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In this stretch of south Chelsea, there are few places more inviting than the robin-egg-blue exterior of No. Fifty Cheyne, an elegant rebrand of what was once Cheyne Walk Brasserie. Inside, the new look is timeless and classy: think high ceilings, sprigs of spring blossoms and flickering taper candles. It’s all very chic.
Happily the modern European cooking is as plush and impeccable as the decor, without becoming fiddly or mean-portioned. Standout dishes included a creamy scallop lifted by an asparagus sauce, or the butter-soft rib-eye steak, which had been flame-licked by the wood-fired grill. As for the cotton-fluffy chips with crisp beef-fat crusts, these were good enough to get emotional over.
Do watch the bill, though: that scallop starter cost £19.50, the steak a hefty £33.50 (not that the feathers of the well-coiffed Chelsea crowd seemed the least bit ruffled). Still, dinner here felt like pure magic, making the price tags worth it, particularly if you’re going with someone special. Me? I’d like to take my parents, just to show them that I’m all grown up.