Set in the 4 star Leicester Square Hotel, this bar and restaurant is great for a cosy and relaxed night out somewhere a bit special.

The Venue
The Leicester Square Hotel is located just opposite the other Radisson Edwardian – The Hampshire Hotel. However, although it may seem to cower in the shadow of its bigger brother, it is in no way the poorer choice for a drink and meal. The Leicester Square Bar and Restaurant is, granted, rather small, but this creates a comfortable environment in which to enjoy a cosy tete-a-tete. The decor is light and airy, the bar located directly next to the dining area. There are two lounging couches available for a pre-dinner drink, with funky zebra-print tables that add a bit of zing to an otherwise simple environment. The tables for two are quite small, but adequate and allow for comfortable conversation. Everything is clean and glistening – with the bar being the biggest feature for the eye.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at the Leicester Square Bar and Restaurant is a friendly one, you won’t feel intimidated walking in as this isn’t a hotel with pretentious airs and graces. Because of its small size, even when it’s not too busy the bar and restaurant feels alive, in contrast to many hotel bars and restaurants that sometimes struggle to get bums on seats. The staff are attentive but not in your face, and you’ll be well looked after with smiles and good graces. All in all, the air holds contentment and everyone looks happy in their own skin.

The Food
The food at the restaurant of the Leicester Square Bar and Restaurant focuses on seafood. And excellent seafood it is, too. Don’t worry if you’re not a big fan, they have an excellent choice of vegetarian and meat dishes. However, if you do enjoy fish then it’s highly recommended you go with their specialty. There are superb bar snacks to choose from. Only these aren’t ordinary bar snacks, they include oysters, prawns, mussels, winkles - any seafood you can imagine, all perfectly cooked and with none of the toughness you can sometimes find with such dishes. From the restaurant menu, starters include one of the best eggs benedicts you’ll have ever tried, with a rich poached egg, cooked perfectly so as to allow the juices to spill over the dish and create a delicious explosion of flavours. The peppered pan seared tuna with warm potato salad also deserves a mention. Beautifully presented, colourful tuna is displayed on your plate and tastes as good as it looks. A very light dish, in contrast to the eggs Benedict, it melts in the mouth and leaves your palette clean and fresh. A perfect starter, well priced, with most selections coming in below £10.

The mains are also excellent. The haddock, in particular, is exquisite. Served with an egg, which is again perfectly cooked for those who love a runny yolk. Haddock can often be an overpoweringly salty taste, but not here. You get the full flavour of the fish hitting your tongue, without that uncomfortable salty tang that can permeate it. This is also true of the salmon, which is delicious. Perhaps an uninspired, safe choice, coming as it does with mushrooms and lemon butter sauce, it goes to prove that sometimes the oldies are the goodies. Sumptuously cooked, the salmon flakes perfectly on your fork, and mixes well with the accompaniments – although be warned, it’s a little rich for some palettes and very filling. They are all excellently priced from between £10-£20.

Desserts are quite limited and definitely not the strong suit of the kitchen. You’ll probably be too full of the delicious fish to care, but the shortbread biscuit with berries and whipped cream is a little disappointing, the biscuit being too hard and the meal tasting a little cheap. However, this is saved by the excellent cheese selection. A plate piled high with a selection of British cheeses including cheddar, stilton and goats cheese means there’ll be something for everyone.

The Drink
There’s not a great selection of drinks on offer at the Leicester Square Bar and Restaurant – the wine and cocktail lists are a little on the sparse side, but what they do have is good quality and reasonably priced. The cocktails consist of the classics such as mojitos, which is an excellently prepared drink that’s crisp and light – great for a pre-dinner drink. There are also some Champagne cocktails if you want something different from the classics and long drinks. The wines range in price from the affordable to more expensive, and cover all the bases. The staff know enough to help you with the choice if you’re unsure. You’ll be sure to find something that you’ll enjoy and it won’t break the bank.

The Last Word
The Leicester Square Bar and Restaurant is a nice, cosy but still distinctly upmarket place to enjoy a drink and dinner. The seafood is excellent and you’ll be hard-pushed not to leave with a full belly, and not substantially lightened wallet.

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