This is probably best known as "the restaurant where Blair and Brown did their deal". I hadn't been to Granita for around six years when Q and I went for a celebratory birthday lunch recently. The austere school dinners furniture and decor has been much copied in recent years, but I'm glad to say that both the food and service were outstanding as always. Q had squid, then braised duck - squid tender and succulent, not like those bouncy rubber band rings you get in so many places, duck juicy. I had leaves with shaved parmesan - absolutely fantastic vinaigrette - then a "bavette" of beef. No I hadn't heard of "bavette" either but concluded that it probably meant "a big bit of". Topped off with an ice-cold bottle of Sancerre. Just right. M 2001

127, Upper St London N1 1QP

Tel: 020 7226 3222