Kettner's

Kettner's had a tough job – it was here that I was going to break my New Year’s detox after nearly a decade-in-days of no-drinking – what? Don’t judge.

All Kettners had to do was make sure that nothing stupid happened... and keep me away from the champagne. It succeeded with first task and failed with the second – the perfect result. The champagne bar downstairs makes you wonder just how it all might all end but the post-work customers and chilled-out staff are calming... this is certainly no Soho booze-fest (although there’s definitely ample amounts). What you'll findis that the intoxicated crowds on the narrow streets outside pass by surprisingly peacefully, leaving those inside Kettners to sit back and relax – in space. Refreshing for a Friday night near Dean Street.

The makeover of Kettners has been implemented flawlessly. The history is all still there, and while you sit upstairs in yet another one of their stylish areas (this time surrounded by art-deco furniture), you can still feel the pangs of Oscar Wilde and Hemingway and visualise a time when drinking establishments were that little bit more refined.

The French Brasserie menu is also warmly welcomed and it doesn’t take too much imagination to envision Auguste Kettner – chef to Napoleon III who launched Kettners in 1867 – slaving over a hot stove in the kitchen. Meat lovers are well looked after with choices including braised beef bourguignon, confit of duck, pork belly, fricassée of rabbit, rack of lamb, free range chicken and chargrilled steaks.

The rabbit, which actually came with a warning from the waitress, was served as a pasta dish. Her words of caution were just to advise that it’s not served as a whole animal – which apparently enraged some other customers. Personally I think I’d be pretty disturbed by a whole cooked bunny on my plate (the ears might put me off a little). Anyway, the dish had ample amounts of meat, which made it hard to imagine just how fussy or ravenous the other diners must have been.

I managed to conjure up unknown amounts of self-discipline and avoided the meats, opting for pan-roasted black cod with leek & shrimp cake, which was beautifully light and extremely tasty. Balanced carefully on top of each other, it was a delicate meal which combined the flavours of the cod, shrimp and leek very evenly.

It was a strategic move which left plenty of room for dessert. Maybe I wouldn’t have thought about doing this, but the 6ft table of pastries, tarts, mousses, sponges and more (much more), which each diner walks past on the way to their table (marketing plan?), resulted in me coming up with a dining battle-plan. And oh boy, was it worth it. Finishing the Scottish tart – a mixture of fruits, whisky and nuts – felt like a war bravely fought and won.

Kettner's

29 Romilly Street,
Soho,
London,
W1D 5HP

0207 734 6112