This was my second visit so I'm clearly already in favour of it.
On my last visit I went there with a friend, around 10pm. We were both justifiably very hungry by that point so we went for all three courses. Yum!
This time, I was eating at the more sensible time of 20:30 and my belly could only handle two courses - still equally yum!
The service was good (phenomenal the first visit) and the food was pretty, darn tasty (both times). There were at least two vegetarian options to start and two for the mains - one being a risotto (seriously - why does this dish follow us veggies everywhere). There was also the option for a vegetarian Caesar Salad to be specially prepared...but, I don't know about you, but a salad costing £15.00 for my main is not worth my time or money.
My meat eating friend ordered pork rib with crackling and apple sauce, followed by warm orange Bakewell tart with clotted cream for dessert. She looked pretty happy as she devoured both dishes. I have it on good authority that the pork was juicy and flavoursome, however the apple sauce was chunky (and neither of us could figure out whether it was intentional or not - either way, it was tasty). I dove in for a little bit of the Bakewell tart - a double thumbs up from both of us.
I chose cavatappi with wild mushrooms and roasted red onion for my main, followed by a blueberry and white chocolate tiramisu. The cavatappi was so tasty, absolutely packed with flavours. I often find that big portions of Pasta are initially tasty but due to the nature of the dish, the flavour is exactly the same all the way through, and so, unless a side has been ordered, it can get a little boring. However, despite the fact that we did order green beans and the roast pumpkin as our sides, the cavatappi would have held it's own without them. Just the right amount of mushroom, onion and parsley meant that every mouthful was deliciously different.
I was less impressed by the Tiramisu. It was adequate, nothing I can really identify as the reason I was indifferent to it. That being said, the Bakewell tart was great and on my previous visit I'd ordered the chocolate fondant with blackberry sorbet which, was to die for - but the tiramisu...take it or leave it.
One last thought about the food; the last time I dined there I ordered the red lentil and roast garlic soup to start. Order it! Now! Do it - it's incredible!
The thing I really like about this restaurant is that, though it creeps into the fancy restaurant category it manages to maintain a clever balance between formal and relaxed. The staff are dressed in a manner reminiscent of the Orient Express but there are no white tablecloths to highlight just how messy an eater you are. As the restaurant is adjacent to the bar the vibe is buzzing and the space is filled with chatter, but not so much that you cannot carry on a decent conversation. On top of all of that, they use Miller Harris hand soap and lotion in the bathroom - yay! Citrus freshness!
All in all - I look forward to my next visit there. It's a great 'go to' place, for when you feel a little fancy but you don't want to be too serious about it.
Price: Approximately £50 each for a £37.00 bottle of Malbec, main, dessert, two sides and service charge
Veggie Friendly: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
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