The City House

Pale gold walls & pretty glazed private dining booths create an intimate & rather traditional feel in this basement dining room, a nice contrast to the undistinguished office block above. It’s a cosseting setting for a comforting menu on which seafood & steak are mainstays. Start with six West Mersea rock oysters with shallot vinegar or potted shrimps & basil butter before a 1lb Dover sole meuniere or chateaubriand with bearnaise & Madeira sauce to share: all hearty, Square Mile-suited stuff. Specials change daily but might include a highland venison haunch steak with celeriac purée. The brighter & more informal ground floor bar has a strong seafood focus: wash down a plate of tempura prawns with a pint of Young’s bitter.