You'll have designs on Boundary

Watching Sir Terence Conran totter slowly around his grand new basement restaurant, sporting his trademark blue shirt, you realise the 77-year-old design icon is finally getting on a bit. When it comes to business, however, he’s still as hungry as three Sir Alan Sugars.

Located in what must surely be Shoreditch’s last unconverted Victorian warehouse, Boundary is a massively ambitious venture, which is to include two other restaurants, 17 guest bedrooms, bars, a bakery and a food store. The restaurant instantly wowed us with its elegant prohibition-era red leather, slate grey and exposed brickwork. And a Bijou (£8) from the "Forgotten Gems" cocktail list, a herby blend of Tanqueray, Italian vermouth and chartreuse vert, happily spirited us away to a pre-recession cocoon.

This was helped by the fact the menu is pure, un-reconstructed Conran — that is, classic French and English dishes with no-frills descriptions, boasting more all-singing, all-dancing crustacean action than the cast of Finding Nemo. The date’s half-dozen native oysters (£16) were fresh as the sea, their ice-cold delights a thrilling contrast with the accompanying hot, crisp bite of mini chorizo sausages. My £8 steak tartare was a meltingly tender pattie, beautifully seasoned and for once not over-capered. Mains sadly didn’t match them. My £19.50 sea bass was sublimely crisp, but its bed of artichoke barigoule was over-vinegary.

The date’s £17 monkfish bourride looked and tasted as appetising as fish in a plate of tepid milk. Perhaps we were just jealous of the towers of fruits de mer (£40 for two) most other diners had wisely ordered. My advice is suck up the cocktails and go for the shellfish. But the service is immaculate, and it was packed this cold Tuesday, despite the City prices. Proof that, like Sir Terence himself, true quality never goes out of style.

The Boundary Restaurant
Boundary Street, London, E2 7JE