Orrery

Despite celebrating its 10th birthday in 2007, Orrery still feels like an ‘event’ restaurant. The impressive setting helps: a converted stable block overlooking the gardens of St Marylebone church & a rooftop bar that’s a great place to precede a meal in summer. If the weather’s not so nice, peruse the menus in the formal, tiny bar across the landing from the long, elegant dining room, which hums with a gentle buzz. The quality of cooking remains exemplary. Ballotine of foie gras with white port jelly was a brick of rich & velvety liver encased in a subtle, soft jelly. Bluefin tuna is served just the right side of pink & well matched to white radishes & a pungent anchovy mayonnaise. Poached & roasted Landes chicken with braised artichokes & baby onions also impressed, though the standout dish was steamed monkfish wrapped in prosciutto with braised oxtail & truffle macaroni: the oxtail adding an element of extra robustness to the solid, meaty monkfish. Service is formal but unstuffy.
Wine List: This fabulous list is sensibly laid out by grape variety & style, offers lots of wines by the glass, plenty of half bottles & is fairly priced to boot. Each section has been thoughtfully compiled but Bordeaux & Rhône varietals stand out, as too the selection of sweet wine.
Best Buy White 2006 Gavi ‘Vigneto Lugarara’, La Giustiniana, Piedmont, Italy, £35.
Best Buy Red 1999 Shiraz/Mataro, Lillian, Pemberton, Western Australia, £39.