definitely ran the risk of being divine or disappointing – souffle is a tricky dish. It was better than divine, airy and light but full of flavour, served on a complimenting bed of crunchy salad leaves and extra sweet halved cherry tomatoes. It was, without doubt one of the best starters I have ever had, delicate and delicious, a balanced, fresh recipe made to perfection. My guest was equally delighted with her choice, the Grilled Halloumi, Roast Squash, Fig & Caramelised Shallot Salad, a glorious mix of ingredients that combined to make a healthy and vibrant dish, the Halloumi and Squash made a particularly nice pairing.

For main, I couldn’t resist the House Special, the summery Roast Corn-Fed Chicken with Gremolata & Mixed Leaves, to this day I am proud I turned down the offer of chips. The chicken was well cooked but not dry and covered in a heavenly crispy crackling skin. I found the Gremolata a little oily, but in moderation provided a flavoursome and very garlicky dip for the poultry. My friend decided on the day’s special, the Chicken Tagine, a comforting terracotta bowl of vegetables and meat seasoned with delicious spices. Accompanied with a small bowl of couscous it was a hearty treat.

Mulling over our wine and cocktails, we paused before pudding and relished the lovely sunshine and friendly atmosphere of Annie’s. Desserts took less time to choose, we both instantly knew what we wanted. Along with a devilish chocolate orange martini (thick and luxurious, but too alcoholic to do anything other than sip), we ordered Crème Brulee with Biscotti and Chocolate & Ginger Brownie with White Chocolate Ice Cream. The brownie was a hefty portion, and I think my poor friend was a little daunted by the task of finishing it… especially when she loved it too much to leave! I thought the White Chocolate ice-cream was particularly good – filled with flakes of creamy chocolate, it was rich and indulgent. My brulee was very good, flavoured with (I think) a kind of citrus liquor and served with a hard almondy biscuit. I actually thought the biscotti a little unnecessary, the creamy dessert held its own.

I urge you to resist the convenient restaurants on the High Street and walk towards the river to a Chiswick eatery that will provide much more vivid memories, and much more appetising food.

Visit the Annie’s website here for more information and to book.