With more than 15 years under its belt, Quaglinos still knows how to bring in the fine dining crowd.

The Venue
Running since 1991, Quaglinos is one of the flagship Conran restaurants, famous for its celebrity clientele and exclusive atmosphere. Despite being around for nearly 20 years, it appears that things haven’t changed much – it’s still a massive venue, crowned by a fluorescent blue ceiling, with the focal point being the large staircase (railed in iron Qs) you descend to get to the main restaurant. Enormous columns, each decorated in a different, abstract paint scheme, add a bit of colour and trendy floral prints keep the entrance and bar up to date.

A large crustacea bar (mirrored so you can see the chefs shelling and shucking from the ceiling) along with an open kitchen, take up most of the far end. Despite the size of the main restaurant, the upstairs bar is smaller, a bit darker and more romantic, with a few rows of low tables and cushy seats. Two private rooms on the mezzanine are available for hire, one which overlooks the restaurant.

The Atmosphere
The massive size of Quaglinos means that it’s best suited to large groups, with several rows of tables easily combined into larger ones. There are, however, a few more intimate spaces thanks to banquette seating against the walls, but by and large it’s mostly groups of four or more who make up the majority of the clientele. Service is pleasant and swift with none of the snootiness that usually comes along with a restaurant that has this kind of long-standing reputation. It’s obvious that the staff take pride in where they work, which is always nice to see. DJs and live music shake things up a bit on Friday and Saturday nights, making the atmosphere livelier whilst not being too noisy.

The Food
There are obviously a few tried and tested things about Quaglinos, one of them being the menu, which is filled with classic dishes – some of which are so classic they’re edging into retro territory. Prices are expectedly high, with most starters at around £9 and most mains between £13 and £20, but the dinner set menu is incredibly good value at two courses for £16.50 and three courses for £19.50. Considering there’s at least three choices for each course and they all appear on the main menu as well, it’s a great way of sampling some of their dishes for a more than reasonable price.

A starter of tuna carpaccio (£9) is a fairly large portion, with delicate and tender rounds of tuna layered beneath a clump of pea shoots. Although the fish is very fresh, it’s cut so thin you can hardly taste it; however, the crunchy pea shoots add texture and a slight peppery flavour. The Quaglino’s Cocktail (£12.50) is also a large portion, arriving in an old fashioned sundae glass filled to bursting with lettuce and pink, glossy seafood. Although there’s disappointingly only one prawn placed on top, the shrimp and crayfish that make up the rest are succulent and more-ish, with a zingy Marie Rose sauce.

Mains include a sirloin steak (£19.50), another generously-portioned dish that’s cooked to order, tender and juicy. The accompanying chips are crisp on the outside and look hand-cut, with enough on the plate that you don’t have to order an extra side. A dish of sea bass (£19.50) is served whole – complete with the head but minus the eyes, for some reason. It’s sliced in two and sandwiched with a mixture of spinach and green olives, a good combination of flavours that’s bettered by the fact that there are no fiddly bones to remove from the fish. The side salad of fennel scooped on the side is deliciously tangy and light.

Desserts feature comfortingly familiar dishes like strawberry pavlova, apple tart and peach melba priced between £5.50 and £6.50. The lemon tart, topped with a slice of candied lemon, is sharply sweet with a crumbly base, exactly like you’d expect. A selection of three (£8.50) and five (£12.50) cheeses are on offer, and you can pick from a selection based on your choices. The cheese comes with a branch of red grapes and about half a dozen slices of dark, nutty bread which, although filling, could be softer.

The Drink
A double-sided wine list features wines from a whole host of countries, including everything from the typical regions of France and Italy to the more unusual Lebanon, Austria and Washington state in the US. Prices vary widely but start at just under £20 a bottle and £5 a glass, rising to £181 for a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Domaine Meo-Camuzet from Burgundy. The Argentinean Malbec, £6.25 a glass and £25.50 a bottle, is smooth, ripe and rich, a good choice with meat.

There’s a short list of cocktails on the restaurant menu, but they’re slightly more expensive so you’re better off ordering one at the upstairs bar. They’re divided into contemporary cocktails (£8.75), classics (£8.50) and a trio of Quag’s Deluxe cocktails for £10 each. Contemporary cocktails include an Earl Grey Martini, made with Earl Grey-infused Smirnoff Black vodka and Stone’s ginger wine – it has a warm, spicy kick that makes it easy to drink. Another contemporary cocktail, the Marcus Way, is made with Gordon’s sloe gin, kiwi schnapps, Creme de Mure and cranberry juice. It’s topped with a slice of kiwi and a few blueberries and is refreshingly fruity whilst not being too sugary. Bar food is served as well between noon and 3pm, and quite a few choices of whisky, rum and other spirits complete the bar list.

The Last Word
Although it’s not making any great waves in terms of culinary ingenuity, Quaglinos is a tried and true classic that all restaurant fans in the capital should experience – and with that £19.50 set menu, everyone can afford to.

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