Clapham North isn’t known for its cuisine. However, tucked away above a pub, behind a mysterious locked door lies this top quality restaurant. A real find.

The Venue
Located on Landor Road, a simple, small sign is all that points to this restaurant. To enter you have to buzz the door and wander up a tall staircase before you emerge onto a small outdoor terrace. Stepping through another plain door, the outside world disappears as you enter the cosy, warming world of four o nine.

This is one attractive restaurant. Light and airy, two large walls filled with windows flood the dining area with light in the daytime, creating a romantic ambience in the candlelight at night. The decor itself is simple but well executed. Walls display artistic faded black and white imagery of the area in which the restaurant resides, contrasting with one wall of black and gold flock wallpaper. The simple wooden tables with comfortable soft furnished chairs are punctuated by brown leather sofas lining two walls, complete with satin cushions in vibrant shades of gold, purple, red and black. A large bar resides in the centre of the space displaying rows of spirits. Paying attention to detail, candles sit on all of the tables and some of the windowsills and lend a softness to four o nine that borders on romantic.

The Atmosphere
four o nine is an ideal date restaurant with an understated romantic appeal perpetuated by the pleasant ambience and layout of the dining area. However, groups of friends or families looking to enjoy a good meal over a bottle of wine won’t feel awkward or like they’re intruding on a place geared entirely towards couples. You get a mixture of people dining here and the buzz of the restaurant is welcoming.

The staff are friendly and service is quick although the knowledge of the menu can be a little disappointing when asking for wine recommendations to match your meal, a touch that would be appreciated when you see the large wine list. However, it’s hard to hold this against such welcoming waiting staff.

The Food
The food at four o nine is on the pricey side but the adage ‘you get what you pay for’ couldn’t be more apt. The quality of the dishes is consistently high and the fresh ingredients, expertly weaved together, are impressive.

For starters, the gazpacho with pickled cucumber and parmesan crisp (£6.50) is an excellent example of the dish. The consistency of the soup is thick and the sweetness of the tomatoes comes through nicely with a spicy bite similar to a Bloody Mary. The tang of the parmesan crisp is balanced well with the simple flavours of the soup whilst the pickled cucumber adds a nice depth to each mouthful and doesn’t overpower the dish. Also excellent is the parma ham with boquerones, gorgonzola and lemon oil (£8). This collection of strong flavoured ingredients could easily have been a disaster but remarkably they work incredibly well. The parma ham is excellent quality with a delicate saltiness that works with the vinegary plump boquerones – a fish similar to a sardine without the saltiness. The strong flavour of the gorgonzola is counteracted by the citrus undertones of the lemon oil, bringing it down enough to complement the ham and fish rather than overpower it.

Mains live up to the starters. The grilled lamb leg (£20) is tender and perfectly cooked with a delicate sweetness from the rich meat although the almond, herb and mustard crust is barely discernible. A sage and mint pancake is unsightly and doesn’t taste good, overpowering the delicious tender lamb, and is best ignored. The potato gratin, however, is creamy with perfectly cooked layers of potato that work well with the lamb. A side of spring greens (£3) is recommended and is generously portioned so two can share and has a pleasant saltiness that brings out the iron-rich flavour of the greens.

The real highlight, however, is the roast hake (£16.50), an incredible dish with a generous fillet of plump white fish with flesh that flakes at the touch of a fork. The samphire, garden peas and broad beans add a nice, slightly crunchy texture to each bite and works well in the creamy basil mascarpone sauce. The sauce brings out the flavour of the fish rather than disguising it with a light, delicate flavour and creamy aftertaste that lifts this dish. A side of buttery, well cooked Jersey Royals (£3) finishes of the meal well.

For dessert, the chocolate and cherry fondant with crème fraiche sorbet (£6) is a delight. The light fondant opens up to reveal a gooey, decadent chocolate sauce that is heavy and rich and works with the dark, slightly sweet flavour of the cherry. The sorbet element to the crème fraiche makes it less sickly than the usual creamy accompaniment, instead adding lightness to the fondant. If you’re not hungry then you can get your sweet fix from one of five dessert cocktails. The tiramisu (£8) comprises Patron Coffee XO, crème de cacao, vanilla sugar and mascarpone cheese shaken with espresso and tastes like the dessert. Well presented in a large martini glass with a sprinkling of chocolate flakes on top, it’s less filling than a pudding but tastes creamy and chocolatey with an undertone of coffee and a slight alcoholic kick.

The Drink
From prosecco from just £5 per glass to the lengthy wine list of well-priced reds, white, dessert and roses, the drink selection at four o nine is excellent. Wine is divided by grape, flavour and region so you can find what you’re looking for and although the choice is substantial, it’s not overwhelming. The balance of old world and new world wine is also excellent, designed to complement the range and depth of food on offer. The Pinot Noir Le Fume Noir Languedoc 2009 (£24 a bottle, £6 a glass) is highly recommended, well priced for such an easy to drink, smooth wine with a pleasant undertone of red berries.

The Last Word
‘Hidden gem’ is probably the most overused phrase used to describe restaurants in London – whether they’re hidden or not. However, it really does apply to four o nine. Who knew Clapham North would be the setting for such a top notch Modern European restaurant?

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