The London Guide From Bon Vivant

Posted by Emyr Thomas

We hope that our members and readers enjoy our regular blog posts – we try to make sure we tell you about the best venues and experiences to help maximise your free time and to ensure you are ‘in the know’ before anyone else.

In addition to the blog, we have launched a new section on our main website called The London Guide – your one source for the best hotels, restaurants, bars, spas, exclusive events and cultural highlights in one of the greatest cities on Earth – London.

Whether you want to know about the best London hotels (luxury or boutique), want to find a suitable London restaurant for the right occasion (brunch, afternoon, business lunch or private dining room, for example) or need inspiration for somewhere to go for a drink (cocktail bar, rooftop bar or champagne bar).

Bon Vivant’s London Guide hopes to be your one source to return to time and time again for inspiration on the best that London has to offer – it has our best content in one place, easily accessible and in an easy format to navigate.

We also have a section on London neighbourhood guides and a selection of holiday destination and travel guides including the Caribbean, Mallorca, Barcelona and the South of France.

Bon Vivant’s London Guide will tell you what you need to book, for whom, when and how. Click here to read The London Guide.

If you would like us to cover any content that we currently don’t have, please email us or leave a comment below – we would love to hear your thoughts. If you don’t already subscribe to our blog, enter your email address below:

Clerkenwell Restaurants and Bars: London Neighbourhood Guide

Posted by Emyr Thomas

Bon Vivant’s Emyr Thomas has lived in Clerkenwell for 10 years and knows its restaurants and bars inside out. Here’s a selection of his favourite Clerkenwell Restaurants and Clerkenwell Bars.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: Caravan

Caravan offers one of the best brunches in London on the weekend in a relaxed and effortlessly cool setting on Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. When the weather warms up, the door and windows open and diners spill out into the street.

The New Zealand influenced restaurant has its own coffee roaster, so flat whites are very popular too. Caravan has a second outpost, Caravan King’s Cross.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: Morito

Moriton is a small tapas bar right next door to its big sister, Moro, the acclaimed Spanish restaurant on Exmouth Market. This is one of my favourite tapas bars in London – it’s small, casual and has an excellent selection of authentic and inventive tapas dishes.

Clerkenwell Bars: ZTH Bar at The Zetter Townhouse Hotel

The Zetter Townhouse bar is designed around a fictional crazy aunt whose artefacts from around the globe fill up the room.

The setting in a townhouse on a beautify square in Clerkenwell is delightful and the cocktails are excellent.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: The Modern Pantry

Right next door to the Zetter Townhouse is Anna Hansen’s Modern Pantry, which serves excellent food in light, bright surroundings. The restaurants also has a large terrace to make the most of the sunshine in the summer months with alfresco dining and a few lovely private dining rooms upstairs.

Clerkenwell Bars: The Peasant

Clerkenwell has its share of gastropubs, including the Coach & Horses and The Eagle, but The Peasant is one of my favourites. The downstairs bar area is full of character, serving a long list of ales and beers, with plenty of room for both drinkers and diners.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: Polpo Smithfield

A recent addition to Clerkenwell, Polpo Smithfield opened near Smithfield Market in the summer of 2012. Polpo Smithfield is the latest restaurant from Russell Norman, whose restaurant empire started with the original Polpo in Soho.

Polpo Smithfield also has a basement Negroni bar.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: Portal

Portal is a modern Portuguese restaurant and bar on St John Street. Architecturally, the dining room is stunning: a glass conservatory within a brick courtyard with atmospheric and beautiful up-lighting creating a dramatic backdrop.

The Iberian cuisine is top notch with some wonderful Portuguese wines.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: Bistrot Bruno Loubet

Bruno Loubet returned to the London restaurant scene with Bistrot Bruno Loubet at The Zetter Hotel. The tables are packed in next to each other, but the crowds keep flocking here for the rustic French cooking with intense flavours.

Clerkenwell Bars: Nightjar

Although not strictly in Clerkenwell, Nightjar is a beautiful bar hidden away in a basement in Old Street, which does technically have an EC1 postcode.

Nightjar is a great place to relax with a drink alongside laid back jazz and brilliant live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Clerkenwell Restaurants: St John Restaurant

A guide to Clerkenwell’s restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a mention of St John, the famous ‘nose to tail’ restaurant that uses every possible part of an animal. St John is a bit of a Mecca for London’s ‘foodies’ and certainly worth a visit at least once.

