Axis review by Bel Ludovic
Attracted by its menu of British cuisine, I chose this as the venue to celebrate my 30th birthday family last night, but the lively atmosphere I was expecting to find at this supposedly popular restaurant was decidedly absent. Only two other tables were occupied throughout the evening - and this was a Friday night.
Decoratively the restaurant hints at being an 'occasion' venue, although the skyscraper mural that dominates one end of the room bellows its presence rather incongruously. Tables were intimate and comfortable nonetheless.
We drank an Argentinian Merlot, which was far from worth the £45 tag, and an over-sweetened mojito. Starters were chargrilled asparagus, cooked to perfection and enjoyed by both who ordered it, and the crispy duck salad, which was consumed voraciously but without comment.
Mains were mostly enjoyed, but criticised for mean portion control. My mum found her hay baked leg of lamb 'tasteless' but I put that down to her cold; I sampled it and found it tender and flavoursome. My brother raved about corn-fed chicken from the grill, although from where I was sitting the portion wouldn't have been sufficient to satisfy a fieldmouse. My fish pie was the triumph of this round - succulent, bursting with flavour and decidedly more-ish.
To finish, we ordered four puddings between three. Profiteroles were fine - as a dessert dish they're hard to get excited about. Pannacotta with English cherries was spot-on, the best pannacotta I can remember having. My Victorian 1882 trifle was interesting; I ordered it without really knowing what made it 'Victorian' - I believe the answer is the inclusion of mint on the topping. Blackberry bakewell tart had too much tart and not enough fruit, and was rather unyielding to the spoon - but the accompanying lemon curd ice cream was superb.
Service was exemplary throughout, with friendliness and efficiency both pitch-perfect. It would be interesting to see how they perform when (and if) the restaurant gets busier, but for us it was probably the highlight of our evening there.
The meal cost a hefty £65 per head, but this restaurant gets a lot right - overall the food was very good - so it's difficult to understand why it was so empty. Small portions at high prices haven't stopped other restaurants aimed at a moneyed clientele succeeding; indeed for the most expensive restaurants, it's par for the course. I just hope this restaurant is still around for me to return to next year.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Overall rating 
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 6
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