Restaurants

Would it be déclassé to suggest that the restaurant ever-popular Andrew Edmunds most reminds us of is the cheap and cheerful Stockpot on Old Compton Street? There’s the same cosy (bordering on cramped) basement dining room, the handwritten menu, favourable prices and comfort food – although the kitchen here operates at a much higher standard, of course. This Soho mainstay is often dubbed one of London’s most romantic restaurants. We find the tables in the basement are much too close together for that sort of thing, but it’s certainly a good bet for a classy yet not stupidly expensive second date – especially if you can grab a table on the marginally more spacious ground floor. Start with a classic (in-season asparagus, pressed ox tongue or chicken liver parfait), then move on to more of the same: wild halibut; free-range chicken on artichoke, broad bean and pea salad; or ribeye steak. Nothing mind-blowing, but all quietly satisfying. Drinks-wise, the speciality is sherry, though the well-sourced wine list remains good value: champagne at £6.50 a glass, a veritable bargain by West End standards. A classic.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008