This former Pizza Express in the heart of Soho has recently had a revamp.

The Venue
The white facade, more in tune with the gastro pubs of Central London, stands out in an area dominated by cheap restaurants. Kettner’s a perfect location for the pre-theatre and after work crowd. Inside the listed buildings period features have been preserved beautifully and enhanced with chic decor. The overall look is that of a well decorated Parisian home from an earlier era, with delicate furniture, touches of marble, glowing candelabras and a colour scheme of pink, grey and white.

The Atmosphere
The home-like feeling continues with the non-standard layout of the rooms – there’s a Champagne bar, a main dining room, a first floor dedicated to smaller rooms for groups and The Apartment on the top floor, a members’ club-like space. The staff are charming without being pretentious, giving the place a friendly, down-to-earth feel in opulent surroundings. Clean lines, sleek finishing touches, long benches intermingled with perfectly laid candle-lit tables for two all add to the easy atmosphere.

The Food
Presentation is paramount and happily portion size has not gone nouvelle cuisine. The menu is varied enough to pore over but select enough to assure quality ingredients and preparation. A starter of buffalo mozzarella and grilled courgettes (£8) showcases thick, creamy slices of cheese, scattered with marjoram and lemon – so soft that when combined with the sweet veg it almost tastes like a lemon cheesecake. Crab and endive salad (£10) is slightly retro, reminiscent of an ‘80s prawn cocktail, with gem lettuce leaves holding a mayonnaise mixture which detracts from the freshness of the meat. The carefully balanced crispy bacon on top finishes of the aesthetics of the dish nicely.

Mains offer six meat and three seafood and fish options. The fishcakes (£13) are stuffed with flakes of cod and salmon, bound with just enough parsley mash and a light breadcrumb coat. The pease pudding bed is essentially mushy peas, rich, textured and bright green – a simple classic. The dish is surrounded by a moat of shrimp sauce, glossy and buttery with tiny prawns. A side of frites would disappoint those expecting the thin French variety, instead this is much more of an English chip and comes with mayo and ketchup by default. The operative word duck confit (£14) is crisp - not just the skin but more so the Sarladaise potatoes which make up the middle of the tower on the plate. The potatoes are so thinly sliced and fried that they provide an equally rich accompaniment to the duck. Spinach gives it a much needed health kick and the rosemary jus is strong and flavourful. Other diners fare equally well, with soup dished up in an artichoke, beef bourguignon served in individual stainless steel saucepans and towering burgers skewered together with a super-sized cocktail stick.

Desserts freshly made by the patisserie chef look good displayed on the stands as you walk into the restaurant, and the taste more than lives up to expectations. Chocolate, pear and port upside down cake (£7) is interesting, a bit like brown bread with a grainy texture, balancing the sweet, liquor-soaked pears and tart creme fraiche. Chocolate and amaretti torte is sweeter and richer, a cross between light mousse and cheesecake, thoroughly biscuit-ed and totally moreish.

The Drink
Champagne is the beverage of choice, with the bar attached serving bottles from suppliers who source independently, and reach top prices of over £600. The bar is packed and comfy though, the perfect place to wait for a table or just catch up over a glass of the good stuff. House white, a Bergerie de la Bastide Blanc from France, at £4.50 a glass and £16 a bottle, is just as good as the recommended, fuller bodied 2007 Sancerre La Vigne Blanche at £11.50 a glass, or £44 for a bottle. The option of a carafe allows those on a tighter budget to try the fine selections on the menu.

The Last Word
The staff and setting are the stars of Kettner’s, and the food doesn’t disappoint either. Perfect for those wanting a good meal in special surroundings.

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