The Hillside

Stints at Chez Bruce & The Avenue have served chef Justin Sharp well in setting up his first solo venture: a bold, innovative restaurant & bar carved out of a former pub. Gutsy modern British cooking is the order of the day. A chunky terrine of English ham & smoked chicken, beautifully paired with a vibrant beetroot aioli & underlined by tart cornichons, or a honey & ginger marinated duck breast with olive mash, butter beans, baby onions & sun-dried tomatoes all demand good cooking – & get it. Desserts are no afterthought either, if a pecan tart judiciously combined with caramel sauce & cinnamon ice-cream is anything to go by. Justin's robust yet simple cooking deserves more attention, and makes The Hillside, all clean lines & pale wood with intimately placed tables, well worth hunting down.