Roux at Parliament Square

The address may suggest a bastion of the British establishment, whilst the Roux name might imply a touch of classical refinement. But Roux at Parliament Square also has a decidedly contemporary sheen. Michel Roux jnr of Le Gavroche and MasterChef fame has a real winner up his sleeve here, a restaurant that might not hit the headlines on a regular basis, but is delivering some compellingly modern food, with head chef Toby Stuart cooking up a storm. There's a bar with big ideas in the cocktail department, and two dining rooms done out in soothing neutral tones with a restrained contemporary finish to the space (the original building was designed by the chap who built the British Museum). The service team does Monsieur Roux proud. A meal starts with a bang - fabulous breads and amuse-bouche set the bar high - before a first-course such as ballottine of Lincolnshire pork with mustard emulsion, pickled onions and smoked hock beignet. Technique is as sharp as a pin, flavours and textures perfectly judged, and it all looks beautiful on the plate. Main -course saddle of rabbit is stuffed with apple black pudding and comes with confit cabbage, macaroni and cider sauce, grilled fillet of Arctic char with an emulsion of sea vegetables and shellfish, plus Jersey Royals and white asparagus. To finish, poached Williams pear and almond sponge is lifted by the well-judged flavours of camomile and fennel. The wine list has all the verve and swagger of a Roux-inspired selection.