Randomness Guide to London Menu

A modern restaurant on Great Portland Street, run by some former Arbutus chefs.

Ewan and Kat visited on Friday lunchtime in July 2013. Although it was nearly empty when we arrived at 1pm, it soon filled up and we were glad to have booked. As the room filled up it became quite noisy thanks to the bare walls and minimal furnishings.

Although the set lunch menu looked very good value (£15 for three courses), we decided to opt for five small sharing plates which were around £5-£8 each. Overall the food was very good: fried Lebanese-style chicken (three pieces, well-spiced, breadcrumbed) was excellent; ceviche of sole was delicate and interesting, the vegetable ravoli pieces were huge and well cooked (a relief after having had some disappointing pasta dishes recently), and a dish of rare beef steak with carrots was juicy and delicious. Strangely our fries and aoili (£3, fine but not exciting) turned up slightly later than everything else. We decided to go for pudding as well, and were very glad that we did. The chocolate mousse with honeycomb and raspberries (£4) was brilliantly done, especially the texture and taste-combinations. The pannacotta with oatmeal (also £4) was excellent too. The mousse is included on the set lunch menu too, and I would definitely recommend it.

Service was attentive and friendly, and our jug of tap water was refilled without us asking. A bottle of Pino Grigo was £25.

Kat's verdict: I would definitely return and try some of the other dishes, especially the puddings. It didn't feel posh enough to stop us eating the fried chicken pieces and the fries with our fingers, but it was fancy enough that my parents would like it.