A manageable walk to a decent meal

There's a pitiful shortage of good restaurants within stumbling distance of Spoon HQ and even when I'm feeling energised and willing to take on a decent hike there's a lamentable paucity of gastronomic delights where dishes are served up with love. To my mind, addled as it is, the only restaurants currently worthy of mention and repeated visits in my loosely defined Spoon neighbourhood are:

The River Cafe, Hammersmith

If only it didn't make quite such a noise on my credit card statement I'd be booking in much more frequently. Still, the last time I went, on a Monday night in the midst of the worst recession in my lifetime, it was packed to the rafters. They wouldn't miss me if I swore never to return, which is quite the opposite of what I intend to do.

The Harwood Arms, Fulham

The only reason that I don't visit more often is not the absence of love on the plate but love on the floor. May be if I paid them more attention ..... ?

Lola Roja, Wandsworth Bridge Road

I haven't been for a couple of months, my favourite waitress (manageress) seems to have departed and the staff who are currently serving don't appear to understand when I ask after her ... or perhaps their silence is a foil for something more sinister. The room's hardly endearing but the tapas and paella are always welcoming.

Any recommendations for additions to this list gratefully and hopefully also gracefully received.

In the meantime, I'll torture myself with dreams of international restaurants that I wish I could tumble into at a moment's notice:

Momofuku Ssam

Prune

Chez Michel

Bill's (should be possible in 2010 so I can stop winging about this one)

Longrain

Sean's Panaroma

Le Chateaubriand

These are simply the restaurants that I dream to see materialise, as if by magic, on my doorstep.