Roux with a view

If there is a blueprint for the aspirational restaurateur in London, then it has to be Le Gavroche. No other restaurant has remained at the summit for so long. It's survived a change of address - from Chelsea to Mayfair - and a shift in a generation - from founders Albert and Michel Roux to Albert's son, also called Michel - either of which has killed lesser establishments.

The night we went, midweek, it was packed - this for a place that has a minimum charge of £60 per person, has a starter costing £52.60 and a dessert at £30.60. But there again, Le Gavroche is the sort of venue where looking at the prices means you shouldn't really be there.

Generally, the food can't be faulted. My cheese soufflé cooked on double cream (£19.90), a signature dish, delivered a knockout punch. My partner's scallops baked in the shell with a ginger sauce were terrific. His lobster with wild mushrooms and Jerusalem artichokes (£46.60) also worked well - the powerful vegetables balancing the delicacy of the lobster.

One discordant note was my loin of Soay lamb, spicy pie and saffron jus (£30.20) from the "Chef Propose" card - perfectly adequate, but it was difficult to see what made it worthy of recommendation. However, pudding of omelette Rothschild - apple and Cointreau soufflé, for £20.80 - was sensationally good.

Alas, the same could not be said of the wine. We chose a Chablis Premier Cru, Les Vaillons, but they'd run out. Second choice was the Chateau Grenouille, also on the list, but they didn't have that either. We settled for a bottle of Savennière, La Roche Aux Moines 2000 for £32, which was dry as it should be but weak on flavour. A red - 2001 Chorey-Les-Beaune (£42) - wasn't much better.

The other let-down was the constant, preening presence of Silvano Giraldin, the general manager. Our introduction to him came when we were sitting in the bar area before being shown to our table. He berated a member of staff for not taking away our menus after we'd ordered. It was an officious, unpleasant beginning and uncalled for.

In the restaurant proper, he patrolled around, ticking off waiters for indiscernible offences, stopping at each table to ask if they were enjoying themselves in an unctuous manner that demanded "yes" as the only answer. By contrast, Michel Roux, when he appeared to tour the tables, was relaxed and warm. His visit, though, was all too brief - then it was back to Giraldin's strutting floor show.

In the kitchen, Roux is cooking like a dream, but front-of-house could do with his personality. We paid £306.34 (a staggering amount elsewhere, although so-so for Le Gavroche) but we came away feeling something was missing. For the cost, and for Le Gavroche, that isn't good enough.

Le Gavroche
Upper Brook Street, London, W1K 7QR