Pearl Restaurant

While the praise for the setting & service at resplendent Pearl is high & wide, the meticulously balanced cuisine of the talented chef Jun Tanaka does engender one potential source of anxiety – indecision. For instance, choosing his starter duo of caramelised scallops & herb-encrusted frogs’ legs means you’ll miss out on the luscious carpaccio of ceps with roast quail. Diners can preserve their sanity, if a bit less of their cash, by surrendering to the £55 tasting menu of five courses (seven if you’re counting pre-starter & pre-dessert). Their reward might begin with a delicate, zingy scallop ceviche with oxtail, culminate in an assiette of veal with morels, white asparagus, peas & macaroni, & conclude with the ‘Chocolate & Orange’, a thrilling ensemble of walnut brownie, chocolate mousse & orange & passionfruit jelly. There’s also the option of casual dining at the bar, where a newly launched tapas menu is great for pairing with wine flights drawn from the restaurant’s impressive cellar.

Wine List: A good list that covers all the bases, with France, the USA & Australia particularly well represented. But it’s Pearl’s range by the glass that really sets this place apart: up to 40 at a time are open, kept fresh by a Cruvinet machine, meaning you’ll find the perfect match to the innovative food. Beware, though, that margins are very high. Best Buy White 2005 Gewurztraminer, Alois Lageder, Alto Adige, Italy, £44. Best Buy Red 2005 Brouilly, Chateau de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France, £42.