The Ivy

The Ivy Restaurant Review:

The Ivy is notoriously difficult to get into, but once there you are cosseted and pampered with sheer professionalism. This is one of the best-run dining rooms in London and the kitchen is more than a match. Book ahead, months ahead, go for brunch at the weekend or opt for a table in the bar area. If you feel you know the other diners don't be too surprised; this is a place where celebrities really do feel at home. The menu remains resolutely recognizable with dishes like truffled leek and potato soup with poached quail eggs, and smoked salmon with soda bread for starters, and the likes of roast venison fillet with beetroots, mashed neeps and port sauce, and crab macaroni with cheddar and soft herbs for mains. Some Eastern tastes have crept in --- try steamed Thai sea bass with shore greens and XO dressing. Desserts tread a successful path between nursery favorites --- sticky toffee pudding and rice pudding --- and dishes like panna cotta with black currants. Cost varies wildly: you can, with careful selection, eat for very little, or you can spend serious sums. The wine list is cautious and comforting.