Tamarind

An established fine-dining destination and a favourite with business types, Tamarind makes good use of an awkward (if large) basement space by clever positioning of speckled mirrors. Crisp white table linen accentuates the sophisticated chocolate tones of the decor. Head chef Alfred Prasad largely steers clear of flamboyant presentations, preferring instead to let the food - updated northern Indian classics in the main - do the talking.

Crisp-fried slivers of tilapia, cloaked in lightly spiced gram-flour batter, were tastefully partnered with dabs of fresh mint chutney, elevating a street food staple into a stylish starter. To our minds, the makhani dahl here is among London's best; slow-cooked black lentils, infused with garlic and ginger, and enriched with cream, butter and tomatoes, made a splendid partner to hot nans. Not quite in the same league was an anaemic-looking chicken tikka, which needed a few seconds longer in the tandoor to develop a much-needed, smoky character. Thumbs up, though, to the rich Hyderabadi-style lamb biriani; fluffy basmati grains, streaked with saffron and coated in a cardamom and browned-onion masala, made a fine bed for the chunks of slow-simmered lamb. Yes, the atmosphere here is rather sedate, but the cooking is decent and service alert.