Restaurants

Out-of-office diners form the natural clientele of this self-consciously plush restaurant in a boutique hotel converted from a mansion block. In contrast to the slightly glitzy bar with which it shares the basement, the dining room is intimate, with low lighting, dark colours, tables for two in secluded corners and very comfy high-backed chairs. To go with this setting there’s a rather opulent mod-Euro menu, plus an ambitious ‘Home-grown and Local’ list featuring dishes such as Maldon grilled mackerel based entirely on the goods of small-scale producers in London and the South-east. This is probably the one to go for, as our dishes from the main menu were decent, but lacked any of the sparkle that would make them stand out from the crowd. A lobster omelette was overcooked and dry; fish of the day (halibut), was bland, despite being shadowed by masses of red cabbage, greens and tomatoes; steak-frites with truffle butter was a little more interesting, but with the meat strangely thin-cut, so that much of its quality had got lost in the cooking. Service is anonymously correct.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009