Ganymede - Knightsbridge & Belgravia, London

We were fond of The Hunter's Moon when it opened in South Kensington, and doubly fond on a recent visit to The Ganymede, the second public house outing from Oliver Marlowe and Hubert Beatson-Hind. Nestled in a Grade-listed building on the corner of Chelsea's Ebury Street, The Ganymede boasts a convivial ambience, an elegant yet unpretentious exterior, and a menu that skews fine dining and is tremendously satisfying.  Upon entering, we were made immediately comfortable by a friendly and knowledgeable staff, who welcomed us into an inner chamber of relaxed luxury, reminiscent in many ways of a French bistro. On a wintry evening, it exuded both confidence and cosiness, its rich colour palette of navy and green playing nicely with accents of gold, antique brass and marble. We were particularly struck by the classical mural along the bathroom ceilings, depicting Ganymede's abduction by Zeus. It was the ideal setting to enjoy English fare with a talented twist.    A starter of anchovy, Gordal olive and confit onion tart with rocket and caper salad was ineffably tangy, saline and smouldering on the palate, with Madeira-glazed veal rump with creamed pureed potatoes and crispy kale deliquesced on the tongue. Beef cheek lasagne with celeriac puree, button mushrooms and red wine jus transcended the sum of its parts, followed by Ganymede's take on venison pie, crowned with a golden corona of glazed shortcrust.  Dessert was a towering hot chocolate and pistachio fondant topped with a boule of homemade pistachio ice cream and surrounded by a pistachio moat that was, yes, as good as it sounds.  We can highly recommend The Ganymede for a laidback yet refined lunch or dinner in Chelsea, with someone who you can while away a bottle of wine.