Skylon - Southbank, London

Since Skylon opened its doors to hungry theatregoers and art enthusiasts alike it has towered above its neighbours as one of the premier Southbank dining destinations, and looks poised to reign as the triumphant heir of fine dining in the neighbourhood. Perched atop the Southbank Centre on its third floor, Skylon borrows its name from the original iconic structure built for the 1951 Festival of Britain. However, upon closer inspection of the food and design, guests will discover no fustiness or dustiness in this high-concept, high-spec bar, grill and restaurant, which boasts some of the most enviable vistas south of the river.

Floor-to-ceiling is a phrase that characterises this restaurant. Windows span the entire length of the rooms, with incredibly lofty ceilings, letting in an almost otherworldly amount of natural light and amazing views of the Thames, Temple and Theatreland. Scoring a seat at the periphery of the room is almost a necessity. The room also features by dark wood flooring, white tablecloths and medieval style pendant lamps above each table. Those who are in search of an aperitif or preprandial will be well catered for at the bar, which has long been one of the top choices for the area. On our visit we sampled one of the best cocktails we've tasted in a while, named the Deer Hunter and crafted by bar manager par excellence Nebojsa Kutlesic. It blended Dalmore 15 with Pedro Ximenez, Choya Extra Shiso and chocolate bitters, finished with a touch of fragrant orange zest. Reservations are usually not accepted at the bar, however Innerplace members will have the exclusive opportunity to make bookings.

As we sat down for dinner, it was apparent that Skylon moved from strength to strength. Adam Gray took the reins as executive head chef in 2013 and has already proven himself a dab hand in the kitchen, which is unsurprising considering that he earned the Michelin Star for Rhodes 24 in The City and cut his teeth under the tutelage of Bruno Loubet and Raymond Blanc. His talent is readily apparent in the restaurant.

On our visit, we commenced our meal with some quite good starters, including pressed duck foie gras and apple terrine with a crisp apple and radish salad; as well as seared hand dived scallops with grilled English heritage potatoes with cauliflower cream and maple syrup dressing. However, the kitchen really came into its own with the mains, forging some memorable flavour combinations. Pork and lobster may seem like strange bedfellows, but when nestled together by Mr Gray, it was a harmonious bit of lovemaking indeed; slow roasted Great Garnett Farm pork belly came encrusted with a candy crisp crackling, served aside an indulgent lobster and tarragon risotto.

Roasted monkfish tail held its own, with smoked bacon hash, peas and lettuce. We rounded off the evening with a selection from the dessert menu, which included carrot cake pudding with caramel ice cream as well as dark chocolate and passion fruit tart with banana sorbet. Alternatively, diners can opt for the expertly chosen cheese board. As with all D&D venues, Skylon has an amazing sommelier who will be on hand to elevate all of your choices with the perfect pairing.