Kettner's

Smack bang in the centre of Soho, Kettner's has been a stalwart of West End dining since 1867; more recently it served as a branch of Pizza Express. After a 2009 refurb and subsequent renaissance, the venue seems finally to have found a classic French-inspired menu worthy of its grand townhouse surroundings.

Diners were wall-to-wall on our visit. Bayonne ham and celeriac remoulade came laced with a nose-tingling dose of dijon mustard; and crottin goat's cheese saw artistry in an accompanying arrangement of roasted red and yellow beetroot slivers.

Expertly constructed dishes kept arriving. Duck confit sat on a cake of sarladaise potatoes. Rump steak was cooked rare, exactly as ordered, served with stilton sauce and a superb portion of chips.

Reproduction French furniture, candelabras and rococo-inspired flourishes make the interior very easy on the eye: ideal for impressing a date, the in-laws, or hosting a special birthday, all of which seemed to be happening around us on an evening punctuated by champagne corks popping.

Kettner's has long been famous for serving the fizzy stuff (there's a champagne bar alongside the restaurant) - and we certainly toast the improved menu and service.