Uppity yuppies abound in this ice cool establishment in the heart of Shoreditch. With a bustling, box fresh bar and an inconspicuous restaurant that serves food of the highest order, The Light might just be one of the finds of the year.

The Venue
Shoreditch isn’t short of a trendy bar or two but such is the size of The Light, all the other drinking venues on the high street seem to fade into the background. It looks like a converted warehouse from afar and were it not for the hordes of beer swilling city clickers clogging the entrance and cluttering up the bar, you might half expect to walk in on Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis thrashing out a deal with some quivering entrepreneur. The restaurant provides some much needed respite from the chaos and commotion of the bar area if you manage to squeeze past the endless sea of svelte suits, sassy skirts and cropped hairdos. Serene and sterile in comparison, it’s an intimate little setting. Think high ceilings, silk maroon curtains, octagonal, low hanging lights and art deco juxtaposed with black and white photographs of British train stations. There’s also a courtyard area out back which equates to a haughty, highbrow hang out.

The Atmosphere
It’s an affluent crowd by and large and it’s no surprise looking at the prices on the menu. Nandos this ain’t. But aside from a few pompous preppies, it’s all pretty low key and the racket from the bar is well and truly stifled by the thick open brick walls. The chefs are like drones – sweaty and sullen yet studious beyond belief - each tending to their luminous worktops with the ceaseless endeavour of worker bees.

The Food
With a restaurant that backs on to a bar you’re inclined to think the quality of the food could go either way. Similar venues with pricey menus in the heart of London have been known to serve up some pretty substandard grub but food at The Light bucks the trend and turns that stereotypical view on its head.

For starter, wood pigeon, grapes, fine beans and crostini with shallot and port dressing (£7.50) is a delightful indication of what’s to come. In contrast to the slapdash selection of artwork on the walls, it’s presented with immaculate precision, so much so that you daren’t dive in for risk of disrupting the equilibrium. The thin slivers of tender bird blush ever so slightly and are perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the grapes while the crostini offers some much needed bite. Chicken and foie gras sausage with forest mushrooms, almonds and Bordelaise sauce (£8) is another appetizing option. The sauce slips under the radar somewhat though the mushrooms are substantial and succulent and the foie gras has been rolled into a rather plump modification of a sausage with a crisp cheese coating on the outside, not that any extra flavour is required.

Gloucester Old Spot pork fillet with prosciutto, celeriac and truffle puree (£18) is the standout dish of the evening and worth every penny. The pork – exquisitely cooked – is served in miniature medallion form and wrapped in thin veils of prosciutto and served with caramelised celeriac orbs and truffle puree that’s been reduced to a near liquid substance. The flavour combinations are sublime with a perfect balance of sweet and sour and it has a refreshingly British twang to it - a superior and seriously refined version of a traditional Sunday roast, perhaps. It’s so nice in fact that you may even be prepared to ditch your table manners and mop the sauce up with a slice of bread. Seared fillet of Dorset sea bass with squid ink risotto and clams (£18.50) is another scrummy dish. The fish is cooked to perfection, easing effortlessly on to your fork – though the appearance of the squid ink risotto is disconcerting and looks rather slimy.

In keeping with the rest of the menu, desserts are slightly above the average in terms of price. Dark chocolate tart and iced pineapple granitta (£6) is another triumph. Flawlessly presented once again, the thin powder caked base – rich and sweet – is appeased by the semi-frozen slush of the pineapple granita and prevents it from becoming overly cloying. Hand made chocolate petit fours (£5.50) is a selection of chocolate truffles – two chocolate, two orange and one brownie textured, strawberry flavoured capsule which is arguably the pick of the bunch.

The Drink
A diverse if modest selection of wine is on offer. The house white, Italian Pinot Bianco (£12.50), is a steal for the price with others – Chilean, Australian, South African and Austrian varieties available from anything between £14.50 and £36 a bottle. Reds range from £12.50 to £50 and there are two roses available, one for £17 and one for £30.50. There’s also a healthy selection of cocktails with plenty of the old favourites – Cuba Libres, Bellinis and Bloody Marys (all £6.50) as well as well as a short list of shooters – Kamikazes, Slippery Nipples (both £3.50) and the like.

The Last Word
Like a low key dimmer switch living in the shade of a flashlight, The Light restaurant is positively placid compared to the rip roaring razzmatazz of the bar. The approach might be brisk and breezy but the food is as good as you’ll get for the price. It’s a real hidden gem.

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