Butcher and Grill - Battersea

The Butcher and Grill really is something a bit different. Imagine a bang slap up to date butcher's shop, doing the business as any such shop would, combined with a pretty informal restaurant where the shop produce forms the basis of the menu, and as an added attraction a casual bar serving coffee, breakfast and patisserie for the morning crowd, and soups, salads, pies and sandwiches throughout the day - and you have The Butcher and Grill.

The site formerly held a Café Rouge, and is spacious, terraced and with river views. Customers at the Grill can choose their preferred cut either from the counter or make a selection from the menus. Nor is the menu blind to other attractions, so expect to find starters of carpaccio of sea bass and samphire, half pint prawns with aioli or seared diver scallops with gazpacho and basil oil, always an excellent prelude to a decent steak. There's even a char-grilled halloumi with English tomato and French bean salad.

To the main event, and humble beginnings, with the B & G Burger. At the other end of the scale is the 35oz rib of beef, admittedly for two, even though someone wishing to break diet in a singularly spectacular manner would be denied. An 18oz t-bone sounds to be a particularly good compromise. A range of pork cuts, including the celebrated chop, together with lamb cutlets, pies and rump of lamb all add to the temptation.

Now that evidence is becoming convincing that veal can be produced with no adverse effects, it is to be seen increasingly on discerning menus. Escalope makes an excellent meal, as does the mixed grill of sausage, lamb liver, lamb kidneys, gammon, rump steak, black pudding and fried duck egg. There is even a fish of the day; how's that for tolerance?

Apart from the chips, in the view of many an essential adjunct to a good steak, there is  a range of "stuff on the side", seven in number that include red wine sauce, Béarnaise, honey, soy and sesame, or green peppercorn sauce, all with the compliments of the house.

Nor have puddings been neglected, with lemon tart and raspberry coulis, frozen chocolate parfait, pineapple and coconut pannacotta, and their selection of cheeses and chutneys.

At the Butcher Shop meat and poultry is prepared to a very high standard in both English and French cuts. Beef, lamb, pork, sausages, veal, poultry and game are available alongside home-cooked meats, pies and patés as well as a small selection of oils, mustards and pickles.

The concept of shop and restaurant together is still a major step for good old traditional Britain, but all over the place the unthinkable seems to be happening, so why not our shopping and eating habits?

Check on their excellent and user-friendly Website for further information, not to say inspiration. Bon appetit!