Gerard's Bistro

This James Street bistro refuses to be pigeonholed. The nexus of clean Scandinavian lines, bespoke furniture and colourful Moroccan mosaic is refreshingly nonconformist for these parts, as is the menu - combining Middle Eastern ingredients and classic European techniques with captivating results. Silky-centred lamb's brains with a crisp, fragrant crust, paired with earthy morcilla and tahini yoghurt is a good example. Chef Ben Williamson is rightly proud of his octopus creation: a giant, succulent tentacle imbued with a pungent smoky flavour from its encounter with the charcoal grill, it glistens with unctuous smoked butter - slivers of green strawberry and green almonds providing a fresh foil and visual interest. 'Fry's Turkish Delight' is a sophisticated textural take on an old favourite. Impossibly light bubbles of Valrhona chocolate magically melt in the mouth, the delicate flavour of the chewy cubes of rose jelly lingering longer, much like memories of the dining experience itself.