Chelsea Brasserie

You’d never guess Chelsea Brasserie was part of the Sloane Square Hotel, as it has a separate street entrance & is much more buzzy bistro than boring hotel diner. The surroundings are modern, tables immaculately dressed (much like the clientele) & the cooking sound. Parfait of duck liver & foie gras struck the right balance between rich & creamy, a generous stack of crisp-skinned John Dory fillets arrived atop perfectly braised artichokes, & peach Melba – a bowl of poached fruit & ice-cream with fresh raspberry sauce & roasted pistachio nuts – was superb. Service isn’t always up to scratch, but the place nevertheless proves popular with locals, King’s Road shoppers & ladies who lunch, all of whom should be pleased to hear that there are plans to open a bar later this year.