When I visited: July 2017

Location: London, near St James’

Rating in the Michelin Guide: Not in Guide (used to be recommended)

Dining Owl Hoot rating: 4/5

What to wear: Men – jeans or nice trousers and a shirt; women – jeans and a smart top or a smart dress / workwear

Ambience: Formal, smart

Course of the meal: Crispy sea bream

If I could change one thing: More vegetarian options

Review:

I visited Balcon with my partner Owl for a pre-theatre dinner and would definitely like to go back when I have more time. The menu is Italian-influenced, with lots of truffle options, and the restaurant sits within a good hotel and obviously prides itself on great service.

I enjoyed the crab salad with yuzu (my partner Owl had the burrata salad) and then the crispy sea bream with vegetables and a side of spinach, which was tender and delicious. My partner Owl’s lobster pasta with mussels (accompanied by a glass of white wine) was full of flavour.

We also enjoyed the free bread – warm granary, sourdough and white. We would have definitely sampled some of the amazing-looking desserts if we had had more time.