Jamies

New owner the Kornicis Group has kept just four branches in London under the Jamies brand. In style they lean more towards the sleek corporatism of Corney & Barrow than the old-fashioned charm of traditional Davy’s. The surviving bars are straightforward watering holes for City workers in search of a drink in unfussy environs. Menus are similarly unchallenging, with the typical wine bar selection of nibbles, sandwiches, salads and the odd simple grill. Jamies Fleet Place, EC4, is next door to the City Thameslink station. Outside seating on the terrace is the key attraction, but the main room is perfectly functional and attractive. The recently revamped list is New World-dominated and kicks off with 28 wines available by the glass. It reads like the product of some careful market research and keenly reflects mainstream trends. Reds lean towards richer, more readily accessible styles (with some nice Spanish choices), while chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are the most heavily represented white grapes. More interest is to be found in the ‘Off Piste’ section, where the 2007 Madfish riesling from Western Australia offers generous limey fruit. A separate section of ‘Fine & Classic’ wines adds a little Old World glitz, but this is not the place for wine geeks chasing the latest obscure cult bottling.