Although there’s no escaping the hotel in this hotel restaurant, Brasserie Joel is well worth a stopover.

The Venue
Brasserie Joel is the restaurant in Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, which is almost airport-like in its openness, with escalators, high ceilings and a fleet of coaches outside the main entrance. The entrance – around the corner from the reception area – is an impressive blend of sumptuousness and almost Japanese-style minimalism. Squared edges dominate and furnishings are simple but the romantic red lighting and small touches – herbs in pots, a curtain made of silver thread – add a pretty kick of personality.

The Atmosphere
Staff are efficient and professional, easy with smiles and recommendations. The main downside to this restaurant, however, is the clientele, which seems to be solely made up of hotel guests. A relatively large amount of lone diners – some with books or distracting phones – mix with businesspeople and a couple of bewildered-looking tourists in jeans in trainers.

The Food
The food, though, is well worth the trip even if you’re not on one. Chef Joel Antunes has had a 30 year restaurant career and this is his first restaurant in the capital after more than a decade in The States. A £2.50 cover charge – old fashioned, but not unheard of – covers water, bread and an amuse bouche sharer of smoky aubergine with slightly salty crouton crisps. The real star of the starters, though, is the fish soup (£7), which has an incredibly intense flavour, just as it should. Served on the side are little bowls of grated gruyere cheese, the crispy croutons from the amuse bouche and a garlicky rouille, which leads to much mixing and matching. The pork terrine (£7), served with a bed of dressed greens, cornichons, tiny onions and those crisps again, is rich, thick and lovely.

Mains include pasta and rice dishes, fish options, grills and meats and poultry. A milk-fed lamb shoulder is available to share for £36. Mains range from £12 to £29 and the Cornish prawns (£16) are a standout – and the fact that they’re served in an orange Le Creuset casserole dish means they make an entrance. The prawns themselves are perfect, much bigger than you’d expect and cooked so that the delicate flavour isn’t overwhelmed, and the ricotta tortellini that comes with it is wonderfully subtle. The roast duck with cherry and polenta (£17.50), however, has more of a vibrant flavour, with sharp, whole cherries (stones removed) scattered next to a sliced duck breast and oval-shaped polenta cake. The polenta, though, seems a strange match for the duck and although the meat itself has a good flavour it’s a bit tough.

Desserts (priced from £6 to £7, not including cheese) feature an old school strawberry sundae, with flecked vanilla and strawberry ice cream layered amidst fresh strawberries and strawberry chips, with strawberry meringue sticks protruding from the top like candles on a cake. It’s big enough to share and a great way to feel like a kid again. The chocolate souffle, on the other hand, is a bit more grown up although no less enjoyable, with a deeply sweet chocolate flavour and fluffy consistency.

The Drink
A thorough and international drinks list features wines from £4 a small glass, £6 a large glass and £16 a bottle, rising to £125 – and £175 for a bottle of Dom Perignon.The 2008 Pinot Noir is a surprisingly good match for both the fish and meat dishes, as it’s strong enough to hold up to the heavy flavours without competing with the lighter ones.

The Last Word
Despite not being in London for a good while chef Joel Antunes is right on target when it comes to delivering the high quality food that Londoners expect. Let’s hope that the restaurant soon becomes a favourite with locals as well as transient out-of-towners.

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