Some things about life in the constantly evolving capital are always reassuringly familiar. North and South Londoners will always enjoy friendly rivalry. The London mayor is less embarrassing than the US president. And Chinawhite is a home from home for girls who believe that fake tan and short skirts equal free drinks from a footballer. But then, in 2009, it all changed. The river disappeared from the Tube map - the visual divide was no more. Barack was sworn in, we were left with bumbling Boris. And, at the end of the year, Chinawhite relaunched with easily one of the best restaurants in London.

The Venue
Entirely separate from the club downstairs, Chinawhite restaurant stretches over the ground floor and its Balinese style is soothing and luxurious. The sourcing trips to Bali were time and money well-spent and from the foliage wallpaper to the heavy dark wooden tables, it’s comfortable and chic. Golden thread fronds dangle from the ceiling spliced with contemporary lights that rotate through a spectrum of colours and lift the rest of the restaurant’s low ambient lighting so that Central London feels far removed. The bar on your left when you walk in is popular for a quick pre-dinner or lingering post dinner cocktail and the rest of the L-shaped room is arranged with plenty of tables for couples. Those beside the banquette seating can accommodate larger groups and create the feeling of a dinner party around a friend’s house.

The Atmosphere
The staff ensure that dining at Chinawhite Restaurant is a truly delightful experience. Passionate and well-informed about both the food and drink, they are also genuinely friendly. Smiles and conversation are always at the ready and whilst the service is second to none, they do it so effortlessly that it never feels forced making it equally suited to dates, business dinners and celebrations with friends. Earlier in the evening the restaurant is mainly filled with foodies who fancy an excellent meal after work and as the hours slide by they are replaced with groups of friends who are eating together before moving on to the club downstairs.

The Food
The cuisine guarantees that the new-look Chinawhite will top the must-visit list of restaurant lovers in 2010 – it’s no longer just a club and it’s all the better for it. Whilst it’s not cheap, it’s competitively priced for a Central London restaurant of such a high calibre and the fact that they continue serving until the early hours is yet another plus point in an already impressive list. There’s nothing as predictable as prawn crackers here. Instead, whilst you decide what to order a wooden bowl of crisp crackers cooked with plenty of bonito flakes are placed on the table and they are an imaginative and far tastier alternative.

For starters, try the baked aubergines (£7.50) which are sliced in half lengthways then cooked with plenty of den miso until their glossy purple skins are just about to wrinkle and the resulting sweet salty flavour of the soft flesh is beautifully balanced. The miso marinated twice cooked pork belly (£9) is another excellent example of simple dishes cooked well and the pork is as tender as pulled pork and covered in a miso paste which prevents it from becoming too sickly. The accompanying steamed greens add a welcome freshness and are a clever addition as they prevent the dish from ever tasting too rich.

Main courses are similarly generous when it comes to portion size. You certainly won’t be paying for the privilege of nibbling on a few nasturtium flowers at this restaurant. The presentation is clean and simple and the food is so perfectly cooked that it certainly doesn’t require any gilding. The Yellow Fin Tuna au poivre is a slab of a portion rolled in plenty of crushed peppercorns and it’s cooked rare enough for you to really appreciate the quality of the fish. However, if you just fancy sinking your teeth into a really juicy burger (£14.50) then you’re in the right place too. Served with thin crispy chips and a side salad, even the most ravenous of rugby players will find it hard to finish the juicy beef pattie that the brioche bun struggles to contain. Ask them to keep the wasabi mayonnaise coming – it doesn’t just work with the burger, it’s superb with the spiced salt and pepper chips too.

After all that food, it’s hard to even consider desserts (all £8.50) but it would be scandalous not to. Even more imaginative than the rest of the menu, the head chef’s inventiveness and appreciation of how flavours work together is in just as much evidence with the final course. The exotic fruit salad is served in a vast glass bowl (imagine a trifle bowl) and contains their own version of popping candy that will raise a smile after even the longest of days. For a £6 supplement you can savour it with a chilled shot of vodka or sake. The caramelised jasmine rice pudding served with spiced apricot conserve is another excellent choice and the sweetness is again, as with the fruit salad, cleverly balanced out. In this instance with a small pot of light citrus cream (which is in fact the base of a creme brulee before the sugar top is added).

The Drink
As with the food, the cocktails are so expertly created that it seems a shame to order wine with the meal although if you do choose to there are plenty of reasonably priced options which start at £5.25 a glass. Don’t miss out on sampling one of the house cocktails which use the famous Chinawhite mix whose secret weapon is guanabana juice (which until now you’re more likely to have enjoyed as ice cream or a smoothie when holidaying in unspoilt spots in the Caribbean). The Chinawhite (£11) takes Chinawhite mix and blends it with lychee juice to create a smooth base that works elegantly with Koko Kanu and vodka and it's served simply in a Martini glass. Killer Kai (£10.50) may be a short cocktail but it’s no less impressive. The blend of rum, pineapple juice, chunks of lime and mint leaves which also decorate the glass make for a very fresh tasting and refreshing drink that works well with the spicier dishes on the menu.

The Last Word
Even the most open-minded of Londoners can get complacent, convinced that the capital’s culinary scene can no longer surprise them. Chinawhite Restaurant is proof that whenever that happens London's restaurant scene rises to the challenge. In Chinawhite’s case it’s certainly surprising but that’s what makes a meal here even more enjoyable. Make sure that you book a table before everyone’s in on the secret.

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