Jay Rayner

The Martlet , Rochdale Town Hall, OL16 1AZ. Lunch plates £10; main courses £14 – £21; desserts £5; afternoon tea £21. Evening menu: three courses £35. Wines from £22 a bottle

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said a negotiated agreement is the “best chance of release” for the hostages

Desi Yew Tree, 44 Pool Street, Wolverhampton, WV2 4HN. Desiyewtree.com. No reservations. Starters £4.50 – £11; Sharing grill platters £12 – £22; Main dishes £8.50 – £13. Beer from £4 a pint

This place has masses of appeal and real star potential – if only someone had made a film about it

Roll your eyes all you like at restaurants’ Christmas prices, but remember there are people giving up their day to cook for you

Japanese grill fans will love Hachi in Soho, especially those rich enough to indulge in the wagyu beef offering

Hachi Japanese BBQ, 56 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TJ. Starters and sides £5.80-£11.20, grill platters £7.80-£139.70, desserts £3.20, beer from £5.60, sake from £11.80 a glass

Claro , 12 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AU. Smaller plates £9-£24; bigger plates £18-£48; desserts £14-£16. Wines from £42 a bottle

The Don , 20 St Swithin's Lane, London EC4N 8AD. Starters £14.50–£19.50, mains £22.50–£47.50, desserts £11.50–£12.50, wines from £35

The menu here was overseen by Rowley Leigh, but his generous touch in the kitchen is missing