Restaurants

On one side of Duke Street, an alleyway leads to the White Cube gallery which, on our visit, was showing an exhibition of Hitler watercolours daubed with bright rainbows by the Chapman Brothers. Opposite is Green’s, the kind of sturdy English restaurant that would withstand anything Hitler could muster. On a Monday night the leather banquette booths were full of posh English matrons and their portly besuited partners haw-hawing genially and acknowledging each other – and the attentive but nicely unobsequious waiting staff – amicably. Green’s may seem a parody of the perfect English establishment, but it serves excellent food and the old-school menu is tinged with some interesting modern touches. Lobster salad featured firm but not rubbery crustacean. Mains were cooked to perfection: slivers of lamb’s liver melted in the mouth, the crisp deep-fried sage leaves a delicious foil; and a doorstop-thick steak was robust but tender. We’d no room for puddings, though around us the likes of strawberries with black pepper ice-cream went down a treat. Maybe the obviously discerning country set would quite take to the Chapman Brothers after all.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009