The Chancery

An offshoot of the celebrated Clerkenwell Dining Room, The Chancery, tucked away amid the silver vaults of Chancery Lane, is worth seeking out for its serious, no-nonsense cuisine that reveals unexpected treasures of its own.

The Clerkenwell Dining Room has had a good reputation for a long time. It could be that its sister restaurant near the Inns of Court for the past five years or so is even better than the mothership.

It’s small, modern and exceedingly elegant in its monotone decor, but the food is far from monotonous.

Service is impeccable and undertaken by staff who care about what they are doing. Lunchtime is quite a noisy affair although the buzz is not annoying for it just proves that an almost full restaurant of diners are enjoying themselves with the good old Christmas cheer.

At dinner on Monday to Friday there’s an express menu at under £20 for three courses or you can have a 25 per cent discount on the regular menu which is £34 for three courses. The menu offers a good mix for all tastes, all cooked to perfection, and at reasonable prices too. The set menu comes with a few added bonuses and is great value for money.

As for the Christmas menu, from £42.50, you can choose from three set menus. This includes the likes of Rillette of organic salmon, pickled fennel, crème fraiche and oscietra caviar the start. Roasted breast of Gressingham duck, confit leg, salt baked beetroot, sprout tops, port jus for main and Pecan and cinnamon tart with cranberry and ginger sorbet for dessert.

A good selection of wines are also available at a wide range of prices, from £5.50 a glass and £16 a bottle to £120 for the Dom perignon, if you’re in a really good spending mood this Christmas.

Overall, judging by its popularity, The Chancery is doing just what its customers want, by offering fine but not fussy food at a fair price in a seriously congenial atmosphere. It may be hidden in a back street but it’s worth seeking out.