Club Gascon - Smithfield

Club Gascon occupies a corner plot near Smithfield Market that was once a Lyon's tea house; extravagant floral displays lend a splash of colour and a touch of drama to the small square room's marble walls and dark wooden floors.

It's a labour of love for chef/proprietor Pascal Aussignac who has been well rewarded for his imaginative view of French cuisine (a Michelin star is just one of many accolades). The regional cooking of South West France is his inspiration.

Diners are offered a procession of little taster dishes divided up into categories like ' la route de sel', 'le potager', 'les pâturages' and so on. Here you can sample the likes of black sturgeon with salsify remoulade and wasabu chantilly, a capuccino of black pudding with lobster and asparagus or perhaps Pyrenean lamb on embers, sherry, polenta and caper berries. Alternatively try the seasonal tasting menu, Le Marche which is which is very good value for money. The wine list celebrates the region enthusiastically and delves into little known backwaters like Gaillac and Irouléguy, as well as acknowledging the big names from Bordeaux and elsewhere.