Other notable restaurants include French restaurant Morgan M, the relaunched Quality Chop House and the Fox & Anchor pub on Smithfield Market.

If you need a strong coffee after visiting all the restaurants and bars, try Workshop Coffee Co, which features on our guide to the best coffee shops in London.

What are your favourite Clerkenwell restaurants and bars? We would love to hear your thoughts below.

If you like this guide, read our other London neighbourhood guides or sign up to our blog below:

Aurelia London Restaurant Review

Posted by Qin

Just a stone’s throw from the Royal Academy is Aurelia London, a Mediterranean restaurant nestled in the heart of Mayfair.

The restaurant is named after Via Aurelia, the historic route which spanned across the Mediterranean, from Rome down to Santiago de Compostela. The food pays homage to the same landmass, where rabbit and swordfish appear alongside plenty of olives, garlic and anchovies.

Everything is light, delicate and calling for glorious sunshine and ice cold rosé.

You can go as formal or informal as you like and sharing is definitely encouraged – this is no stuffy Mayfair restaurant.

A selection of breads and the house olive oil begins our lunch at Aurelia London. The peppery notes in the oil did well to indicate that it was an extra-virgin olive oil of sound quality – a good start.

Crisp, thin slices of octopus rostie, sprinkled with a light dusting of chives, soon arrived atop boiled new potatoes, skins still on. The hint of heat in the mild Galician flavours were offset by the cool tuna carpaccio which served as the other starter.

The carpaccio, doused in a slightly sweet sauce, rested on top of a finely shredded bed of salad was topped with yet more chives.

The food at Aurelia London was rustic but good; rather like the restaurant’s interiors which were lined with little portraits and vintage photographs, all reminiscent of little bistros in the Côte d’Azur. It has just the right amount of kitsch to put you right at ease.

For mains, monkfish a la Provençal offered an interesting contrast against the pappardelle with rabbit ragu. Tomatoes, olives and plenty of parsley made a delicious sauce, well matched to the relative firmness of the monkfish. The rabbit ragu, with a shaving of creamy cheese, was more reserved in flavour but well placed for the wintry London weather.

After two well-portioned but light courses, there was still plenty of room for dessert. Carefully arranged red wine poached pear with ice cream and warm chocolate fondant with orange compote provided the answer.

The menu at Aurelia London, filled with Mediterranean flavours, managed to be both wintry and light. All was washed down with fresh mint tea and all just over an hour.

It’s not committed to a single cuisine but with so many restaurants specialising in smaller and smaller niches, Aurelia London is probably one of the few places that’s still focusing on a wide region and doing it well.

It’s obvious really; if they’re packed on a Monday lunchtime, they must be doing something right.

Aurelia London are delighted to offer Bon Vivant’s members a 10% discount for Sunday Brunch (open from 11am-5pm) and a 15% discount on wines/champagne (Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner). Contact us now for further details about membership with Bon Vivant.

3 Cromwell Road – New London Restaurant, Bar and Club

Posted by Emyr Thomas

3 Cromwell Road is a new bar, restaurant and club situated in a Georgian townhouse in South Kensington, which opened in March 2013.

3 Cromwell Road is spread over three floors with The Drawing Room restaurant on the first floor, a ground floor cocktail bar called The Back Room with a courtyard and garden terrace area, and a downstairs club called The Basement.

With a total capacity of approximately 300 people, the design of 3 Cromwell Road features working fireplaces on each floor with “an edgier, more contemporary array of pop culture features” “papered into the walls”.

As an interesting choice, The Drawing Room will only serve steak frites, with a choice of three salads and three dressings. The Drawing Room is open daily for dinner and drinks from 6pm to 1am, The Back Room is open daily until 3am, and The Basement opens Thursday to Saturday until 3am.

Our full review of 3 Cromwell Road will follow, so sign up to our blog below to be sure not to miss it!

In the meantime, read some of our London restaurant reviews including El Pirata in Mayfair or Primo London.

Wabi London Restaurant Review – An Excellent New Japanese Restaurant

Posted by Frances

Frances Cottrell finds new restaurant Wabi London to be an exceptional addition to London’s Japanese dining scene.

When London announces the return of Nobu ex-Head Chef Scott Hallsworth to open a Japanese restaurant (with an European twist) I did think I’d be in for a treat. I had no idea though just what a delectable treat Wabi London would turn out to be.

Wabi London is the more sophisticated sister to Sussex born Wabi which opened three years ago and, according to reports, was the ideal testing ground before opening in the capital.

