The Brick

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

Formerly called Over the Road (and still managed by the people behind nearby Moskito), the Brick has a distinctive glass box frontage which may make diners planning on some street people-watching feel a bit on show themselves. However, further inside there's a more homey and natural feel, underpinned by an eclectic décor. The design veers from baroque living room at the front - ironic flocked gold wallpaper, leather armchairs and an assortment of ornate mirrors on one wall - to a more typically trendy look at the back, with deep, padded booths and bare brick walls. As this guide went to press, a menu shake-up was on the cards, and a greater variety of the traditional bar meals is expected to be on offer. Before that, however, the menu is still fairly comprehensive, with standards such as Cajun nachos given a spicy edge with plenty of jalapeños to tingle tongues, or penne with Mediterranean vegetables and pesto oil, decorated by tasty red and yellow peppers. Chicken yakatori is served with a pickled veg salad, while a sandwich of peppered beef and red onion features an oyster sauce. The introduction of all-day breakfasts on Sundays, drinks promos and a planned makeover for the downstairs lounge should ensure the Brick builds a solid following.

• High point: Big, comfy booths
• Low point: A bit cold