Les Amis

Sitting at the entrance to Green Square, surrounded by skyscrapers, Les Amis is a whimsical little restaurant with striking scarlet and gold walls and a swinging chandelier. The menu is small and seasonal with daily specials on a gilded blackboard that are not always authentically French in origin. But this is half Les Amis' charm - you never really know what will be on offer. Chef likes to break down his own beast so dishes are varied and market dependent. Charcuterie such as sobrasada and air-dried ham is house cured; served with pickled vegetables, pork rillettes and 'Les Amis' pickle. Sausages too are made in-house. Whether a simple baguette with house cured ham, pickles and cheese or a duck confit and beetroot salad with toasted hazelnuts, Les Amis' food is uncomplicated, tasty and sometimes a little hit and miss. Service can be similarly unpredictable. There is no wine list; you simply ask the waiter and he will tell you what is available. It sounds shambolic but it all seems to work in a quirky French kind of way and locals are fiercely loyal.