Café des Amis

Imagine a place, hidden away from the performing freaks and bustling tourists of Covent Garden, where you can sink into a low-slung banquette, order a bottle of red and chow down on exquisite morsels of Gallic delight. Tucked down a sneaky side-alley by the Opera House, Café des Amis is a real city secret. Things didn't start too well, as we were left standing at reception for what seemed like an aeon, but the service that followed more than made up for the wait. We were whisked into the midst of extremely civilised company – hark at us. The restaurant is mainly populated by opera and theatre–goers, along with a smattering of special–occasion diners. There's also a slinky cocktail bar downstairs, if you fancy a smouldering, secret assignation. We had the menu read to us by a woman who could make the Saturday football scores sound sexy. They're especially proud of traditional French dishes at Café des Amis, and it won't take much persuading to have you veering towards Scallops Parisenne and Cuisses de grenouille – that's frog's legs to thee and me. And the desserts, oh, the desserts: chocolate soup accompanied by black pepper ice cream and a pistachio crème brulée. 'Heaven, I'm in heaven–' The staff spent the evening presenting flowers for anniversaries and lining up to sing Happy Birthday to unsuspecting punters. It all made for a homely atmosphere in a restaurant that could have felt corporate with a different team at the helm. If you fancy stepping up from the realms of pub–to–club, Café des Amis has dinner deals that guarantee you entry to clubs like Café de Paris and Pacha. Have a gander at the website for further details.

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