Decanter Magazine - September 2006

Jamie Younger worked with chef (and cookbook author) Simon Hopkinson at Bibendum, and it shows in his commonsense dishes bursting with abundant flavours such as crab with avocado and fresh herbs, wonderful pickled anchovies with grilled leeks and mustard-egg-olive dressing; or halibut with wild mushrooms, broad beans, Jersey royals and chives in light meat sauce. Even the set lunch, a steal at £10 for two or £14 for three courses, has intriguing dishes such as brown shrimp and fennel salad.

The compact wine list of 50 bins is well-chosen, offering individualistic but suitable suggestions for Younger's food, such as the fresh, fruit-forward flavours of Brokenwood, Shaw & Smith or Graham Beck. And they are sensibly priced: almost all bottles are ?26 or less and diners can choose between 17 wines by the glass in two sizes.

Brian St Pierre