2 Faces (now closed)

The faces in question belong to Simon Yarham and Timothy Mitchell, partners, co-owners, and chef and floor manager respectively, who have been at the helm here since opening in 1999. The dining room dates back to 1857, and is a glorious fusion of kitsch and opulence, its purple walls lined with photos of the pair's family and friends. There's kitsch on the cocktail list too, which employs liqueurs such as Midori and Malibu, but when it comes to the food, it's fresh, inventive and delicious. Starters like tempura soft-shell crab on a piquant Thai-style pomelo salad set the bar high, but mains uphold the standard. Chickpea-battered vegetables with plump chestnut ravioli swim in sweet soy butter, while slow-cooked lamb is complemented with merguez sausage, currants and rich almond cream. Dessert, like chocolate souffle with a gooey truffle centre, is a sin worth indulging in, and the effervescent Mitchell, who works the floor most nights, feels like a friend by the meal's end.