Basement Sate

Avoid Basement Sate unless you’re prepared to put in some extra time in the gym, because it’s all too tempting to succumb to this sweet cellar’s promise of ‘well-made drinks and decadent desserts’. Cathleen McGarry’s naughty but nice, peanut brittle-toned dive comes on like a cool DJ lounge that could be a Paris Saint-Germain hotspot but for its lack of pretension. To drink, sate your senses with advanced Martinis and rebooted Old Fashioneds, or dip into so-now mixes such as Little Japan (Japanese whisky, sweet vermouth and Cynar artichoke liqueur) or The Best (vodka, wasabi syrup, apple and celery juice). For a double sugar rush, order edible confections ranging from yoghurt and lemongrass mousse with coconut granola and basil to a Rocher sphere of rich chocolate and hazelnut praline. A few savouries such as baked Camembert or mini beef Wellington also feature these days.