With a perfectly positioned location right down the road from Covent Garden Piazza, you could be forgiven for thinking that Clos Maggiore would be overrun with tourists. Instead, it’s an intimate hideaway that’s perfect for an indulgent retreat from Central London life.

The Venue
Located on King Street, mere steps from Covent Garden and around the corner from Leicester Square, Clos Maggiore mercifully has none of the trappings that other nearby restaurants fall prey to. The outside is understated, a dark red awning the only thing that makes it stand out from the others on the street. Inside, however, it’s a completely different feel, almost like eating in someone’s (very well-manicured) garden. The first dining area is narrow, but it manages to hold several tables and a bar, separated from each other by bright green hedges. Stone sculptures of animals, including a winged pig, are scattered throughout.

Towards the rear of the restaurant is a lovely room decorated with tree branches complete with pale pink blossoms. Although the branches and flowers are obviously not real (and would probably increase the restaurant’s water bill exponentially if they were), they’re the opposite of tacky and instead give the room a romantic, fairytale feel. The blossoms are reflected in the room’s mirrors, which successfully make the small space seem more open and airy, and the skylight above lets in plenty of light. Upstairs is a private dining room, a bit more stately and reserved than the spaces downstairs, but attractive nonetheless.

The Atmosphere
The front of the restaurant is perfect for dinner with a friend or a colleague, with the aforementioned hedges and winged pig making good talking points. The area towards the back is practically made for couples, who, failing to get a table at the nearest woodland glade, are making do with the next best thing. Even the seats, arranged next to each other instead of opposite, seem orchestrated for maximum canoodling. Service is effortlessly personable and endlessly helpful, and the string of hellos you hear whilst walking towards your table makes it seem as if the staff have been looking forward to your arrival all evening.

The Food
Persons au fait with the London restaurants scene may remember this place as its previous incarnation, Maggiores. However, with the arrival of a new chef, Marcellin Marc (previously at the two Michelin-starred Le Clos de la Violette in Provence), the restaurant rebranded itself with a new name and a new cuisine in early 2007. The menu is French but takes notes from British, Italian and Spanish food as well. Although prices are on the dear side, they do range widely (starters vary from about £7 to about £15) and there’s a three course set menu for about £19.50, ideal for pre-theatre dinners. Six course tasting menus are also on offer for £60 per person and £110 with wine.

An amuse bouche of gazpacho starts things off nicely with its sweet yet peppery flavour – just the thing to perk up your tastebuds. Starters include a pigeon breast with foie gras terrine (£8.90), with incredibly tender pigeon meat that literally falls to pieces at the touch of your fork. The terrine is unashamedly rich and luxuriously smooth, and the fried quail’s egg in a nest of salad greens makes a colourful touch on the side. The chargrilled wild scallops (£14.90) are a nice size without being overly large or small, and the meat is firm and sweet with just a hint of crispness on the outside. This is further enhanced by a tangle of slightly salty fried potatoes and a stripe of vibrant watercress veloute.

Mains feature a range of dishes, from shellfish and fish to poultry and pork. The Gressingham duck breast (£18.50) has nicely caramelised skin that gives way to pink, succulent meat. The odd sounding pink grapefruit crumble is more like a mini pasty than a pudding, with a doughy outside and a sharp kick from the fruit. The Scottish rib eye (£22.50), which has been matured for 28 days, is perfectly cooked to order and is complemented well by the rich red wine sauce. It’s well portioned, so by the time you finish you’ll be satisfied but not overly full.

And this can only be a good thing, as it means you can still squeeze in dessert, which cost about £7 each. The chocolate and coffee cake is the epitome of indulgence, but the richness of the chocolate is tempered by the smooth coffee mousse layered throughout. The apricot tart is almost deceptively light: instead of heavy and doughy, the pastry tastes light and flaky and tangy apricot gives it a subtle lift.

The Drink
Without a doubt, Clos Maggiore has one of the heftiest wine lists in the capital. Whilst it can be very intimidating – there are books that are shorter – the front page of the menu helpfully lists some choice varieties by the bottle and by the glass. If you’re still out of the loop, though, the sommelier is more than happy to tailor a few glasses to your food. The Schloss Johannisberger, Riesling QBA, 2006, from Germany, is £8.75 per glass, is refreshing without being too light, and works well with the pigeon. The scallops are complemented by the hint of citrus in the Domaine Rene Monnier, Meursault “Le Limozin” 2005 from Burgundy (£13.25 per glass). Standout glasses of red include Chateau Puy-Blanquet, Saint Emilion Grand Cru (2001) from Bordeaux and a Poggio Torselli Chianti Classico 2004 from Tuscany.

Madeira and sherry are available by the glass from £7, and there are several pages of digestifs, including a light and sweet limoncello. For the history fans, there’s a full page of spirits sourced from the private cellar of the late Duke of Windsor, priced at £12.50 per 25 mililitres.

The Last Word
Thanks to its central location, Clos Maggiore could easily fall into the trap of relying on passing trade, but its romantic atmosphere and impeccable food elevate it above other restaurants in the area. Take someone who’ll appreciate its charms.

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