Barn Asia

The number of pan-Asian restaurant openings seems to be on the increase. This one combines Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai cuisine into one gorgeous menu of treats for those who find the food from those countries so compelling.

Décor embraces regional artwork with jazzy lights above the sturdy wooden tables. The floor to ceiling windows go the whole length of the restaurant to give a sense of space and association across Waterloo Square.

Barn Asia is in to Asian tapas - big time. In fact there are plenty of occasions when customers plan for a conventional meal and spend their evening working their way through the tapas menu. Most tapas dishes cost around £4, and the helpings are generous, so for a party this is a great way to eat, devoid of any formality and a wonderful range of tastes.

Is it easy to get carried away? Well, for some of the parties there it's about the only way they would have got away - the sheer volume of such appetising dishes can be almost hypnotic, but it's a good way to go. Rather like gambling it's a good idea to have a point at which you are out.

Typical dishes could include fried duck egg with Asian mushrooms, oyster sauce and prickly ash, scallops with pork and peanut caramel; a seemingly endless range of curries with seafood, meat and vegetarian options.

The seductive flavours alone will ensure a good evening at Barn Asia - the air of informality and freedom of choice are big bonus points that will ensure this one is a winner - and I'm not referring to that car insurance man.