“Looks in good shape as it approaches its 70th year”, says a fan of this legendary refuge for Polish expats (including film director Roman Polanski). These days, Daquise displays all the spirit of an elegant French brasserie, with stripped floorboards, big windows, jaunty red-and-white striped chairs and polite black-aproned waiters setting the tone for a daily line-up of forthright dishes from the old country (and beyond). Marinated beetroot with fresh horseradish sauce, Russian salad or calf’s liver with fried onions and apples give way to rustic soups, dumplings and gut-busting plates of beef topside simmered in bouillon, rabbit in mustard sauce with egg noodles and stewed carrots or breaded pork chop with mash and cucumber salad. To finish, choose dumplings stuffed with strawberries or pancakes stuffed with cheese. Polish beers and potent vodkas are top calls on the high-strength drinks list