The Artichoke Restaurant

The Artichoke set out to be a good-quality neighbourhood restaurant & it has never strayed from that path. The neutral palette, old timbers & smart tables of the restaurant create the perfect backdrop for meals worth lingering over. And with a seven-course tasting menu for just £13 more than the £36 a la carte, you have the perfect excuse. From the amuse-bouches (a little glass of fresh pineapple juice & coconut foam & a light girolle soup with grain mustard creme fraiche) to delicate petits-fours, every mouthful is a joy. Highlights for us included a starter of langoustine with pea mousse, wild French asparagus, globe artichoke, wild baby endive & an orange vanilla dressing; salad of breast of quail with a stunning ravioli of confit quail & toasted hazelnuts; & sweet, tender roast best end of lamb partnered with a melting nugget of slow-braised shoulder, fettucine of spring vegetables, pomme anna, roast aubergine & smoked new season garlic. A tart strawberry Champagne soup & a refreshing selection of fruit sorbets awakened the palette ahead of a surprisingly light poached white peach atop a raspberry vanilla pannacotta with raspberry granita. All matched with a pleasing selection by glass or bottle from across the wine world. Day-tripping Londoners should know the restaurant is at the end of the Metropolitan line – perfect for lunch.