Come to London! See a show! Eat execrable food! Ah. While there are some undoubtedly fine restaurants in the capital’s Theatreland, there are also those that are, well, less than fine. The trick for the unwary tourist is differentiating between the two.

The Venue
The Strand Palace is less a hotel, more a major terminus, like Heathrow or St Pancras, as it occupies an entire block. People mill around in a haplessly random fashion, men and women in dark suits hover menacingly while talking in low voices into radios – they can’t all be undercover agents, surely? – and hotel staff bustle about in purposeful manner. The hotel is placed handily between the Law Courts and the Theatreland fringes, so expect the clientele to be a mix of the lawful, the louche and the just plain lost.

The Atmosphere
At first glance, Johnstons Brasserie doesn’t look terribly prepossessing. It’s all a bit last-century bistro – oxblood walls, dark wood furniture and moody monochrome prints. It doesn’t bode well. This preconception is, however, quickly dispelled. Johnstons has a relaxed feel – blissful after the bustle of the hotel – despite a large group of sales reps, hellbent on getting legless as quickly as possible, and a very jolly hen party. Should you encounter similar, your waiter will be happy to move you to a quieter part of the restaurant.

The Food
Then you can sit back and enjoy the food. Johnstons is big on salads – organic chicken with curried lentils, king prawn with chilli dressing, roast beef with apple and celery – as starters, which sound delightful. However, a salad of Parma ham (£7.50), asparagus and melon is not the light bite you may be expecting. Together with the advertised red and white radish there lurk within mange tout as well, and its generous size means it’s rather like eating a very fresh compost heap. Nicely presented though, and perfect if you’re hungry. Rather more suited to delicate appetites, despite its carb content, is a simply presented sauteed calamari with saffron risotto (£7.95). The risotto is perfect – not an easy feat – the rice retaining a subtle bite and the whole containing some background heat. It is a confident chef who knows he doesn’t have to faff with food unnecessarily.

The main courses likewise are not fussily adorned. A breast of Gressingham duck (£16.95) – requested pink and thus served – comes with roasted tomatoes and a plum sauce, which complements but doesn’t overwhelm. A sea bass fillet (£17.95) is perfectly pan-fried and served with sauteed potatoes and a delicate vinaigrette. The dressing doesn’t sound like it should work, but it does. A side order of mushroom and butter bean cassoulet (£4) is tasty but the beans are more haricot than the lovely big fat butter variety, so it lacks body; however, it does go nicely with the fish.

Puddings hark back to the old bistro days again, although that is far from a bad thing, and include crumble, creme brulee and traditional trifle. A vanilla and raspberry panna cotta (£7.50), served with berries, is light and creamy with a silky texture and sweet fruit. The cheeseboard (£9.50) is really the only disappointment – it’s nicely presented, but rather dull. Brie, stilton and cheddar with grapes and green apples are all well and good but not great value for money.

The Drink
You will, however, find good value on Johnstons’ wine list. While its cheapest Champagne is a Taittinger at £54, the appealingly named Yellow Tail Bubbles from Oz will set you back a mere £22.95. The least expensive wines, both from Argentina, are £16.50, while a Chablis is £25.95 and a Sancerre £28.95. For red wine lovers, a Louis Jadot Fleurie looks a bargain at £25.95. The most expensive wine, of either colour, is a £29.95 Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz. If you want to kick off with a cocktail, Johnstons’ specials – including a strawberry mojito, classic martini and an accomplished whisky sour – are a snip at £4.95.

The Last Word
Johnstons Brasserie offers a very reasonable pre-theatre dinner menu of £15 for two courses and £16.50 for three, and it’s a la carte menu should appeal to all palates, so it’s a great starting point for a night out. This show will run and run.

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