With a décor every bit as intoxicating as Pierre Gagnaire’s Michelin-starred menu, Sketch’s fine dining restaurant is a fascinating assault on the senses, living up to its considerable acclaim with ease.

The Venue
The unassuming entrance on Conduit Street doesn’t begin to hint at quite what it’s like in Sketch: this is somewhere that has tongues wagging in wonder at the sheer eccentricity of it all. The bathrooms (egg-shaped pods with sounds of the countryside and applause on completion) usually get most of the excited bafflement but there’s plenty more to this place, with modern art dotted around at will, turning a stately old building into somewhere theatrical and just a little bit surreal.

To get to the Lecture Room and Library you are led up a winding staircase by impeccably courteous staff, all the way to the top floor where the doors… are dramatically swept open. This does feel like it’s bordering on being a bit full of itself, but then so would you be if you looked this good. The suitably stunning main dining room combines North Africa with France – a marriage that seems to pay homage to Sketch’s daddies; Mourad Mazouz (owner of Momo) and culinary heavyweight Pierre Gagnaire. Everything to do with the actual eating is classically French (immaculate whites, heavy velvet chairs, pristine glassware and some of the best service in town), whilst the vibrant and bold decor hints at Morocco, Tunisia and even further south. It’s a stunning use of the room, all bathed in burnished gold.

The Atmosphere
Despite perfectly balanced service that’s formal yet friendly, it’s easy to find yourself whispering in hushed tones of reverence, primarily because it’s all so grand. And expensive. And not the kind of thing you do every day. However, you’ll swiftly find yourself swept up in the charm of it, put at ease and enjoying every minute of it. It seems other diners are doing exactly the same, too, with an international mix of the well-to-do emitting appreciative murmurs as the food is presented and perused. You can expect to hear accents and languages from all around Europe and beyond, but most tables seem to be populated by those with something to celebrate – it is that kind of place, after all.

The Food
Seriously impressive and seriously expensive. There’s no doubting that the kitchen boasts an incredible combination of flair, precision, innovation and judgment, but you do have to pay for that expertise. But then again, it shouldn’t exactly come as a surprise, and if you’re here, you can afford it. Otherwise, that’s a lot of pots you’ll have to wash.

Extravagant starters kick things off, with the ‘Perfume of the Earth’ (£39) - a collection of dishes inspired by one of Gagnaire’s favourite perfumes – being every bit as good as the price suggests. The assortment of plates playing host to a cocotte of vegetables with smoked orange peel and bay laurel served with a foie gras soup with sarawak pepper; pluma iberico ham with sautéed snails and ceps; goat’s cheese and Nyons black olives; a custard of Burgundy truffle; and a white root vegetable and almond tart with red beetroot syrup are quite ridiculously refined.

As are the langoustines addressed five ways, no less (£46). The roasted comes with sautéed girolles; the a la plancha with barberry, lardo di colonnata and a toast of agria potato; the mousseline made with Noilly Prat vermouth and served with matcha green tea and almond paste butter; the spicy jelly with cockle mariniere a lentil salad and puree; and the comparatively simple tartare with Kitcho vodka jelly and Sardinian lemon paste. Complex, decadent and bordering on the ridiculous.

Mains are conveniently divided into clear components, so you can choose from suggestions such as pig, deer, beef or sea bass. That’s where any simplicity ends though, with another quite sublime set of combinations trotted out from the kitchen and onto the table. The Quercy lamb (£49) comes as a roast leg with oregano, sweet potatoes, curry sauce, crosne and salsify; a roast rack with a black garlic veloute and polenta; sauteed sweetbreads with red radish barigoule; and ewe yoghurt with dried apricots. Discombobulating and impressive in equal measures.

The beef (£58) is similarly impressive, with a roast Bavarian Simmental beef fillet in peppered butter served with potatoes, aubergine, bone marrow, morel mushrooms, liquorice and crunchy pickled onions. The foie gras terrine, wrapped in steak tartare is a fine way to finish, if, that is, you like to finish with something that’s almost unfeasibly rich. And once you have finished, you’re left with no doubt as to the really quite remarkable sourcing, handling, and execution of this huge range of ingredients. This is fine dining done very well indeed.

The Drinks
A very extensive wine list is placed in your hands, with helpfully categorised bins from around the world dominated by some excellent French options. As you would expect, you can easily spend a small fortune on rare wines and prestige Champagnes if you so wish, but there are plenty of relatively affordable options, including a sensational Sancerre at £36. Pricey, perhaps, for the lower end of the spectrum but it is very good. There are an admirable number available by the glass too, so don’t feel like you have to keep the keys to the Bentley in your pocket, and if you did want to sample one of the excellent cocktails from downstairs, the staff will no doubt ferry one up in a matter of moments.

The Last Word
If you can afford it, then The Lecture Room and Library come very highly recommended indeed. Creative, indulgent, theatrical and downright delicious.

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