Reserve

In this age of the bistro, paper napkins and rushed meals, it's comforting to know that places like Reserve exist. An oasis of calm and gentility housed in a beautiful old terrace building with dripping chandeliers and sweeping river views, Reserve has pared back fine dining, ridding it of any sense of stuffiness and, more importantly, keeping the package affordable. Yet it still retains a sense of indulgence. Plates are presented immaculately with a classic simplicity. Hiramasa kingfish tartare is as elegant as it is complex - a button of caviar crowning translucent kingfish slivers with red onion and citrus and softened by a thin veneer of dill mayonnaise. Junee lamb shoulder, indescribably rich, comes shredded, stacked with sweet potato, onion jam and a mustard gratin surrounded by a pool of silky jus. The jewel in the crown is a brazenly soft panna cotta with hot beignets dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with hot caramel. Service is as polished and discreet as the surrounds.