Apparently backers have a plan to launch five sites in the next five years which explains the strong brand identity here, echoing that of Nobu, but it sets itself apart with outstanding food, wonderful wines and great, interesting service.

The main dining room isn’t as luxurious as the presentation of the food might like, and the serving staff are in *very* odd, double-take uniforms, but that aside, if it is incredible food you’re after then Wabi should not disappoint.

We started with chips and dips, which was a plate of crunchy pork scratchings with various sauces and a delicious chicken liver pâté to dip and crunch our way through. Excellent so far. Tuna tatami with a hot and sharp tomato gel sheet was a deliciously fresh juxtaposition to this and was a hint of the freshness and incredible produce to come.

Next, from the ‘crunchy’ menu was a plate of pumpkin tempura so perfect I craved it for the next 48 hours and prawn tempura was served similarly beautifully with kimchee and kimchee mayo, a light and crunchy coating and plump, flavoursome prawns.

Pork belly buns with peanut and chilli were so moreish it was almost impossible not to order another pair of them. Buns are fluffy and pillowy and pork is laced in the stickiest, richest BBQ sauce with peanuts adding a gorgeous garnish.

Tuna rolls were so fresh, so perfectly bundled, that you felt you could eat them forever. And soft shell crab inside-out rolls were a total surprise star with the crispness of the battered crab melting perfectly into the cool rice.

If you go to Wabi London, you must employ the services of the Sommelier. His quirky approach and useful, palatable explanations of the wines was a really enjoyable addition to the meal, and some of his wines were outstanding. Clever matches and the nicest Pinot Noirs we’ve ever had meant this meal just got better and better.

Wabi offers exceptional food, great service and I can’t think of an occasion it wouldn’t suit. Without the pretentiousness of its competitors, Wabi is exceptional and accessible, friendly and delicious, special enough for occasions and delicious enough to become a weekly treat.

Shaka Zulu Restaurant Review

Posted by Krista

Even the menu at Shaka Zulu isn’t ordinary. The South African game menu brings together images of a man driving through an African safari and screaming “I’ll have one of everything”.

Inside the restaurant, buried in the Camden Lock Market, intense African displays at Shaka Zulu make the American film Jumanji seem like a real life story; giant wooden warriors guard the perimeter, snakes sit in the rafters and incense comes from the tree trunks holding the place together.

Opened nightly as a bar, restaurant and club, this expansive all purpose space is unexpectedly large and requires the use of an escalator to enter its depths.

I visited Shaka Zulu to try out their newest seasonal feel-good drink based around a natural African supplement called Baobab. This mega nutrient comes from the Baobab Tree, or ‘the tree of life’, a symbolic tree in the African savannah. Baobab is packed full of vitamins C, B6, calcium, potassium and fibre.

The in house mixologist at Shaka Zulu has combined this with Courvoisier vs., Chambord Liqueur, Port, Red Bush Tea, and Cardamom Syrup garnished with cinnamon stick. The result tastes like a refined mulled wine, only healthier.

After drinks, we went down escalator number two into a dark underworld of African Warrior statues and carved wall paintings for dinner. For starters I ordered the crocodile cigars. As a self proclaimed ‘safe’ eater, I figured these would be an easy start.

The crocodile came wrapped in a sort of spring roll pastry and a rich creamy sauce. They would have been quite delicious had I been able to get over the fact that I was, in fact, eating crocodile.

My guest had the ham hock and wildebeest – a tasty pork knuckle pressed into a square with a sweet papaya salsa that could make a monkey beetle taste good! He really enjoyed it and I could tell that the jungle feast was on!

As a main, my guest continued on the adventurous war path with the Zebra fillet, though he half considered chasing down a speedy Springbok or an angry wildebeest (both actual menu options). I continued off the trail and plucked up some safe King Scallops.

For dessert we had brandy pudding and a raspberry trifle, both of which were nice and adequately satisfying but when you’ve sampled a menu as unique as what we’ve had, the final course fell somewhat flat.

As the night grew on at Shaka Zulu, the lights got dimmer, the music became louder, and the smoke (yes smoke) radiating from all corners of the space, intensified. Happy diners stand up from their tables and make their way across the room to the centre bar, ready to dance the night away.

Having tried crocodile and a bite of my guest’s Zebra (which I will admit was fantastic), my adventurous levels are tapped and we made our way back up the escalators into the real world of rain, cold and cell phone reception.

