Food reviews

Four O Nine

Above: Four O nine

Despite its well-concealed entrance on Landor Road to the side of – and above – the Clapham North, the Four O Nine is bustling on a Friday night. Its dimly lit, contemporary interior puts the modern pub beneath it to shame and the private foyer makes arriving guests feel like very important people.

The menu is predominantly French with a modern spin and is the creation of former Chez Bruce chef Ian Smart. With just six starters and six main courses to choose from the menu is simple – just the way

I like it. Menus overloaded with information tend to intimidate me, but at Four O Nine I swiftly, and confidently, made my order. Unfortunately, the starters weren’t so swift to arrive but we were offered bread, which my stomach and I gladly accepted.

Pan fried potato gnocchi with peas, broad beans and feta cheese and grilled fillet of mackerel with crushed potato salad and salsa verde proved to be worth the wait. The excellent grilled rib-eye steak with tomato, herb butter, red wine and fries outweighed the roast rump of lamb with aubergine caviar in terms of quantity, but both excelled in the taste test in terms of quality. Traditional quality meats cooked with a contemporary edge.

Poached English rhubarb with champagne sorbet and cheese from Neal’s Yard are among the choices of desserts, should you have time to indulge. Friday night had other plans for us, so once we’d finished the bottle of chenin blanc that accompanied the food, we went on our merry way.

Dinner for two including wine £70