Purnell's

In a rather impressive red-brick Victorian former warehouse in the financial district is a restaurant that could grace any of the great cities of the world. Lawrence Roper's photos of the local urban landscape cover the walls as a reminder that you are indeed in the UK's second most highly populated metropolis. Glynn Purnell's cooking has brought him many accolades and his outgoing personality has made him a hit on the telly. His food is as up-to-the-minute as it gets - innovative, precise, supremely well judged, and full of compelling flavours and textures - and the setting with its post-industrial cool is no less on the money. There are no starchy tablecloths here, simply darkwood tables, smart leather chairs and banquettes, with neutral, natural colours used throughout (as is the modern way), plus exposed metalwork and huge windows overlooking the street. It is a classy, contemporary setting for the dynamic, nay, thrilling cooking. There's a tasting menu - The Purnell's Tour - a fixed-price carte, market menu, and fixed-price lunch that is a bit of a steal, but whichever you choose, you are guaranteed ingredients of exceptional quality and presentation on the plate that is seriously eye-catching. To begin, there's a compelling poached duck egg with black pudding crumble, bacon and cauliflower purée, and pig's trotter 'nuggets', or perhaps a salad of Devonshire crab with apple and celeriac purée, and smoked paprika honeycomb. Flavours are judged to a tee, technique finely tuned. Next up, pigeon rolled in liquorice charcoal, with tamarind, salsify, roasted duck liver and Savoy cabbage, and to finish, all the joyful flavours of caramelised apple parfait with apple jelly, marinated figs and fig sorbet. The wine list does justice to the exceptional food.