Backstage Bistro

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

At first glance, this is just a simple diner tucked away around the corner from the King's Theatre, but further investigation reveals Backstage Bistro as a venue with a distinct personality. Its location, for a start, means that its pre-theatre dining times are busy all week round, with a high-value two or three-course menu that centres on good quality minute steak, salmon, pasta or chicken kebabs. This last dish emphasises the Bistro's heritage, with head chef and co-owner Hamouda el-Qmache adding a selection of recipes from his native Morocco to the à la carte starter selection. These include a kofta tagine, served steaming hot in a clay pot with an egg cracked in the middle and cooking away, as well as briwat and pastillia dishes, both of which incorporate chicken and vegetables in pastry. The à la carte mains – which include a variety of steaks, lamb chops and duck supreme as well as haggis-stuffed chicken smothered in creamy whisky sauce – are otherwise as homely and familiar as the welcoming front-of-house service provided by Hamouda's wife and co-owner Karla.

• High point: Hard to beat for pre-theatre dining in the area
• Low point: The snug premises can feel cramped at busy times