Cargo

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

Cargo's chic and airy space has been designed to draw in a hip, young crowd. Large glass panes at the back show off the beer garden by the canal and illuminate a large seating area full of polished black furniture and leather booths. The outdoor area is picturesque on bright days, with barges bobbing gently by the wooden benches. When it comes to the food selection it is a struggle to find dishes that are not accompanied by cheese or chips. From the specials menu, plump for a tasty salad with grilled slices of squeaky halloumi. The lively chorizo and black pudding salad is also worth trying for its robust flavours, the spicy sausage matched well with fresh rocket and a healthy dose of balsamic vinegar. Salmon fillet with a herb crust is accompanied by sauce vierge that's light on the vierge but very heavy on the oil (the salmon comes in a pool of it), as well as mashed potatoes with a dollop of sevruga caviar. The sirloin steak is pretty nicely cooked but the trimmings let it down: the baked tomato is tasteless and the mushroom greasy. Chunky home-made chips more than compensate though. For dessert, a chocolate marquise is rich and filling. Service is friendly and faultless – it's just a shame that the food doesn't quite measure up to such high standards.

• High point: Outside seating area next to canal
• Low point: Overpriced food does not live up to menu descriptions