Situated in the Radisson Edwardian Kenilworth Hotel, Creation Restaurant - at first glance - would seem to be a sensible choice for food that’s British with a twist. The reality – despite its potential – is that it's a rather hit and miss affair.

The Venue
Located on Great Russell Street, the restaurant, bar and associated hotel are easy enough to find. A fairly quiet street only a stone’s throw away from Tottenham Court Road station, locations don't really come much better than this. Inside, the open plan bar/restaurant area is classically decorated; rich shades of burgundy mix with dark wood to create a sophisticated, if somewhat soulless, feel. Attached to the Radisson Edwardian hotel, the restaurant sits just to the side of the main building and, while a few guests visit the venue especially for dinner, it seems that the majority of the clientele are hotel guests, choosing to dine there primarily for convenience.

The Atmosphere
While the décor is tasteful and classy enough, and the lighting soft and the venue incredibly clean, Creation unfortunately cannot escape its rather functional feel. There’s a strong impression that – aside from hotel guests who choose the venue because it’s a few steps from their hotel rooms – outside guests are rather few and far between. For a midweek evening visit, expect around five other tables to be occupied: it’s undeniably empty, but if you can get over that, at least you’ll find the service perfectly attentive and friendly.

The Food
Begin by sampling the wide selection of toasted, seeded and uniquely baked doughy breads with olive oil while you decide on the menu choices; be prepared to select a few options, though, as you may well find that your first choice is unavailable – particularly when it comes to desserts.

For a starter, a good bet is the ham hock benedict, priced at £7.50. Served with poached egg, sautéed apple and hollandaise sauce, all on a toasted muffin, the shreds of ham are perfectly cooked, tender and slightly salty to taste. The poached egg and the sauce complement the ham well, though do expect the egg to be a little underdone and the muffin a little over. The Kidderton Ash goat’s cheese panna cotta with beetroot dressing is an attractive choice of starter. It's beautifully presented, it's just a shame that the dish doesn’t quite work – primarily thanks to the panna cotta not setting particularly well.

Main courses, priced in the region of £15-£20, are varied, with something on offer for all tastes. Try the slow braised shin of beef, served with mashed potatoes, caramelised button onions and carrots –wonderfully tender stewed meat works with the soft, fresh baby vegetables to create a hearty and warming dish that’s probably the pick of the mains. The chicken breast filled with leek confit and feta cheese is also an interesting choice; the roasted, organic chicken is well cooked and tender, and goes well with the buttery fondant potatoes and aromatic rosemary sauce. Be prepared, though, for an abundance of leek and feta cheese filling; although sweet and tangy, this does tend to get a little overwhelming by the end of the meal.

If you have twenty minutes to wait, finish your meal with the baked thin apple tart with toffee sauce; warm, sweet and sticky, this is a melt-in-the-mouth pudding and well worth sampling. If more than a few of the five dessert options are unavailable, feel free to ask what else they can offer as an alternative; perhaps try the hazelnut mousse, but ask for it without the overpoweringly thick, rich chocolate sauce.

The Drink
The white wine house selection - a Turner Road Three Rivers Pinot Grigio Chardonnay (£19.50) – is dry and light, and a good bet to accompany the majority of menu options pretty well. After dinner, try one of the herbal teas; the camomile provides a calming end to the evening.

The Last Word
The menu at Creation holds so much promise; and, if the food itself were excellent, it would be easy enough to look past the venue’s functional atmosphere. However, with several menu choices unavailable on an early midweek dinner, and with some of the execution not quite working, the overall experience here might leave you feeling a tad deflated.

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