Wonderful food and even better views, this City gem offers French fine dining in a beautiful setting.

The Venue
Located in the heart of the City, this elevated Conran restaurant is reached by two private lifts at No.1 Poultry that are easily to miss if you don’t know where to look. You whiz up to a fabulous leafy roof terrace, where immaculately manicured lawns and bistro-style tables with parasols give wonderful views of the surrounding square mile. Inside is the chic and contemporary designed restaurant, which is light and airy, and bedecked with lots of wood paneling, white linen and comfy leather seating.

The Atmosphere
It’s very much a city hangout with lots of suited men doing deals over dinner and Cognac, but it manages to maintain a relaxed and chatty atmosphere. The roof terrace feels very chilled out and continental and is a great place to sip cocktails while marveling at the views in summer. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable, and the service spot on.

The Food
A varied and interesting menu of modern French fine dining fare at around £50 a head, with a good set option at £24 for two courses and about £30 for three. The menu changes regularly to take advantage of seasonal ingredients, which are expertly prepared and not too pretentiously presented.

Alongside oysters, caviar and langoustines, entrees include foie gras and smoked ham terrine served with pickled pears and prune compote and the divinely dressed Devon king crab, avocado and green olive salad with redcurrant dressing.

The main menu is heavy on meat and light on vegetarian options with just two to choose from. Rich and hearty choices include roasted squab pigeon served with shiitake mushrooms, pancetta and beetroot, and saddle of rabbit Nicoise style served with basil mash and cabernet sauvignon vinegar jus. The organic Glenarm salmon with tomato fondue, black olives and pesto is deliciously fresh and perfectly cooked.

The dessert menu achieves a balance of gluttonously sweet and rich with refreshingly light and fruity. The tangy passion fruit tart delivers the latter perfectly.

The Drink
The wine list is, well, more a book than a list, at a staggering 45 pages. A huge range of French vintages, with a staggering range of prices to match from around £15 for the house to an eye watering 1921 Chateau d’ Yquem at £5,170. There’s also a good selection of champagnes, sweet wines and cocktails.

The Last Word
With such impressive surroundings, Coq d’Argent has a lot to live up to in the food department and it manages to deliver in style.

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