Albemarle restaurant - formerly Grill at Brown's, The

Following the imposition of the New Order at The Savoy Grill some five years ago, it was only going to be a matter of time before somebody accepted the challenge to recreate a suitable replacement elsewhere. Step forward Sir Rocco Forte, the then recent acquisitor of the legendary Brown's Hotel in Albemarle Street, an establishment which in the eyes of a number of august gentlemen achieved over the years a status well beyond that of a mere hotel.

On 12 December 2005 Baroness Thatcher made one of her rare public appearances to re-open Brown's Hotel, at noon, just in time for lunch naturally.

The new Albemarle restaurant is generally considered to be a great success, not least due to Sir Rocco's sister, Olga Polizzi, who has managed to combine masterminding the £24m plus refurbishment of Brown's with transforming her rustic idyll near Tavistock into a superb country retreat for the truly discerning.

The beautifully restored wood panelling continues to offer the feeling of old England, and photographic images by Herbertus von Hohenlohe brings a welcome contemporary note to the décor. To the delight of many, the banquettes, and the 1930s design features all help to rouse and satisfy a nagging longing seated in fond memories from the Strand.

Recently appointed Executive Chef Lee Streeton, guided by Director of Food, Mark Hix, formerly Executive Chef for Le Caprice and The Ivy, has created an outstanding menu of great British classics. The menu is a delight, traditional through and through and only using the finest of British seasonal ingredients, for instance you may not be surprised to find half dozen Duchy of Cornwall native oysters, potted Morecambe Bay shrimps with mace and lemon or whole Devon crab among the starters. There might be also the thoroughly up to date choice of pan-fried Burford brown egg with baby squid and black pudding, or cod chitterlings with wild boar bacon and herb salad.

Mains are in a similar vein, with an excellent selection, ranging from lamb cutlets with bubble and squeak, Glen Fyne rib steak naturally, through to fish such as Dover sole, roasted scallops with hedgerow garlic, and calf's liver with smoked Anglian bacon, whole John Dory with buttered Alexanders, Lancashire hot-pot, or braised ox-cheeks with celeriac.

To afford security for those who like to look at their lunch plate and know which day of the week it is, a formidable plats du jour regime, served directly from the daily lunch time carving trolley, has been introduced, so if you thought it was Thursday and found yourself being served with hay-baked salt marsh lamb, you would have to accept it was in fact Friday. And you would have missed the loin of roast suckling pig on Thursday.

The wine list has emerged as a real triumph.

Further details about this stunning return to the London scene of Brown's Hotel, and in particular the Albemarle restaurant, can be obtained from the Website.