Shaka Zulu is not built for an intimate dinner or a quick bite to eat, it is however, a decent place to come with friends for a fun night out or to show visitors somewhere unique. Adventurous tastebuds required.

You can also read our other restaurant reviews including Coya London, El Pirata in Mayfair or Restaurant 34.

The Best Hotel Restaurants in London

Posted by Emyr Thomas

Bon Vivant’s Emyr Thomas discusses the best hotel restaurants in London.

Creating a successful restaurant inside a hotel can be rather challenging – combining a restaurant that placates the traveller that also attracts regular locals is not an easy task. Hotels need to have a very versatile restaurant that can offer breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and room service, all with impeccable standards and service.

The best hotels, however, are savvy enough to have more than one dining option, often including a special signature restaurant. Here we highlight the best hotel restaurants in London.

Dinner by Heston at The Mandarin Oriental

Dinner by Heston is Heston Blumenthal’s first foray into the London restaurant scene at the Mandarin Oriental. ‘Dinner’, one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of recent years, received immediate acclaim by critics, collecting its first Michelin Star in the 2012 UK Michelin Guide.

The signature ‘Meat Fruit’ is worth a visit alone at one of the best hotel restaurants in London.

Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley

Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley merges elegance and warmth in a luxurious setting in the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge. With intricate yet robust flavours, clean textures and a quality ethos the cuisine is something that entices you back again and again.

We would recommend the chef’s table in its own luxurious and intimate air-conditioned space at the heart of the restaurant, or the larger Pomerol private room, one of the best private dining rooms in London.

Bistro Bruno Loubet at the Zetter

The Zetter hotel in Clerkenwell welcomed Bruno Loubet back to the London scene with his restaurant, Bistrot Bruno Loubet. The space may be a bit tight, with tables packed in next to each other, but the crowds keep flocking here for the rustic French cooking with intense flavours.

Alyn Williams at The Westbury

Alyn Williams at the Westbury opened quietly at the end of 2011 in the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair from chef Alyn Williams, who was previously head chef at the two Michelin starred Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley.

Our reviewer describes it as ‘slick, elegant and contemporary cooking, as handsome as it is delicious’ where ‘the décor is luxurious and chic’ – the restaurant gained its first Michelin star in this year’s guide. Click here to read our full review of one of the best hotel restaurants in London

Cut at 45 Park Lane

‘Cut’ opened in the new 45 Park Lane hotel, the latest hotel from The Dorchester Collection. ‘Cut’ is a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck, the celebrated US chef, who opened the original ‘Cut’ at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills in 2006.

The London outpost serves excellent steaks in a suitably glamorous dining room, making Cut a contender for one of the best hotel restaurants in London.

Bar Boulud at The Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge

Daniel Boulud, one of the most coveted chefs in the US, opened his first restaurant in the UK at the Mandarin Oriental with Bar Boulud.

The room may lack real character, but the mix of rustic French brasserie fare and a New York style buzz made it an instant hit, with almost universal praise for the charcuterie boards and the burgers.

Viajante at the Town Hall Hotel

Nuno Mendes’s Viajante is situated in Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel. The cooking at Viajante is experimental, creative and executed with real flair. The more casual Corner Room is also a big attraction, especially for a weekend brunch, meaning the hotel has two of the best hotel restaurants in London

Helene Darroze at the Connaught

The Connaught is home to two of our favourite bars in London, with the warm, cosy Coburg Bar and the glamorous Connaught Bar. The restaurant, neatly placed at the front with views over Mount Street, is equally wonderful.

Helene Darroze serves delectable French cuisine inspired by authentic regional and seasonal flavours, highly deserving of its 2 Michelin stars.

Hoxton Grill at the Hoxton Hotel

A part of the Soho House group, the Hoxton Grill offers a selection of classic American dishes in the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch. The restaurant is a contrast to the usual hotel dining experience in a cool, stylish but casual setting.

Dean Street Townhouse

Dean Street Townhouse is located on Dean Street in Soho, which is always buzzing with the Soho crowd perched at the bar with cocktails or enjoying the classic British menu.

The room combines vintage armchairs, cut glass chandeliers and wooden floors and the walls are scattered with the cream of contemporary British art. Dean Street Townhouse is one of the best hotel restaurants in London.

Seven Park Place at St James’s Hotel & Club

William Drabble’s dishes at Seven Park Place are modern French in style with fine British ingredients. Seven Park Place’s dining room is chic and intimate, with private dining available for groups of 9 or more.

