The atmosphere of this restaurant is up there with the best of them in London and so much so that I am willing to forgive the odd gripe with the food.

You walk into a huge well lit bar come informal dining area and it is humming with chatter and people who are there simply to enjoy a drink or two. Sectioned off behind the maitre'd' (whose team I have to say were spot on in terms of juggling customers and friendliness)'s desk is the vibrant red dining area, which means you still hear the hum of the bar in the background but it doesn't drown out your own conversation. The menu is a little new-age and trendy with ‘tasting plates’ (recommended 3 plates for 2 people) for starters, which takes a little getting used to if you are anything like this slightly traditional diner, but which brings back into the fold even the most conservative diner with a more classic and somewhat British/American themed mains and pudding menu. We chose the sea bass ceviche and, on the recommendation of the waitress, the lamb and the rabbit small plates to start. The sea bass got my top vote; fresh, clean and with a tang of lime and chile running through it. The rabbit was ok but, in all honesty, if I had not known it was rabbit beforehand I would have struggled to guess what the meat was; the sauce definitely won the battle with the meat that day. The lamb was crisp on the outside but had a heavy and lingering taste of fat running through it and was not my cup of tea at all. Then on to the mains. Having heard good things about the Tichfield burger, it seemed rude not to test it out; not bad at all and perfectly enjoyable but the soggy strands of onion and the hunk of foie gras on the top did nothing for me. My friend had the pork with lentils and I always think that if there is a clean plate afterwards, it speaks volumes; this was no exception.

Overall, a fantastic venue with a New York feel about it, a modern albeit slightly random menu and a restaurant worth a visit from anyone looking for good… More