Restaurants

Frederick’s sets out to dazzle newcomers with visual oomph. From the rather louche-and-glitzy lounge bar you descend into a spacious, dark-brick dining room lined with vibrant contemporary abstract paintings, which leads on to the soaring, glass-vaulted mini-Crystal Palace of the Garden Room, which opens in turn on to a chic terrace garden. This wow-factor gives it a certain flash-the-cash appeal and keeps the restaurant busy, but the food frankly doesn’t match the setting or the lofty prices. A starter of scallops with spiced lentil salsa was the best of our choices, with nicely balanced flavours; salt and pepper squid was pretty ordinary, with a slightly peppery batter and a sweet-and-sour sauce on the side. Mains were unmemorable. In rump of lamb with dauphinoise and (really excellent) spinach, the meat was insufficiently tender and lacked flavour; roast cod with butter beans and (really dull) chorizo was blandly pleasant, but surely we should expect a bit more than that nowadays for £17.50? Staff are abundant, but often seem a bit disorganised. The wine list is refined, but, again, pricey.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009