William Drabble also oversees the stylish William’s Bar and Bistro. With comfortable seating and a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere, the menu features classic bistro dishes, with afternoon tea also served daily.

Hix Mayfair at Brown’s Hotel

Mayfair’s Brown’s Hotel is home to Hix Mayfair from celebrated chef Mark Hix, which focuses on contemporary British food and art. The dining room is traditional with a twist – HIX Mayfair is home to a collection of work by leading British artists including Tracey Emin, Michael Landy and Bridget Riley.

Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester

One of London’s few 3 Michelin starred restaurants from super-chef Alain Ducasse. Our favourite feature is the Table Lumiere private dining room which is ideal for up to six guests.

Cocooned by a luminescent oval curtain, it is surrounded by 4,500 shimmering fibre optics that drop dramatically from the ceiling – stunning!

If you would like to access our extensive knowledge of London’s best hotels and restaurants, along with securing the best table for you, contact us at Bon Vivant now to become a member.

To make sure you’re kept informed of similar updates on a regular basis, sign up to our blog at the link below to be sure not to miss it!

Read some of our best restaurant reviews including Coya, 34 Restaurant and Portal.

Buddha Bar London – Restaurant Review

Posted by Vilma

Buddha Bar London opened in Knightsbridge on the former site of the Chicago Rib Shack at the end of last year and its interiors are simply stunning. Two dazzling Chinese dragons made of tiny crystal balls guard the staircase to the restaurant below, where David Begbie’s bronze mesh sculpture of Buddha shines through the darkness and 207 brass Buddha figures watch over the diners.

Set over two floors, the bar and restaurant exude a fusion of colonial, baroque and East meets West style. The food menu blends Chinese, Japanese, Thai and other Eastern flavours with Western tastes and influences.

On the night of our visit the crowd is typical Knightsbridge of East meets West meets Far East meets… London, Moscow and Dubai. Some women are wearing the smallest and tightest cocktail dresses and the highest heels while others are covered in long black clothes and head scarves.

Everyone looks beautiful and glamorous in dimmed light and the clinking of the cutlery and plates are softened by the chill out sounds of Electro-Lounge music.

We start our dinner with two of my favourite Pan Asia dishes – Spicy Edamame (£4) and Chilly Salt Crispy Baby Squid (£8.70), followed by the more adventurous Smoked Duck and Foie Gras Gyoza (£15.50) and Dragon Scallop Steamed in the Shell (£13.60).

I loved the edamame and the squid, but the gyoza dumplings were far too rich for my taste (duck and foie gras dumplings fried in oil might not be the smartest choice for anyone trying to watch their weight). The scallops lacked any flavours and would have tasted much better had they been spicier.

The Crunchy Sushi (6 pieces for £16.20) is a dish I have never tried before and it was an interesting interpretation. Prawn Tempura with Asparagus (6 pieces for £8.90) was delicious, but the true stars of our dinner were the Black Cod Roasted with Lemongrass Miso (£27.90) and the English Beef Fillet with Black Garlic Sauce (£24.50).

Buddha Bars are known for their adventurous cocktails and instead of dessert I had a Pisco Sour spin-off called Clems Sour (Pisco, yuzu juice, agave syrup, egg white, angostura bitter for £10.50). My guest ordered a very complicated Zombie Nation (Eldorado 12ans, Chairman Spiced, Wray Nephew over proof, fresh lime juice, golden falernum liquor, passion fruit and pineapple with touch of bitter creole and Hennessy fine de cognac £16.00). Both cocktails put the final touches to our fabulous and exotic dinner.

Bon Vivant’s clients receive preferential booking at many of London’s best restaurants – contact us now to enquire about our services.

In Parma Restaurant, Fitzrovia

Posted by Fiona

In Parma Restaurant in Fitzrovia is a small venue with a big vision. In a city of increasing restaurant specialisms, In Parma is up there for commitment and quality. Dedicated to sourcing not only the finest ingredients from the region, but also the smaller suppliers, the menu shows pictures of the founder, Christian, wrestling produce from the suppliers - ‘so good they don’t want to let it go’.

In Parma is the practical realisation of Food Roots, a company dedicated to the preservation of traditional Italian produce, importing foods bearing the Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication seals, which guarantee authenticity of flavour and sourcing. The restaurant, therefore, also doubles up as a gourmet food store.

