Hidden away in a tiny courtyard in Holborn beats the heart of one of London’s best-kept secrets.

The Venue
The Bleeding Heart takes its name from the yard in which it nestles, which is said to be named after the murder of a 17th century woman, the beautiful Lady Elizabeth Hatton. The toast of London society was found dying on its cobblestones, her heart pumping out its last…

Bleeding Heart is mentioned in Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit, in which he says, “The more practical of the Yard’s inmates abided by the tradition of murder”. But he also documents another Bleeding Heart tragedy: “The gentler and more imaginative inhabitants… were loyal to the legend of a young lady imprisoned in her own chamber by a cruel father for remaining true to her own true lover.”

The Atmosphere
Gory history aside, however, the yard’s eponymous restaurant is romantic and intimate, a place for modern lovers as well as an obvious haunt for City types; lawyers, bankers and business journalists. The restaurant is divided into a series of linked rooms — the Terrace, the Bibliotheque, the Front Room and the Red Room — which give it a cosy feel, with elegant decor that could be in someone’s (admittedly rather grand) London home. It also manages that neatest of dining room tricks — attentive service but no annoyingly hovering waiting staff.

The Food
The food is essentially French, but there are no echoes of the dread nouvelle cuisine, that insult to the healthy appetite. Dishes are generous and beautifully presented. The Bleeding Heart’s menu changes with the seasons, but starters may include carpaccio of fillet of beef, which melts on the tongue and is paired with mushrooms a la Grecque and a salad of green beans, or huge, juicy scallops served with crispy leeks, cauliflower puree and truffled Savoy cabbage. Other first courses include Cornish crab, smoked eel accompanied by warm new potatoes and a watercress salad — a marriage made in heaven — and char-grilled fennel salad with goat’s cheese curd. All are executed with style and finesse; there are no wrong notes, no harsh flavours. This is serious cooking — which is, almost inevitably, reflected in the cost.

The theme continues with the main courses. Fillet of sea bass served with crushed new potatoes and a fresh fennel and orange salad is perfect. This delicate fish can be easy to misjudge, but its not-quite-translucent flakes are complemented by golden skin that crisps faintly on the tongue before dissolving into nothing. You don’t often see roast suckling pig on London menus, but you’ll find it here — achingly tender and sweet, paired with parsnip and potato puree and a mustard sauce that delivers just the right amount of zing. Indeed, there is much to please the carnivore — other menu options include venison, roast rump of lamb and tournedos of pure-bred South Devon beef — while a bourride of monkfish, mussels and cockles, and halibut served with creamed leeks and crayfish are angled towards the fish-lover. Evening specials include a Chateaubriand for two, with all the classic accompaniments.

Puddings such as prune and armagnac parfait served with Earl Grey syrup — aromatic and delicate on the tongue — and tart tatin of pineapple with gingerbread ice cream, a clever flavour combination, are available, as are the slightly safer lemon tart and chocolate marquise. The cheeseboard offers a wide selection of English cheeses as well as some continental staples, and is served with walnut bread, a swooning delight of yielding dough and robust crunch.

The Drink
The extensive wine lists boasts 450 choices from all over the world, with at least one to suit every taste and every pocket. A Gewurztraminer combines the scent of lime blossom with a hint of spice that dances tantalisingly over the tastebuds, and a Muscat de Beaume de Venise slips down nicely with the cheese.

The Last Word
Only one — go! This hidden treasure will find a permanent place in your heart.

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