10 Cases

If 10 Cases were a wine bar, it would be the stuff of dreams. Centrally located in Covent Garden but off the main drags, with chummy, genuinely nice staff who allow you free tastes of their short, but nicely chosen wine list. The selection is very up-to-the-minute, and although not cheap, the wines are arguably good value, typically costing in the £5-£8 range per 125ml glass. 500ml carafes are also available if you're not in the mood for downing an entire bottle between you - a nice touch.

Where 10 Cases comes unstuck is that tables are really reserved for diners, while people who are just popping in for a glass are only accomodated at the tiny bar. So we opted to eat.

The dishes, and standard of cooking, might be described as French dinner party food. However, West End prices are charged for simple dishes of a merely adequate standard. The menu is also very brief indeed - only three starters, three main courses and three desserts on our visit.

Starters of beef tartare and foie gras terrine were decent, but a house salad (£9) turned out to be the same uninspired selection of leaves as a garnish on another dish. Grilled sole (£19) was overcooked and watery. We didn't feel like trying dessert.

Back to the wine list, then. We consoled ourselves by trying four wines by the glass,which were all exemplars of their styles: a Côtes du Rhône from Château St Cosme, the 2010 going for around £12 in London wine merchants, but here a very reasonable mark-up at £5.50 per glass; or a Falanghina from Campania, aromatic but clean-tasting, at £6.60 a glass. Now, when are they going to set tables aside just for the drinkers?