Tried & tasted: Silk & Grain

In the modern age of creative cocktails and innovative food, a restaurant offering delicious dishes and drinks that rival the fanciest bars is a rare find, writes Molly Dyson. Silk & Grain is one such place, while also providing a stylish, relaxed environment.

The atmosphere here is ideal for both lunch meetings and post-work drinks. On the ground floor you’ve got a hip bar with speakers playing the latest music. As my partner and I are escorted upstairs to the dining room, I’m pleased to find that the noise doesn’t permeate – manager James tells us he specifically asked for the speakers to be pointed downward when the place was being decorated for this very reason.

It’s a few minutes before we even look at the menu because we’re too busy taking pictures of the stag statue that’s covered in pennies and the bull’s head fountain plastered with paper currency from around the world.

The main attraction is the selection of aged cocktails, an idea James came up with in his past life as a bartender. My favourite is called leather and spice, a concoction of scotch with leather infusion, mango, passion fruit syrup and cardamom bitters. It’s just sweet enough to mask the taste of alcohol, but not as sugary as some of the drinks you’ll find at trendy nightclubs.

When it comes to food, the chef has everything well under control. The menu is small, but it offers something for everyone. I start with a tasty chilled lobster salad with sweetcorn, tomatoes and tarragon mayonnaise before moving on to a rump steak with béarnaise sauce and creamy mashed potatoes.

My partner wolfs down his smoked mackerel and horseradish pâté and the flavour of his honey-glazed rack of lamb makes up for the meat being a bit undercooked for his taste.

Dessert for me is a gooey homemade brownie with pistachio ice cream and a peach and almond tart for him, both of which leave us ready to slip into a satisfied food coma. If you’re looking for an unusual drinks list without the commotion of a cocktail bar, this restaurant is certainly worth a try.

Silk & Grain, 33 Cornhill, London EC3V 3ND; 020 7929 1378; silkandgrain.co.uk