Entrée

This little bistro, at the Clapham Common end of Battersea Rise, opened in spring 2010 but looks like an unreconstructed 1970s wine bar - peeling tables, low lighting, French ephemera used as wallpaper, and a piano by the entrance. In reality, a kitchen of considerable ambition and ability is hiding under the ooh-la-la.

A starter of sweetbreads was perfectly tender in its delicately flavoured chicken jus, served with an onion purée sautéed in duck fat. Stone bass (a sustainable fish appearing more often on menus under this name, as the fisherman's version - Atlantic wreckfish - doesn't attract so many orders) proved to be a firmly textured, slightly sweet white fillet, pan-seared and served with roasted fennel, soy beans and a bouillabaisse sauce.

The menu strays towards the Far East with a few ingredients (green papaya, say, or edamame), but mostly the dishes hail from within a day's march of Gaul, such as the ravioli of feta and courgette topped with tempura-fried courgette flowers.

We were impressed by the obvious care and attention to detail in the cooking, which exceeded expectations that had been lowered by the rather dated surroundings and modest pricing. Service, from young and enthusiastic staff, was smiling and solicitous.