Embrace your Highland heritage with a fling in Belgravia's finest Scottish restaurant. Haggis, neeps and whisky are all the order of the day, followed by a fat Cuban on Boisdale's infamous cigar terrace.

The Venue
On the the bristling edge of Belgravia, the bright red Boisdale is just a caber's toss away from Victoria Station. Situated in an elegant Regency townhouse, this jazz-themed Scottish restaurant is a cross between Ronnie Scott's and a PG Wodehouse novel. The walls are a deep red and rich with photos from the 'auld country' and the heads of defeated prey. The Macdonald tartan dominates the place and throws itself over the seating and the staff, but fashioned alongside the starched white tablecloths and fine glassware and the restaurant just effuses Scottish elegance.

A small stage overlooks the dining room and from 10pm each night, is home to the Richard Pite's Boisdale Blue Rhythm band. The famous cigar terrace is situated on the top floor, the cosy, wicker- chaired retreat allows diners to pop up in between courses for a lung-busting chug on a thick Havana. Tartan blankets are supplied for the ladies and there's usually some interesting chat about mergers going on.

The Atmosphere
Despite the staid decor the atmosphere is surprisingly convivial. The clientele is a mix of lonely ex-pats aching for a taste of the homeland and ruddy-cheeked, well-watered businessmen with tight collars and hearty guffaws. A smattering of young bucks fresh from LSE show off to the big boys by drinking fine whisky and smoking cigars the size of sausages. To add to the Highland theme a piper occasionally sweeps through the restaurant bringing both noise and excitement to the room. When the jazz starts at around 10pm, the mood changes from gentlemen's club to cool, jazz bar luring folk to stay and have one more dram.

The Food
The food here at the Boisdale is refreshingly patriotic. Most ingredients are sourced directly from Scotland with salmon and steak dominating the menu. Starters include a delicious hot smoked wedge of Lochcarnan salmon, its mellow smokiness and firm manner works well with the crunchy apple salad. The wild mushroom toast is also a winner. A buttery mix of chanterelles and trompettes are drenched in a tobacco-coloured smoked garlic cream and served, as one would expect, on toast.

For mains it's all about the quality. The pan roasted organic wild salmon steak fresh from the Isle of South Uist is thick, meaty and most perfectly cooked. The pine nuts and braised fennel give it bite and a hint of hearty aniseed. The steaks are delightfully well-hung and sourced from either the Aberdeen Angus Charolais cross-breed, 8oz sirloins from around £20, or the pure-bred Aberdeen Angus where a 16oz fillet will set you back a staggering £65. The meat is of an exceptional quality and is served plump, juicy with the fleshy hue of a ripe fig. The choice of accompaniments include creamy mashed potato and a vivid green salsa verde and the uber-decadent freshly shaved black truffle and a parmesan polenta.

It wouldn't be a Scottish restaurant if they didn't serve the country's most famous dish - roasted McSween's haggis is served with the traditional mashed potato and bashed neeps and of course a 'noggin' of whisky on the side. Desserts include a gelatinous wedge of fragrant orange cheesecake and a heartening warm pear tart Tatin. For the less sweet-toothed, you could do as the Victorians did and order a savoury after your meal, such as a Welsh or a buck rarebit.

The Drink
As Scotland's vineyards are not quite up to continental standards, the house red is a smooth Argentinian Merlot and at £16.75 a bottle, reasonably priced. Although it's best to leave the blank credit card at home as a £1,400 bottle of '95 Chateau Petrus is only a mere slip of a finger away. After dinner, it's traditional to drink the 'water of life' and as you expect from an establishment of this stature, the choice of whiskies is immense including malts from Wales, Ireland and Japan, although you can't help thinking that they would be insulted if you asked for anything other than Scotch. There is also a fine selection of port on offer, including a famous Dow 1896 Nebuchadnezzar which stands four foot high and is the equivalent to 20 bottles, again a snip at £10,000.

The Last Word
The Boisdale of Belgravia has a touch of notoriety to it, like a secret gentlemen's club and is very popular, possibly as much due to its celebrated cigar terrace as its fabulous food and great jazz. A more unique restaurant you'd be pushed to find in this area. Recommended.

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