Tavern at 15 - The City, London

The London Capital Club has long been a staple private members' club in the heart of The City, ensuring that local bigwigs are meeting, dining and drinking in style, and as a celebration of their 100th birthday this year they'll be opening up a part of it to the public for the first time ever, with their brand new restaurant Tavern at 15. Located in the bottom level of the Abchurch Street location, this new eatery offers more of a casual and laidback atmosphere than the rarefied dignity of the upper floors.

The room itself is pared back and minimalist, with a terracotta colour palette, natural light coming in from a skylight and a bar spanning the distance of the nearer side of the dining room, where guests can treat themselves with a generous array of cocktails and wine. The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial, ideally suited for a quiet tete-a-tete.

The kitchens are captained by head chef Jean-Didier Gouges, who formerly rattled the pans at the Royal Albert Hall. Of Mauritian descent, his cooking is engaging and colourful, with a number of Indian Ocean accents peppering Tavern at 15's modern British cuisine. We kicked things off with a trio of starters. Calimari is a great litmus test for a chef's capabilities, and Gouges managed to deliver a very nice plate. The seasoning was spot on and the squid itself eminently tender and succulent. 

Tempura soft shell crab followed suit, with a saffron aioli dip on the side which was a nice creamy foil to the crustacean. A traditionally Spanish ham and cheese croquette with grilled peppers was crisp on the outside with a stringy unctuous centre. For our mains, we tried out Tavern at 15's signature burger, topped with mozzarella, emmental and American cheese, deep fried shallots, yellow tomato salsa, lettuce, tomato and chilli mayo. The patty was thick and juicy and the toppings melded really well. It was a solid burger. Grilled monkfish was spot on as well, its flesh moist and flaky, yet still quite firm. 

Tavern at 15 offers a high quality and friendly casual dining option near Bank so if you are in the are we recommend you give it a try.