The Ledbury, Notting Hill, London

Nigel Platts-Martin, restaurateur and co-owner of The Square in Mayfair, has come up trumps once again with this relatively new venture, The Ledbury, in London’s trendy Notting Hill.

Head Chef Brett Graham tops the bill, the young Australian having worked at The Square with Philip Howard (also a co-owner of The Ledbury) before being given the chance to flourish in his own space here. And flourish he has, with their first Michelin star being awarded in January 2006.

The food on offer is haute cuisine with a twist. The twist is that rather than being your standard French classical affair, it is a medley of flavours, textures, ingredients and colours, thoughtfully combined and artistically presented in a range of interesting dishes, with influences from both classical and ‘new world’ cooking.

The menu itself is unpretentious and easy to understand, offering a good variety for carnivorous, piscivorous and vegetarian diners alike. Each dish is an explosion of tastes, unravelling themselves to the palate throughout the meal.

The restaurant décor is smart, neo-retro and in the evening the lighting is spot on, providing a cosy, intimate atmosphere to the constant buzz of contented diners.

Being a 1 Michelin star establishment, the service is fluid but could do with further polishing to raise the restaurant’s game to the next level. The food, however, is equal to anything you will find in a 3 Michelin star restaurant, and it is also priced very well at £45 for the 3 course dinner, including mandatory amuse-bouche, pre-desserts and petis fours.

Currently, there is nowhere better in the northern reaches of Notting Hill for an haute cuisine experience of this standard. Long may they prosper.