Forth Floor Restaurant

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

If you've ever shopped in Harvey Nichols, or even just walked past the window displays, you've probably got a pretty good idea of what its restaurant would look like. Retro-futuristic stylings, crisp white tablecloths and mood lighting from what appear to be rows of giant cosmetic compacts on the ceiling compete with some truly stunning views out across the city – but the Forth Floor Restaurant is more than just a stylish place in which to be seen. Smartly dressed and efficient waiting staff display both an encyclopaedic knowledge of the menu and a near-psychic ability to predict your needs, offering a short menu, exhaustive wine list, some rather pricey bottled water and a tantalising amuse bouche in quick succession. While the menu may be a quick read, it's a distinctive one, marrying a crisply grilled snapper with a massala spiced risotto, and a heady mix of pig's trotter with ham and herb roast lobster. Some combinations are more memorable than others – a goat's cheese and lemon ravioli, for example, is a lighter but more anonymous vegetarian option – but Harvey Nichols is still the place to go to be pampered . . . at a price.

• High point: Fine dining and that view
• Low point: On a quiet night the Brasserie looks like more fun