La Petite Maison

Modelled on and named after its sister restaurant in Nice, the light, open-plan, sunny room does have a breezily Mediterranean vibe. The Riviera-cool look takes in creamy walls with large frosted-glass windows, an open-to-view kitchen and an uptempo, see-and-be-seen atmosphere. A battalion of skilful staff respond without hovering at closely-set tables, while the cooking shows a light modern touch, keeping things simple and fresh, driven by top-notch produce in a procession of skilfully delivered dishes designed for sharing. Starters like a salad of French beans with foie gras or carpaccio of sea bream with salsa verde, precede mains along the lines of turbot served with artichokes and chorizo, or perhaps slow-cooked duck leg with orange glaze. Factor in two-hour table time slots or you could miss out on a vanilla crème brûlée or warm fig tart finale.