Imagination and comfort

A restaurant with great park views has perfect service and never feels cramped

I HAVE always loved Odette’s and my latest visit was no exception. I find it elegant and it has the space required to have a comfortable meal – by that I mean that you are not sitting on top of each other or so near the other clients that it feels as if you are dining with them and not with the person you are with.
We began the evening at one of the two outside tables but the downpour was such that we had to move indoors which they had kindly reserved for us in case it became necessary. From table three you have a beautiful picture-window view of the park.
The tables are set with crispy tablecloths and lovely cutlery and glasses. They have got it right about the service.
Not too overwhelming as silver service but not as laid back as some establishments tend to think is the way to be.
You are surrounded by mirrors in the main dining area.
Adjacent to it is a mezzanine with four tables overlooking an enclosed patio. For a cosier atmosphere and meal, their wine bar in the basement is ideal and seats about 16 people.
Their menu is imaginative with dishes such as chilled cucumber and horseradish soup with salted salmon trout, herb oil, croutons and breakfast radishes (£6.50).
There is line caught halibut with wild asparagus, sprinkled with 25-year-old balsamic vinegar, homemade linguini, peas and asparagus cream (£21.50).
We shared the dressed Dorset crab with hot buttered crab toasts, watercress salad and lemon cream (£11.50) which was very good. To follow my companion ordered the bouillabaisse of Mediterranean fish with saffron and Pernod, garlic croutons, grated cheese and rouille (£18.50) and I chose the pot roasted Barbury duckling with honey and figs, a Tatin of sweet white onions, stir fried baby greens with lemon powder, vanilla and foie gras (£20.50).
However, I made the mistake to assume that the duck would be ‘well done’ (pot roasted) which it was not. So we ended up sharing the excellent bouillabaisse instead of waiting for the duck and then we shared the duck which was delicious.
We had a good selection of artisan produced cheeses and a pavlova for dessert both at £6.50.
This is a non-smoking restaurant and Simon Bradley is the head chef and a co-owner which is an ideal combination. They feature a set lunch: £16.50 for two courses and £20 for three.
I always choose an excellent place to dine with my business partner – that way if we get into an argument at least the whole evening is not lost.
On this occasion everything was fine and as my companion is a wine connoisseur we enjoyed a particularly good Bandol Rose at £27 and an excellent Viogner de Vaubois at £18.95. The bill came to £115.45 to which a 12.5 per cent service charge was added.

Odette’s
130 Regent’s Park Road, NW1 8XL Phone: 020 7586 5486
Open Mon-Sun for dinner at 7pm.
It is not open for lunch on Mondays.
It is open for Lunch on Sunday at 12.30pm - 2.30pm.