Deca

• Average: £50 (€70)
• Cuisine: French
• Opening Time: Mon - Sat 12 noon - 3pm & 5.30pm- 11pm.

It is difficult to overestimate the influence that top chef Nico Ladenis has had on the quality and style of restaurant dining in London, so great has his presence been. Now that the former three-Michelin-starred chef has retired, he has passed the baton on to the next generation and we who remain are definitely grateful. Deca, under Ladenis's patronage, is in the hands of his two daughters, who have the family trait of knowing their way around a restaurant kitchen. Set in a converted period Mayfair building, the dining room and the service are formal. Interior designer David Collins has made his mark with clean, modern styling and luxe materials - the creamy walls, the chocolate leather banquettes, the recessed lighting, the single perfect flower on each table are all his signatures. The food is complex high French cooking with dishes like duck breast with honey and peppercorns, or beef fillet with mustard and tarragon sauce. Puds include perfect lemon tart and killer chocolate mousse. The wines are terrific, as are the prices. There is, at this writing, a very good £12.50 lunch or pre-theatre menu, although drinks and tips will add nearly as much again. This is a very smart, very fine restaurant and a proper continuation of the Ladenis legacy.

Sample Menu

Top