Le Café Anglais

A contemporary take on the golden age of travel, Le Café Anglais' huge dining room has the feel of a chic ocean liner, with curved white banquettes, tall windows with heavy red curtains, large mirrors, huge vases of flowers and crisp linen tablecloths. Staff are smartly dressed in traditional brasserie style, and happy to chat when time allows.

Chef-proprietor Rowley Leigh was dining there himself on our Sunday lunch visit, when the set menu is an excellent choice. There's a seasonal roast offered - lamb, maybe, or french partridge - but while Le Café Anglais aims to be a neighbourhood favourite, these aren't the pile-'em-high dinners expected at a gastropub.

Fiery, flavour-packed bloody marys start things nicely, as do the fresh radishes that come with olives and bread and butter while waiting for starters. Pappardelle with girolles and parmesan was both simple and luxurious. We chose desserts from the extensive carte, but the fun of splashing out was diminished by a burnt tinge to a bitter chocolate soufflé served with hazelnut ice-cream. Black forest 'revisited' tasted OK, but lacked finesse for a pudding priced over £8. Stick to the savouries and you are likely to leave happy.