Alternative vibe in Chelsea

This review was published in June 2001.

Chelsea's not noted for its holistic fabulousness; why, the CFCs required to maintain some of those steely Chelsea-lady barnets alone must have dented a sizeable chunk of the ozone layer.

So it's something of a surprise to stumble into the Sundance Market, a pretty courtyard off Sydney Street dedicated to all things alternative. There's an organic supermarket and butcher, you can buy natural beauty products, herbal remedies and artisan bread, or you can indulge in a spot of walk-in reflexology, reiki healing or psychic reading.

There's also LaLune (sic) restaurant, which offers an all-organic menu, plus some interesting little numbers such as vegan burgers, soyannaise, and wheat-free pasta ('We get a lot of ladies who lunch here,' explained our waitress. 'They seem to have a lot of food intolerances'). The setting, on a sunny day, is unbeatable: relaxed, al fresco tables plus excellent people-watching opportunities.

The food is a little hit and miss: eggs benedict featured vivid, fresh green spinach (this is eggs florentine, surely) and the most fantastic bacon - organic - I've ever tasted but was let down by an overheated hollandaise. Teriyaki salmon on bok choy was an assured dish, so why spoil it by serving what appeared to be packet salad? Baked real potato wedges with sour cream were great: savoury and crunchy with a slick of grease, just like they should be.

Despite its homespunness, it's hardly cheap - our lunch for two cost, with organic wine, about £60. But for the helmet-headed matrons of Chelsea, this is probably a minor consideration. I wonder how many of them will be signing up for the imminent Beginner's Guide To Tantric Sex?

Lalune
Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NT