Pearl Restaurant

Jun Tanaka is the celebrity Chef behind Pearl, a thrilling new addition to the London dining scene, and no doubt one that will become a firm favourite with foodies in the capital.

The recipe? Start with glamorous decor (think high ceilings and grey marble ionic columns, crisp white tablecloths, clever lighting, and thousands of pearls strung together to the most striking effect), add excellent modern French cuisine (expertly concocted by Head Chef Jun Tanaka) and an award-winning wine list with over 50 wines by the glass, and finish with live piano music and attentive yet not overzealous service.

The result? You are onto a winner. An evening at Pearl is a truly memorable one, and for once in a city that has more than its fair share of mediocre, overpriced venues, this time you will remember your meal for all the right reasons: the food is the real star here, with a mouth-watering menu that features the likes of warm salad of rabbit with prunes or pigeon and foie gras terrine for starters (both succulent), and mains as varied as red mullet in orange and rosemary sauce, or a quartet of pork offering four different cuts on one plate (again, both delicious and cooked to perfection).

Nothing's left to chance, not even the appetisers (ours included melt-in-the-mouth rabbit rillettes) or the cheese board (which featured an exceptional selection). Well worth splashing out for.