Restaurants

The lifeless Imperial Wharf location does Deep no favours. Without any streetside bustle, the large, modern restaurant all glass windows, white linen and fabric-covered chairs seems stark if devoid of diners, as it was on our visit. The bar and two outside terraces were also empty, though amiable staff did their best to liven the atmosphere. The menu is rather unbalanced: there are starters galore (including prawns, oysters and lobster at market prices), but a much shorter list of mains and no side dishes. A pity, as the Scandinavian-influenced cooking thanks to Swedish owners Christian and Kerstin Sandefeldt can be good. To start, tuna tartare with Arctic caviar was sparkily sea-fresh; three kinds of marinated herring arrived in little bowls, with new potatoes, nutty cheese and crispbread. Presentation is striking. Perfectly cooked hot-smoked trout was served as three chunky pieces, each balanced on a disc of beetroot, interspersed with two blobs of mash topped with asparagus. But a deconstructed paella salmon, prawns and mussels in separate piles, with the rice in its own copper pan was an example of style over substance. The meal finished on a high with intensely flavoured sorbets (apple, mandarin, mango) and a couple of excellent akvavits from the 20-strong list.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008