Bistro Delicat

The long, thin black-tiled room & the emblem of a meat-cleaver lends Bistro Delicat a slightly sinister air, but once you’re inside, the atmosphere of this Austrian/modern-European hybrid is pleasantly jolly. The multilingual buzz suggests that London’s Austrian community has found & approved of the venture. They come for the traditional home cooking – beef consommé with dumplings, Wiener schnitzel, beef goulash – & seem highly satisfied by the results. Nevertheless, diners not brought up with this style of cooking can find it reminiscent of the rib-sticking stuff of cheap skiing holidays. Happily, the kitchen also offers a small selection of lighter dishes, including an excellent steak tartare, well-assembled salads & perfectly pink herbed lamb rump. The wine list holds plenty of Austrian curiosities, as well as reliable, more recognisable vintages.