Dover Street Restaurant & Bar

This used to be an all time favourite – even though I wasn’t particularly a jazz fan. I guess this means that if you are a serious jazz fan you will go elsewhere. But where else can you eat a good meal, enjoy nice wine with an almost invisible staff (unless you want them), listen to or dance around to a live band, share a joke with the security staff and then dance away until the early hours to a DJ on a packed dance floor where people enjoy themselves rather than pose and take occasional breaks at the busy bar?

I say it used to be a favourite because having had a hen party for nine there (when I was amused to see Halle Berry asked to be moved to another table with her then jazz musician boyfriend – even though we weren’t making a noise!), a celebratory “launch the new web site” party for a client and our web design agency with around 16 of us, numerous girls nights out with between three and eight as well as a few dinners for two (both mixed and girls only) – all of which went exceedingly well - I then ventured out and did a New Year’s Eve there for three couples which was nearly a disaster (they had packed in too many tables and there was insufficient waiting and kitchen staff which meant we still hadn’t had dessert at midnight) so it lost some brownie points. Plus a few of the regular bands disappeared off the bookings list and there was a creeping latino influence for a while.

Anyway. You really need to book if you want a table as it gets very busy. But there is always an interesting mix of people, although perhaps biased to the slightly older and wealthier end. Not exactly cutting edge – but that’s not what you come here for.

The food is ok, perhaps a little expensive for what it is. But then again, the music is free and it is open until very late. They also do party menus for £30 or £38 a head. The A La Carte is simple – starters include gravadlax (£7.50 and very good), chicken liver pate (£8.50) and toasted goats cheese (£6.95). Mains follow suit – for example – salmon (£15.95), chicken breast (£16.50) and spinach and ricotta tortellini (£13.95). There is a formidable wine list – organised by country and region – and you can get away with around £20 although you are more likely to spend £35 on a bottle.