The Oxo Tower Restaurant

The view is 24-carat gold. Up on the eighth- floor of the old Oxo building, this bar, brasserie and restaurant combo overlooks the river and St Paul's Cathedral, a position which never ceases to impress, day or night. A table on the outdoor terrace is a prized possession indeed (when the weather's right, of course), but it's impressive enough from behind the vast wall of glass. The contemporary cooking in the restaurant matches the modish neutrality of the décor, whilst the white linen on the tables and the well turned-out staff are a reminder that the restaurant is no afterthought. Lobster tempura served alongside a well-flavoured consommé and daikon and wasabi salad demonstrates the kitchen is not beyond a bit of globe-trotting, but the cooking is more broadly focused on European preparations. Monkfish, for example, with smoked ham hock croquettes and quince and vanilla purée, or South Devon fillet of beef with pickled girolles, truffle mash and Madeira sauce. To finish, you'll need a friend to join you for the Bramley apple soufflé with Calvados ice cream, and do allow some time to peruse the wine list.