Part of the D&D stable and located in the illustrious surrounds of St James’s, Avenue offers bright breezy businesslike dining.

The Venue
Avenue enjoys a coveted location on St James’s Street, nestled amongst some of the oldest shops and restaurants in London and just around the corner from Mayfair. The restaurant has been on this spot for a few years now, back when it was part of the Conran empire. However, despite having a minor re-brand it still seems a bit dated, with primary-coloured walls and a clinical-looking bar area.

In the restaurant, the hard plastic seats are more than a little uncomfortable and if you’re not sitting on the mezzanine you may feel a little overwhelmed by the massive ceilings. Quirky photographs of the Queen’s Guard in various silly situations – balancing on yoga mats, wolfing down a meal at an old fashioned cafe – are fun to look at but as they are covering almost every available wall surface, they lose their impact. With statement art, less is usually more.

The Atmosphere
Thanks to the hard chairs, it’s clear this is a place more suited to those with ramrod-straight posture than cuddling couples and gossiping friends and would therefore be better suited to business meetings – most of the clientele, in fact, seem to be decked out in suits. Despite the warmth and enthusiasm of the friendly staff, it all feels very cold, almost clinical, like an upmarket museum cafeteria.

The Food
As with the decor, the food is hit and miss. The elements that are done well are done exceptionally well, but when the food falls it’s very noticeable. Potted foie gras served with walnut and date bread (£12.50) is a generous portion, the silky, rich foie gras encased in a little jar and accompanied by three fat slices of bread, just the right amount for spreading. Although the foie gras is delicious it’s let down by the fact that it’s stone cold – getting the knife into the pot leads to awkward wriggling and hacking away at contents of the jar. The Scottish king scallops with wild garlic and parsley (£14) is another good dish that frustrates due to presentation. The three scallops are a good size and nicely seared but they’re served in shells that are balanced on a bed of crushed shells, all laid on a rectangular plate – nice to look at but it’s hard to cut the scallops in their own shells and when you’re finished, there’s nowhere to rest your knife and fork.

A main course of venison served with black cabbage (£18) is thankfully much more straightforward, with thick slices of venison haunch well cooked so that they’re tender and slightly pink. The meat rests on a bed of buttery black cabbage (also commonly known as kale) which tastes so indulgent it’s almost hard to believe you’re eating your greens. Wicks Manor ham with creamed cabbage (£10) is surprisingly good, as it first looks like it will be quite a fatty dish but on closer inspection all the fat has melted into the meat. The flavour is nice and salty without being overly so, and the creamed cabbage complements the meat well – all in all, it’s a good comfort food dish for a cold evening. Sides of sprouting broccoli and fine beans with hazelnuts (both £4) are both well cooked, light and fresh, and the addition of hazelnuts to the beans is a nice touch.

For dessert, the cheese plate (£12) would be ideal for two to share as it comes with a selection of five cheeses, with two slices for all but one of each. All the cheeses – from the stilton to the cheddar – are British and the whole board is accompanied with big red grapes, slices of date and walnut bread and a large amount of oatcakes and water biscuits. For those with more of a sweet tooth, the raspberry cheesecake with black pepper ice cream (£8) is sugary and sweet, with a thin layer of raspberry across the top. The ice cream, although a pretty pale grey colour, has an intense, punchy flavour – ideal for fans of black pepper. The dish is presented well, with a swathe of raspberry red down the centre of the plate and scattered with pieces of dried raspberry.

The Drink
A long and thorough wine list (it’s only one page, but don’t worry, the type is small) touches on most of the major wine producing regions including new world favourites like Australia, South Africa and California. Prices start just under £20 a bottle and reach £140, with about half of the bottles priced at under £40. Sixteen wines are available by the glass, from £4.95 to £12, including the rich, plummy Rioja (£8.50) and the organic Malbec (£6.25), which is not as typically heavy as Malbecs usually are but is still a good quality wine. Champagnes and sparkling wines are also on offer, starting at £6 for a glass of prosecco and hitting £76 for a Billecart Salmon Rose.

The Last Word
Better suited to a dinner with colleagues than a date or a night out with friends, for the most part, Avenue’s food makes the meal pleasurable enough that you’ll barely notice the uncomfortable chairs.

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