Fifteen Restaurant

With the sort of publicity that Fifteen has received, it is no wonder that the place is already packed to the roof.

It is the brainchild of Jamie Oliver, self-styled as the man who has done more for British food than anybody, despite his young age. However, he is to be commended over this project, as he has taken fifteen unemployed youngsters and turned them into chefs - with every part of the painful process exposed to the world on TV - and sunk his own money into the venture with all the profits going to charity, an unusually selfless move.

As might be expected from him, the menu concentrates on simplicity, and a good move that is, with good quality ingredients and strong flavours; also some of his favourite pasta dishes, like a lovely spaghetti alla vongole, make an appearance.

The place - in the trendy Hoxton/Islington area - newly found, with house prices rising fast, just on the fringe of The City, is as trendy as you might expect, though the vibes are good, and a meal is a relaxed experience.

Each year the intention is to train up a further fifteen youngsters and give them a real goal in life.

The Opening Times provided are for the lower ground floor restaurant; while La Trattoria - the more informal pasta and pizza restaurant on the ground floor - has different times, Monday to Saturday 9 am to 11 pm, and on Sunday 11 am to 7 pm.