Mamma would be proud

Goodness knows how this got planning permission: it's a sort of permanent lean-to against the beautiful 18th-century Bevis Marks Synagogue, with a sloping glass roof and a simple but modern decor that works surprisingly well.

Food mixes modern and traditional, but there's nothing nouvelle about the portions: my niÃoise salad may be the biggest starter I've ever seen.

Jewish food is about strong rather than delicate flavours, and my salad could have done with a caper or two to sharpen it up, but the fish was beautifully cooked and my partner's chicken soup was as Mamma intended, with firm, tasty matzo balls.

In fact all the traditional food - a salt beef mountain, latkes (crisp and oily potato pancakes with melting centres) - was great, if a little heavy for a scorching lunchtime. And the modern food matched up: tender roast cod with a fierce harissa to offset any blandness, big, solid chips, horseradish that was gentle but flavoursome.

We were too full for dessert, but had one anyway: a rich chocolate mousse, milk-free, as kosher cooking demands in a meat restaurant, but nonetheless decadent for that. Damage was £100, including service and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.