Restaurants

The manicured little terraces around here create a sense of community that feeds into the Brackenbury. Mind you, the community is posh (think Ralph Lauren shirts or pearl necklaces), as reflected in the prices at this cosy little split-level restaurant. Most nights the taupe-hued interior is full of folk who think nothing of spending £10 on a diminutive starter of crab salad. Food on the daily-changing carte combines British ingredients and Med touches with a French sensibility. A starter of lamb sweetbreads came in an appetising creamy sauce with not-quite seasonal fresh peas (a little hard), unadvertised french beans and barely discernible mint. To follow, sea bass fillet with courgette fritters, watercress and aïoli was a perfectly cooked, well-balanced dish, though a side order of Jersey Royals took its cost up to £20. The set lunch seems great value in comparison. Sautéed rabbit (with spring vegetables and grain-mustard sauce) was a mite tough. Puddings (creamy citrus tart, say) are a highlight, as is a wine list that starts at £12 for a decent merlot and rises to £190 for a St-Émilion. Service is low-key and polite, but can slow as the evening progresses.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008