Tottenham's hidden gem

This offshoot of Wood Green's acclaimed Mosaica restaurant is a romantic-sounding spot, until you realise it's referring to Tottenham Lock. Nevertheless, it achieves what its parent restaurant also manages: making a large space seem cosy and welcoming, with helpful, friendly staff, judicious lighting and lots of wood (the chef, we were told, designed the place, built the tables and laid the floor). Nul points for playing Katie Melua, though.

The short daily changing menu has an appetising choice of dishes: the night we were there, mains included rib-eye, pork belly and halibut. Our starters were generous: my lobster ravioli with shellfish bisque was expensive at £11.95 but delicious, with fresh pasta packing a pleasant bite. Grilled squid was well prepared and its chilli jam had plenty of pzazz.

The confit duck main course, piled on a slab of dauphinoise and spinach, was also perfectly judged; in comparison, the roast cod with new potatoes was rather plain, with only the artichokes having benefited from a blast of lemon. Puddings of poached pears with (fantastic) mango ice cream and caramel and hazelnut tart with cinnamon ice cream (which proved a bit too nutty) finished us off.

Together with a couple of glasses of house white each, the bill came in at £73.20, which made my Tottenham-born-and-bred dining companion fall off his chair. Still, it makes a change to find a decent restaurant in this neck of the woods.

Mosaica @ The Lock
Heron House, Hale Wharf, Ferry Lane, London, N17 9NF