Cabotte

Helmed by master sommeliers Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney, this new French has great pedigree thanks to Rousset’s previous projects such as Texture and his other 2016 opening, Blandford Comptoir in Marylebone. Previously a Be At One, the site is now all whitewashed bricks, bare wood tables, and silky-smooth service. The menu is a carefully plotted journey through French classics with modern twists, devised by Ed Boarland (The Waterside Inn, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay). We were instantly smitten with his take on ouef en meurette, a golden-yolked duck egg in hearty red wine sauce packed with salty lardons. Delicate stone bass and crab tartare was laced with fresh yuzu dressing, shiso and tiny chunks of zingy apple. To follow, melting beef cheek Bourguignon was exemplary: richly satisfying and packed with flavour. Only the tarte Tatin was a slight disappointment, with unevenly cooked apples, but that’s a fussy negative. The wine list is also inspired by Burgundy, with several of the region's producers backing Cabotte. The 600-strong list includes vintages such as La Tâche 1978, curated flights, by-the-glass choices and a helpful Short List if you don't know where to start.