A gastronomic bargain

It's tough to take over from the star of a hit show, and when Gordon Ramsay left Aubergine, pinching the colour as a decorative theme, it might have served the new incumbent, William Drabble, better if the owners had settled on a different name.

But Drabble is a talented cook and he has made the site his own. The arrival of a front-of-house chap from Le Gavroche has resulted in an all-inclusive lunch deal that is one of London's gastronomic bargains.

The £32 price includes amuse-bouches, three courses, coffee, mineral water and half a bottle of wine. You don't need me to tell you that this comes to £64 for two before service - a steal for this level of talent. What is seasonal is always celebrated and it has been known for lamb to be braised with infant peas, tender lettuce and mint, intimations all of spring and summer.