Rare325

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

This is a strange beast. Just two weeks old at time of review with no doubt many tweaks and adjustments to occur over the coming months, but location, atmosphere, menu and food are not yet gelling. The restaurant is co-owned by the young and enthusiastic Gegee Shaan, his brother Teddy and his uncle, experienced restaurateur Billy Shaan who owns Rawalpindi right next door. Their concept is to bring fine dining to a part of the city that is known more for its rough and tumble than love of frogs legs (£29.95), wild boar (£28.95) or ostrich fillet (£24.95). At these prices you would expect excellence, however, the dining room is more functional than elegant and the lamb kebab starter was too small and tough to be enjoyable. However piri piri prawns were excellent – nicely charred, plump and tasty, as too was a lip-smacking rare ribeye steak that was cooked properly. Fresh lobster was competently handled, dressed in garlic butter with yielding, sweet-tasting flesh. Desserts of cranachan and chocolate fudge cake are not fine dining, however, and lack the uniqueness that seems to be the goal of the menu which also includes kangaroo fillet (£24.95), red legged partridge (£18.95) and jumbo quail (£18.95). Now that certainly is a strange beast.

• High point: Enthusiasm of owner Gegee Shaan
• Low point: Confused menu at eye-watering prices