Volupte

‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’, & decadent little Volupté has camped-up pizzazz oozing from every alcove. Upstairs is an elegant bar with lacquered tables, frequented by dandy boys & dolly girls who come to sip their way through the show-stopping themed cocktails. In the intimate 1940s-style ‘salon’ downstairs, guests are treated to glittering burlesque routines, vaudeville, jazz, poetry & circus acts. Thankfully, the food shows no hint of war years’ austerity – brown crab au gratin comes delicately spiced with Tabasco, while a fragrant green pea & basil soup makes an equally sprightly starter. By contrast, mains can’t resist turning back the clock (duck à l’orange, for instance), although vegetarians are well served here, with choices including mushroom-infused fettuccine or ratatouille with butternut squash.