Everything is right about this delightful restaurant – except the name. There’s nothing retro about the menu, with its light and pretty updates of French classics, nor the boldly patterned, contemporary hued decor, nor even the informal (but still efficient) service. This is 21st-century neighbourhood dining at its best.

The Venue
Teddington is a well-heeled, leafy suburb in the outer reaches of south west London. Its charming high street reflects the local affluence with independent, pricey shops full of covetable clothing and items to prettify your home. There are plenty of attractive pubs, coffee shops and restaurants too.

Retro Bistro fits right in with its theatrical curtains and chandeliers, feature walls of violet wallpaper or bare brick, and patterned, turquoise, velvet banquets. Lest we forget this is a contemporary take on a bistro, there are bentwood chairs and unadorned dark wood tables. Plump sofas by the door cosset anyone waiting for any of the eighty covers in two knocked-through rooms with walls adorned with modern paintings for sale (at four-figure prices). This place only opened in early 2009, and everything still feels new and fresh.

The Atmosphere
Even on a weeknight, business is reasonably brisk. Customers appear to be locals of all ages, predominantly garbed in smart casuals, simply looking for a civilised but relaxed evening. The efficient and smiling staff appear genuinely French - even first-time female diners can expect kisses on both cheeks upon departure.

The Food
Dishes are mainly French in spirit but thoroughly modern British in realisation. Unlike a true French bistro, there’s plenty for vegetarians - they even have their own section of the menu.

Beetroot and pesto salad (£6.10) is a light and attractive starter. Sweet cubes of veg are partnered by tasty, not-too-hard croutons, Parmesan and great pesto-dressed leaves. Crab salad a la Greque (£9.95) comprises flavoursome white crabmeat bound in a light mayo wrapped in paper-thin carrot, with a creamy, sweet carrot and ginger puree. The ginger could be more pronounced but it is otherwise faultless, and tastes delicious.

The evening’s least impressive dish is a main course pea and broad bean risotto (£10.50), the peas proving not quite young and sweet enough for such an important role. Those who think risotto should be gloopy (and it’s an eternal debate) will find the texture a bit firm. There’s good flavour, though, correctly al dente rice and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

Skate wing meunière with capers, cockles, olive oil mash and (unadvertised) spinach (£14.50) is a swoon-inducing smash. The fish is impeccably cooked, the cockles have flavour and aren't rubbery, the mash is super-smooth, the spinach agreeably undercooked, the capers punchy and the meunière sauce decadent.

A short dessert list, all at £6.20, includes an intriguing cold chocolate fondant: how do you keep the inside of a sponge molten without heat? The name turns out to actually use a bit of gastronomic licence; this is a mousse-type desert, injected with white chocolate cream sitting on a gorgeous, hazlenutty, wafery base. Frustratingly, its intense salty caramel sauce is only a couple of minute blobs but otherwise, it’s utterly fabulous – and a generous portion.

Even bigger - and just as good - is the pud-of-the-day, three pairs of agreeably chewy strawberry macaroons sandwiched with delicate rose cream and served with an intense raspberry sorbet.

The Drink
The list of approximately eighty wines (with a commendable ten by the glass and many by the 50cl carafe), is largely but not exclusively French. Prices range from £15.50 to £140.50 for a ’99 Vosnee Romanee or ’06 Chassagne Montrachat (both premier cru, naturellement). 2008 La Vigneau sauvignon blanc (£6/£21.50/£27.50) has intense, elderflower bouquet and is freshing, citrusy and light.

A rosé, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Cuvee Gourmande Chateau Fonscolombe (£7.50/£21.50/£21.50), is light, smooth and subtle. A 2009 pinot noir from Italy (Il Conti, £5.50/£15.50/£20.50) is light but full-flavoured with a tickle of spice. Of the pudding wines, Maury, Mas Mudigliza vin doux naturel (£10/£55) is warm, red, intense and not overly sweet, and the perfect match for the chocolate dessert.

The Last Word
Every high street should have a restaurant like this but few are so fortunate. Three judiciously chosen courses plus half a bottle of modest wine could be yours for £40 or less, which represents excellent value. ‘Bistro Moderne’ would be a more accurate name, or even ‘Bistro Superbe’, but that’s really all there is to complain about.

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