The River Cafe waaaaay out in Hammersmith is one of London's most adored eateries by the foodies who buy the cookbooks, the stars who use it as a canteen, and we punters who save our pennies and count the days until we can
book again. It's been influential for many chefs - Jamie Oliver was 'discovered' working in the kitchen here - for its unwavering commitment to the freshest seasonal ingredients skilfully prepared and combined in ways that enhance each individual flavour. Make no mistake, this seemingly simple, even peasanty, cooking is the result of a lifetime's refinement. Set at the end of a road of Fulham terraces, The River Cafe looks rather forbidding from the back (the road side) but once you find your way in you'll discover a huge, soaring dining room with giant windows set on a
serene stretch of the Thames. The menu is modern Italian and it changes often (cf 'commitment to seasonality'). Dishes have included bruschetta with fresh crab, char-grilled squid with chilli and young leaves, scallops with minty salad, and a signature dish of char-grilled peaches with
amaretto. The wine list favours the Italians and is less daunting than might be expected in such a high-profile establishment. Service has been known to take the goodwill of the diners for granted, but we understand it's improved hugely.