Brasserie Roux

One of the more redeeming features surrounding the changes that have taken place in London during the past 30 years is the way buildings of character, and therefore presence, have been adapted for other uses.

Which of Cox and Kings Bank's notoriously discreet customers in the late 20^th century would have dreamed that in less than a few years he would be dining as a matter of course in the splendid former double-height banking hall on the corner of Pall Mall and Waterloo Place?

It is named after the great chef, Albert Roux, who personally supervises Brasserie Roux - you will see him in the Brasserie weekly checking the breakfast buffet, discussing matters with the chef, inspecting the kitchen; he also approves all menus and has monthly meetings with the management team. 

It has its own entrance on the ground floor, and interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon has created the right atmosphere to house what has rapidly become one of the most outstanding brasseries in London. Dark greens and reds against a background of buttercup yellow spells out the gastronomic gaiety of honest Brasserie cuisine. In January 2005 Michelin awarded Brasserie Roux the Bib Gourmand.

The Main Menu covers most eventualities, but to be sure there also weekly menus, another for the theatre, and one for the children. The main menu might start with hot or cold Vichysoisse soup, a lobster salad, pike quenelle with mushroom and lobster sauce, or Glendale organic smoked salmon tartare with horseradish.

Amongst the pasta and risotto look for tagliatelle with calamari à la Catalane, before moving on to the fish course where lemon sole on the bone, and a choice of four sauces if you must, is a constant favourite. The big moment comes with the grill where sirloin steak, loin of veal and lamb chops vie for attention. For sheer essence of taste try the Madeira sauce with morels.

A rotisserie offers free range chicken and a spit roast of the day. In addition to this wealth of gastronomy brasserie classics from days of yore, such as terrine de foie grand-mère, and coquille Saint Jacques are to be found, as well as the authentic baba au rhum. The selection of cheese from Maître Vernier is on a par with the overall quality of the place.

Their weekly menu makes the excellent assumption that nobody eats less than a three course meal or has less than two different glasses of decent wine to accompany it. A typical menu might read asparagus mousse with Scottish smoked salmon, fillet of pork with some of that Madeira and moral sauce, followed by caramelised banana cheesecake with a berry compote.

The theatre menu runs a long the same lines but makes provision for some juggling between numbers of course and glasses of wine, as well as being excellent value for money. Whoever devised the childrens' menus had first hand experience, and cheeseburger in a sesame seed bun  with fries and salad, for example, is unlikely to cause any symptoms if juvenile rejection.

Where formerly large sums of money, bars of bullion and expensive real jewellery used to rest, a cellar of what can only be described as magnificent proportions and nature now resides giving pleasure to many. Superb vintages share space with 21 bins served by the glass, and not an even faintly dodgy one amongst them.