Inn for the longterm

Endurance is the latest venture from the team that set up the Perseverance in Lamb's Conduit Street and the Independence on Upper Street in Islington. What sets the Endurance apart is its location. This is a remodelling of a particularly rough and ready pub on Berwick Street. Before a makeover that left everything looking fashionably sparse - modern chocolate leather banquettes and an improbably large stuffed pike - this pub was a roughty-toughty pit stop for market traders. Now there's a decent lunch to be had (food is on offer from noon until 6pm) and afterwards everyone gets back to the serious business of drinking. The only word of caution is that the menu seems to be climbing both in terms of prices and aspiration.

The chef is Justin Saunders. He's a good cook who does the simple things well - his faggots, mash and gravy are excellent, light and savoury, with good mash and gluey gravy. Or how about 'devilled kidneys on a bed of spinach with piccalilli' - a good belt of spiciness on a bed of ruby chard and served with a generous dollop of tangy, home-made piccalilli. Like a lot of the better gastrocheffs, Saunders knows flexibility is the key and his menu at the Endurance is constantly changing.

But now, with the introduction of a more ambitious menu, prices have nudged upwards. Starters used to be around the £5.50 mark and mains around £10 - now they're closer to £6 and £11. The extra money delivers dishes such as Cornish turbot, potato pancake, spinach and chanterelles. It's a pity they'll no longer be doing seabass served with fennel and asparagus and a tomato tart or the well-cooked veal chop with duchesse potato and a very successful tomato and sage stew - a welcome note of acidity.

One item on the new menu that does sing off the page is to be found in the side orders section - 'Sumo chips with curry mayonnaise'. If that eats as well as it reads, it will be very good indeed.