L'escargot, anyone?

Brits have always enjoyed snails. Obscure Somerset villages have festivals at which 'wall fruit' are prepared using arcane recipes and snail-eating competitions abound.

The Romans introduced us to the gastronomic desirability of these land-based molluscs and the best eating variety is Helix Pomata, also known as the vineyard snail. The vast majority of the snails that are served in London restaurants are imported, although there are a few dedicated snail farmers working away. But when served in a sea of delicious garlic and parsley butter, it is impossible to tell where the little chaps have come from. Here are five restaurants where snails get the attention they deserve.

La Poule au Pot

231 Ebury Street, SW1 (020-7730 7763). Mon-Sat £60 **
La Poule au Pot is something of a Chelsea institution. Over three decades ago, the food here could have been described as 'old-fashioned and French'. Today it is still French and still old-fashioned. The menu is littered with oddly comforting dishes like 'le potage du jour' and 'le bifstek frites', and in pride of place 'les 9 escargots - 8.50'. Which only goes to show that even in a restaurant that sees itself as a 'romantic' venue - the flickering candles, flattering light levels and robust house wines have underpinned a host of Chelsea assignations - garlic butter has undoubted charm.

Allium

Dolphin Square, Chichester Street, SW1 (020-7798 6888). Tue-Sat (Sun lunch only) £80 ***
Allium is the latest incarnation of the restaurant at Dolphin Square. When he finally escaped the Savoy, Anton Edelmann was determined to have a restaurant of his own so he took over this site and installed Peter Woods as head chef. The decor is agreeable, in a suave James Bond sort of way, and the cooking is very good indeed. The menu changes regularly and there are bargains at lunch time. One dish that appeals particularly is the 'cassoulet of snails with Pernod and fennel' - this comes to table in a little saucepan with a puff pastry lid to trap the aroma. A sophisticated way with snails.

Mama Calabar

25-27 Watford Way, NW4 (020-8202 2003). Mon-Sat £45 ***
First things first, Mama Calabar is an African restaurant very popular with the North London Nigerian community. This means that the resto works to African rules - reservations may or may not count for anything; dishes may or may not be on the menu; service will always be very friendly, but it will also be very unhurried. It's a good place to eat snail - the giant African land snail to be precise. Some bright spark found that you could import giant snails to Britain, providing they were alive in transit and classified as pets. So lots of 'pet' snails make the journey and end up getting eaten. The huge molluscs are cut into large rubbery wedges and fried before being dished up in a thick and rich pepper sauce - they taste very good. Also worth trying is the 'assorted meat pepper soup' which is magnificently chilli hot, almost fruity and deep and murky. It hides oxtail on the bone, chunks of goat, strips of tripe, and various dangerous looking unidentifiable bits and pieces.

Brula Bistrot

43 Crown Road, St Margaret's, Twickenham, Middx (020-8892 0602). Mon-Sun £45 ***
Brula Bistrot is a small and practical restaurant bringing low prices and honest food to St Margaret's. The menu is Francophile - lunch (two courses for £10 and three for £12) is particularly good value. For a supplement of £5 you can add onglet and chips. In the section 'the Bistrot offers' you'll find a selection of extra goodies which can be mix and matched with the set menus or treated as à la carte. Nine 'Burgundy' snails with garlic butter weighs in at a very reasonable £6.50. Nine is the perfect number for snails, six is too few and to order a dozen is to risk overdosing on garlic butter.

Le Cercle

1 Wilbraham Place, SW1 (020-7901 9999). Tue-Sat £80 ***
Le Cercle is the new venture by the chaps that set up Club Gascon. It is in a modernist basement and is open all day for snacks and drinks (you can book tables for lunch and dinner only until 8pm). The food hails from south-western France and is very good - it comes in tapas-style portions which can lead to multicourse over-eating. The crispy black pudding pie with apple is very good, also the foie gras, and the escargots persillade served here is the real deal.