10 Greek Street

Both I and my lunch companion walked straight past the less than obvious entrance to this tablecloth free and very simply decorated restaurant whose doorway sports the number 10 and little else in a fit of suitably soho-esque minimalism.

There are some witty touches; water is served in milk bottles, the menu is presented on small scrolls in addition to the gastropub style blackboards and a handwritten fine wine list begs to be explored if you have the time to enjoy it.  The wine list is thoughtful with nary a sauvignon blanc in sight and markups are modest for the area.  The lack of sparkle and pretension means that a lot of effort goes into the food however. Starters of fish soup and Duck hearts on toast disappeared in the blink of an eye whilst the knuckle of gammon was a masterpiece of homely, simple cooking that left you very well fed and very satisfied.  The depth of savoury flavour in all the dishes tells us that there are no shortcuts in the kitchen.

The style brings to mind the Gastroeconomia restaurants (Apat and the like) that target simplicity and excellent cooking at relatively reasonable prices, an approach that in the current climate means, no doubt, that opening a restaurant is a much more saleable proposition.

The menu usually has a change or two every few days and whilst bookings can be taken for lunch, dinner is walk in only which means a guaranteed wait from 6-8pm, though they are happy to take your number and call when a seat becomes available.

An excellent spot for a satisfying meal in an area packed with well priced competition.