The Brasserie at One Great George Street

You don’t have to be a member of the Royal Institute of Civil Engineers to use its restaurant, but this lunchtime-only dining room nevertheless has a whiff of private club about it. You have to know it’s there, as there’s no sign outside, & it does take some guts to parade up the grand front steps of the magnificent Edwardian building. But, tucked away in the basement, the restaurant itself isn’t so grand & there’s always a friendly buzz to the place. The eclectic menu changes twice-weekly & at £17.65/£20.50 for two/three courses it’s also a bargain, especially as the likes of Cornish crab tian with avocado, blood orange & citrus jelly & poached organic chicken stuffed with lobster & chorizo are expertly prepared.