28°-50° Mayfair

Having booked a table for lunch for 7 people the week before, and reconfirmed one day before the meal, my colleagues and I were a little annoyed at having to wait by the door for at least 10 minutes while the table was prepared. Not enough attention was given by staff as to who had ordered which drinks (different types of wine) and when the main courses arrived, one was incorrectly ordered by the waiter and so the lady had to wait nearly 15 minutes for her meal to arrive, during which time everyone else had finished theirs. However, we all agreed that the food was delicious and a good selection of wine (also delicious).

I needed somewhere local to my office for a quick business lunch, two of us had half a grilled lobster with aioli and fries and the other had the mushroom risotto - all were cooked well, service was attentive. The real stars of the show here though are the wines, available in 3 sizes so you can "sample" different labels and new world wines at reasonable prices. One of the few places in London where you can pitch up and have drinks and nibbles around the bar in nice surroundings - you can usually get a seat around the bar which is a novelty in the West End - I have never been disappointed. We are fans of the Marylebone branch too.

It had been some months since I last ate here and while the concept (being able to sample a very broad range of wines at reasonable prices) remains as strong as ever, both the service my comrade and I experienced on a recent visit as well as the food had notably gone downhill. To begin, despite having booked in advance and arriving at 12.45 with quite a number of tables still unoccupied, we were shown to probably the worst table in the restaurant, wedged right in the corner right by the bar and the serving staff. When I was asked whether it might be possible to move to a different, free, table, I was summarily dismissed, being told they were all pre-reserved. This seemed odd. Surely I had pre-reserved too? Apparently not, since one staff member told that ‘regular’ customers always wanted or expected their preferred table. The whole set up seemed most unprofessional and only after a little more remonstrating were we finally moved, not with the best grace either. Onto the food, and our set menu was – frankly – bland and uninspiring. The portion sizes of the trout with which we began in particular and also the chicken main were meagre to say the least. Moreover, the chicken seemed not quite as warm as it should have done and my accompanying side of new potatoes was left almost untouched owing to the appearance of a rather unexpected and unappetising crème fraiche topping. At least the wines impressed (particularly our Margaret River red), and next time I will more likely be returning just for drink

One of the most positive developments that has occurred in the London eating/ drinking scene in recent years has been the growing democratisation of wine. Although there are still plenty of places with snooty sommeliers and fat leather bound books of over-priced French vintages, a plethora of newer establishments have also emerged offering interesting and often under-appreciated wines from around the world and by the glass. 28:50 is one of this breed and its third outlet, in Mayfair, represents a notable improvement on the previous two. In contrast to the slightly claustrophobic and rather dark outpost on Fetter Lane, or the too-small venue in Marylebone, 28:50 on Maddox Street is light and spacious. Tables are judiciously spaced and the setting manages to capture both modern cool (exposed brick and metal) with a nod to the more traditional (wooden French wine boxes, for example). I visited with a work colleague for an informal lunch, but the setting is undoubtedly designed both to suit business and pleasure. Pre-Christmas, the venue was inevitably busy with several large parties, and despite being less than three months old, staff seemed to cope more than adequately with the challenge and we felt neither unattended nor rushed. It was indeed a pleasure to have a time to review the ample wine list on arrival. Servings are available in four formats, 75ml, 125ml, a 250ml carafe or a bottle, with the sizes inevitably prompting the opportunity to taste widely – and cheaply, with some of the smallest samples being available for less than £3 a glass. We both started with a wonderfully refreshing glass of Manzanilla sherry, redolent of almonds, dried herbs and a hint of iodine, a perfect match for our charcuterie board to share. In contrast to many, there was just the right amount of meat (six pieces each), interestingly selected and served with perfectly crisp bread. Mains have a conscious nod to French cuisine and diners can choose from a competitively priced set menu (2 courses for £15.95), a fairly traditional selection of grilled meats or about half-a-dozen mains. Both my comrade and I were impressed with our dishes, a deliciously juicy lamb shank for me and a pan-fried sea bream for my colleague, inventively served with crab gnocchi and fennel compote. Two such different dishes provided another opportunity to peruse the wine list and we were delighted to pair our mains respectively with a South African blend of Chardonnay, Chenin and Viognier and Rhone Vacqueryas. The bill, even with water, coffee and service ended up being very reasonable (c£80), providing us with all the more reason to return.

I had a delicious meal with friends, amazing wine list with a vast selection. Our food choices to start were foie gras, Salmon Gravlax and deep fried squid. Super variety and something to suit each of us! Main courses we went for Duck Leg Confit, Lamb Shank and Lobster. Followed by dessert of Lemon Tart and Pistachio brulee! Overall a fabulous evening and deliciuos wines. We will definitely be going back!