To say Jason Atherton’s first UK solo venture was eagerly anticipated is a bit of an understatement: there’s been something approaching a frenzy for quite sometime now. Thankfully the former Maze man has come back with a labour of love worthy of all the excitement.

The Venue
Tucked away behind Oxford Street, just down from Hanover Square, it's remarkable how few people even know that the quaint little road that is Pollen Street exists. But with two pretty big launches taking place within the last six months it now finds itself firmly on the capital’s culinary map. And once you’ve found Pollen Street you should have no problem finding its Social, with a lengthy glass façade playing host to huge letters spelling out the name. Inside, it’s divided in two, with one side dedicated to those who’ve booked, and the other for those nonchalant enough to just wander up and try for a table. Naturally, there’s a little more decorum in the former, with the latter being a bit busier and playing host to the dessert bar – something that already looks set to become a rite of passage for any foodie with an eye on fashion. The whole place certainly looks pleasant enough - in an understated kind of way - with plenty of light woods and creams given a bit of life by a smattering of quirky paintings and glimpses of gold.

The Atmosphere
In what’s either a leap of faith, or more likely, a well-judged appraisal of the capital’s dining habits, Atherton has stripped back the kind of formality you might expect and created – as the name suggest – a relaxed, friendly and flexible space. For those that aren’t keen on the stuffiness of high-end venues this place is a great antidote, and even though the staff (bar an instance or two of being just a little bit too relaxed) are attentive, professional and well-versed, they boast a chattiness that puts you at ease. And with such a surprisingly diverse clientele, this affability probably comes in very handy indeed, with anyone from tweed-garbed older statesmen and well-to-do ladies doing lunch to Oxford Street shoppers, media types and feverish foodies popping by.

The Food
Atherton boasts a pretty impressive reputation, primarily thanks to his hugely successful, Michelin star-winning stint at Maze, and it’s no surprise to see that he’s brought the same refined yet accessible cooking to Pollen Street Social. A very affordable set lunch menu (£22 for two courses, £26 for three) should put bums on seats throughout the day, but perhaps the best way to tuck in is to take advantage of an a la carte menu every bit as accommodating as the venue itself. Instead of diners being restricted to starters, mains and desserts (though they can be), there are a large number of smaller plates (£8.50 - £12.50) along similar lines to Ottolenghi or the nearby NOPI. It’s a great way to sample plenty of dishes, and when they're as good as these then you’re likely to leave happy, even if your pockets are a little lighter.

The crab salad is a definite must - a delicate, layered combination of sweet white crabmeat, fresh coriander, pureed fennel and almond and crab sorbet that’s fresh as a daisy and prettier to boot. The barbecued mackerel is perhaps too rare for some, but the clean and refreshing cucumber chutney and the frozen ajo blanco (white gazpacho) work especially well with the smoky flavours. The roasted red mullet is a lovely bit of fish, beautifully seasoned and with skin that’s given the tiniest hint of crisp, it's served with a powerful (in a good way) olive consommé and some subtle garlic.

The full English breakfast will no doubt get quite a few orders out of intrigue. A very wobbly coddled free range egg is delicious, as are the snippets of very crispy Alsace bacon, the tiny croutons and the little plump mushrooms, and although it’s a very delicate, deconstructed version of the classic, it’s just not quite as satisfyingly delicate as the rest. A much better example of the hot dishes is the pork belly, joined by a little bit of cheek just for good measure. Both are braised for 24 hours and served with a sweet fermented apple sauce and some crackling that’s very, very light indeed.

As for dessert, that bar really is set to be popular. If you can get a seat you'll be able to sit up and enjoy a bit of culinary theatre, watching your choice being created before you. Basil sorbet (£7) with watermelon ice and candied goat's curd is beautifully balanced and one of the real highlights, whilst the vanilla cheesecake (£7.50) is very nearly its equal, benefiting from rhubarb, candied ginger, rhubarb sorbet and a sprinkle of nut crumble. They really are very good - in fact you could probably put up a decent argument to say the desserts are the most accomplished aspect on what's a very accomplished menu.

The Drinks
With such a convivial name, it's good to see they're handy with the booze too, headed by some classic cocktails featuring a range of commendably rare ingredients. For example, the Negroni features Sipsmith London dry gin, Antica Formula vermouth, Campari and candied orange and grapefruit, whilst the Ramos Gin Fizz goes one further with Jensen's Old Tom gin mixed with mango milk, egg white, white chocolate ice and black olive caramel. Exactly. And there are plenty more too, many of which will probably spend quite a bit of time up at that dessert bar. The wine list is impressive too, enabling you to whizz from the affordable to the extravagant pretty quickly, but if you want a decent, fruity white then the crisp and appley Viladellops is a good shout at £7, and if you want some bubbles, the house Champagne is Jacquesson's Cuvee 734 at £12.50.

The Last Word
Serving food of this quality in a venue that doesn't stand on ceremony should ensure that Atherton not only keeps his legion of fans happy, but also attracts a whole new horde too. And once they've honed the service, they'll probably deserve a five.

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