Bouzy Rouge

Bouzy Rouge is kooky - in a good way - much like an endearingly eccentric aunt. A mismatch of mirrored bulls' heads, alligator-patterned banquettes and hanging brass water pots surrounds spacious, white-clothed tables. The long dining room feels like a hunting lodge (ornamental cattle heads, zebra prints) that's crashed into a fancy bistro - it's cosy and it's fun. That's echoed by genuinely enthusiastic and polished waiters who make navigating the weighty wine list and verbal specials easy breezy. Start with tapas: a burly Portuguese chorizo doused in grappa and brought flaming to the table. Whipped, velvety salt cod is king, best piled atop triangles of airy flatbread. A main course of squid-ink paella evokes a plunge in the ocean: plump seafood swimming in a sea of blackened rice. Barbecued quail, surrounded by an earthy artichoke and ancient grain salad, lacks the punch of the tapas. Finish by dunking churros in thick, molten chocolate.