Restaurants

By Guy Dimond

Marylebone landmark the O'Conor Don has been replaced by this pub. The ground floor's been redecorated using the current vogueish palette of styles: black chandeliers, pop art bar stools, a black-painted floor, and burning candles on the tables and in the fireplace. It's a bar by numbers, but it works.

The Latin-tinged lounge music was a bit loud on our visit, but there's a quieter first-floor dining room if you prefer. We stuck with the ground floor where we could watch the staff manning the beer taps: the usual 'Born Slippy' selection of beers (lager lager lager), plus Guinness. The wine list is a dull, uninspired selection; could try much harder.

The dish pricing suggests some ambition in the kitchen - it's dearer than Ramsay's new gastropub, The Devonshire. But a starter of potted duck on a toasted cob roll was shameful; the pieces of duck bland, tepid and monotonous, for £8.50. Three-bird game pie sounded better, but the pie was made with white meats, the least tasty cuts, and the gravy had an unpleasant gloopy texture. The best dish was a starter of poached salmon with rocket, dill and mustard sauce. Pot-roasted duck leg was fine, but the accompanying roast butternut squash was flaccid and lukewarm.

We wanted to like Conduit of Tybourne because it ticked a few boxes: a game-oriented British menu, and a good location. But the cooking just wasn't up to scratch, and it's far too expensive for poor cooking. In the basement, a gin bar is under construction; this might be worth a look when it opens, but eat elsewhere.

Time Out Issue 1942: November 7-13 2007