For those with an affection for the spirit of John Buchan and the more stable mores of times past, The Bridge Bar and Restaurant at the Carlton Hotel could be just your bag. At a time when long-cherished institutions are being swept away, not least in the world of restaurants, it is refreshing to find the likes of The Bridge standing firm and, more to the point, well patronised.

So expect to find traditional dishes, with maybe just a frisson of tweaking to iron out any Victorian lapses. The result is some of the finest Scots-based cooking north of the border. Service is hushed and respectful, the whole effect is that of a cosy conspiracy and understanding between served and servers. The wine list follows the same pattern and demonstrates fully the gravitas that gives The Bridge the tone of a fashionable club where the provision of quality food is an art rather than a science.