North Road

When this Scandinavian restaurant opened, it was inevitably compared to 'World's Best Restaurant' Noma, but while there is much to admire about chef-patron Christoffer Hruskova's efforts - combining local ingredients with Nordic sentiments - they don't always hit the mark.

Certainly, there were flashes of brilliance: a terrific trio of amuse-bouches showcased the classic Scandinavian flavours of smoke and salt (only sharp was absent) ahead of a delicate rose veal tartare with quail's yolk, beautifully offset by the bite of horseradish in a thin cream, and golden shards of crispy, briny chicken skin. Equally impressive was roe deer wrapped in paper-thin parcels of burnt hay - a signature dish - seeing the ruby-red morsels of game imbued with a smoky essence against a backdrop of sweet beetroot and bone marrow.

However, Herdwick lamb belly with sweetbreads was not only crying out for something astringent to cut through the soft, fatty meat, but came wincingly over-seasoned. Likewise, a pudding of caramel sauce teamed with a feeble 'carrot' sorbet and limp 'elderflower' cream, tasted as beige as it looked.

Given the high-end pricing, you expect better. Happily, the restrained space oozes Scandinavian serenity and style, while staff are gracious and effortlessly professional.