It was a weirdly prehistoric playground for Canyon's toddler contingent whose frequent howls confirmed that

It was a weirdly prehistoric playground for Canyon's toddler contingent, whose frequent howls confirmed that the boulders weren't fibreglass after all.Nor was there anything fake about the brunch menu. It was so fabulously American that Claire and I were swept away on a tide of nostalgia, and ordered most of it. We started with pan-fried pumpkin and ricotta wedges: two bread-crumbed doorstops on a bed of rocket. They were rescued from unrelenting stodginess by the crunchy coating and sharp salsa sauce.

Claire thought them a little bland; I thought them heavenly, and polished off a huge portion.Between courses, we virtuously sipped exotic fruit juices: who needs alcohol with soft drinks like these? Claire enjoyed a kiwi, grape and apple juice, while I downed a kiwi and pink-grapefruit number, accompanied by slices of delicious chocolate bread.Mains were eggs florentine and a "south-west breakfast", served with a divine, all-American smile Hearts aflutter, we dived straight in. My perfect poached egg spilled sunshine over a mound of spinach and muffin before mingling with the hollandaise. It was a truly beautiful sight, and tasted as good as it looked. Claire was in raptures over her breakfast, deeming her portion of grilled chorizo just enough to complement rather than overpower the other delights: a slightly singed hunk of chilli toast, a lava flow of black beans, and golden scrambled eggs.No American brunch, however huge, would be complete without blueberry pancakes We ordered just one.. thank goodness. It was colossal, a frisbee of a pancake with a swirl of spiced butter and a crispy fringe - a sort of deflated sponge pudding with clafoutis aspirations.Our time was up. Canyon operates a shift service for meals, though, unlike most other restaurants, it never made us feel the slightest bit rushed. Shame - I could have wallowed in the sun with one of their "bottomless" filter coffees all day.

But we would have spared others the marvellous experience of brunch here. There's democracy for you.Riverside, Richmond, Surrey (0181-948 2944)AMERICAN STARSChristophers 18 Wellington St, WC2 (0171-240 4222). Trendy joint for upmarket fareCactus Blue 86 Fulham Rd, SW3 (0171-823 7858). Superb food in colourful surroundingsMaxwell's 8-9 St James' St, WC2 (0171-836 0303) Prime location for reliable brunch. GI JANE (10pm Sky Premier) is never going to win any awards for the complexity of its plot. Ridley Scott's satellite premiere centres on the simple idea of a tough woman (played with intensity by a famously shaven-headed Demi Moore, right) who is training to become the first female Navy SEAL and battling against the brutal sexism in the military.

But Scott directs proceedings with his usual panache and choreographs even the most brutal scenes with his trademark sense of style. Sherlock Holmes is perfect company for a quiet Saturday night in. In The Hound of the Baskervilles (8pm Sky Cinema), the first of a triple- bill of the Baker Street sleuth's films (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Scarlet Claw follow), the wonderful pairing of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Dr Watson investigate this famous case.. THE MINUTE you sweep through the Ranconniere's crenellated stone gateway it becomes clear that this is not going to be a holiday down on the farm. The Ferme de la Ranconniere is really a manor house, dating from the 13th century, with a few converted farm buildings added on. The first impression is of a large, rather grand country mansion but inside there is an overriding sense that you are staying with old friends. The hotel is family-run, and the reception area appears to be a desk in the family sitting room.