But enough of all that. This IS the best Parma ham I’ve ever had. The Culatello di Zibello lives up to its fanfare and silky description on the menu and has a wonderful balance of salty-sweet meatiness.

And if you’re into your meats and cheeses, then the hardest part is going to be deciding what to have. Thankfully, there are a number of options for ‘mix and match’ which allow for more choice. We tried the In Parma charcuterie selection followed by the ‘tender’ cheeses; a more gentle choice of flavoured cheese, the Taleggio was a particular highlight with its mild and creamy texture and fruity tang.

There is also a tantalising offer of mains. We tried a buttery-sweet ravioli and a wonderfully meaty and very rich Ragu di Chianina with home-made polenta. The ‘Chianina’ part referring to one of the oldest breeds of cattle in Italy. The Ragu had a fantastic tomato taste, bursting with flavour with the salty polenta.

Passion is a word used a lot (guilty as charged), but there is no danger of exaggeration here. The menu is a testimony to this, with some rare kinds of Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano on offer. If you’re interested in learning more about the culture and traditions of the food and wine in this region then look no further; Christian and his colleagues will be more than happy to discuss this with you.

The décor is fresh and simple. Exposed brick work, hanging meats and shelves filled with wines line the small dining area. The overall result is a place where food is to be savoured and enjoyed, so avoid the temptation to over-order up front. The beauty of these kinds of places is that they allow you to order as much or as little as your time and appetite will allow.

Concierge’s tip: Do not miss out on the chance to try the Culatello di Zibello. You might also enjoy trying a bowl of Parma’s sparkling red, Lambrusco IGT, Monte delle Vigne 2011. You’ll have your photo taken and the image projected along with others on the back wall!

If you would like your own personal concierge to help with your restaurant reservations, please contact us at Bon Vivant.

The Grill on the Market, Farringdon

Posted by Fiona

Smithfields. Site of the famous meat market. The address alone sets the tone for this restaurant and The Grill on the Market naturally makes the most of this. But it’s not just a shrine to all things steak – it’s dedicated to the surf as well as the turf.

The décor at The Grill on the Market is tasteful and understated: Distressed pale wood and simple furnishings greet you in the bar, situated at the front of the restaurant, with a more luxurious feel in the main restaurant – including booths and large round tables to cosily get down to some serious eating.

And boy, can you eat here. The range on the menu at The Grill on the Market reflects somewhere marketing itself as solid, honest, proper food – salt and pepper chicken, calamari, garlic king prawns, chicken and sweetcorn chowder. There’s a kind of north American classic feel.

For mains, there is a decent selection of steaks on offer at The Grill on the Market, including a chateaubriand and wagyu fillet. On the other hand, if you’re feeling more seafood inclined, there’s a fine choice of dishes to pick from: whole lobster, smoked salmon, moules frites, whole Dover sole, fish and chips…you get the picture.

Having decided to keep in with this classic vibe and settled on oysters followed by sirloin steak, the attentive and friendly waitress points out you can have your steak with…either a skewer of garlic prawns or half a lobster.

Well, what can you say to that? In fact, the menu also offers something called ‘posh surf and turf’, a substantial combination of Sirloin steak, baby scallops, prawns and crayfish.

In hindsight, opting for steak and half a lobster was a bit too much (read greedy) for me, but on their own both were sound offers. The sirloin was a tasty and juicy hunk, if slightly over cooked for medium rare, and the lobster full of chunks of tender white meat.

It’s a relief to see a list of greens to accompany this protein haven. Overall, the menu at The Grill on the Market isn’t a menu for the light-hearted. Desserts take in crème brulee, chocolate fudge cake (recommended if you can manage it), sticky toffee and red velvet cake.

There’s a pianist playing in the background at The Grill on the Market and it’s a buzzy place. The tables are filled with large groups of friends, the post work crowd and couples, reflecting the wide appeal of places like this. Price-wise it is mid-range for steak and lobster…but it can add up.

The Grill on the Market isn’t showy; the focus is on a robust, tasty and dependable menu, with a good range of choice – which extends to its wine and cocktail list – but it’s delivered with enough style and comfort to carry it all through.

Concierge’s tip: Ask for a table in one of the booths – you’ll get an excellent view of the other diners and a cosy table at which to tuck in.

The Grill on the Market are also launching a new brunch menu with unlimited prosecco for two or more people over two hours. Find out more about Bubbly Brunch and make a reservation.