Sofra - Covent Garden, 36 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7PB

My friend J had booked 10 of us to see “Noises Off”, thus getting us all a nice discount, and we all arranged to meet at Sofra in Covent Garden for a bite beforehand. I was first to arrive, and so assumed that she had ordered our meal already, because there was a bottle of the house red on the table, a bottle of white chilling in an ice bucket and a selection of meze on the table. But when J arrived, she was amazed, and asked the waiter what was going on.

It was complimentary – the whole meal! A few weeks ago J had had a very bad experience at Sofra, and she emailed the manager complaining about it. When she booked again, she said she hoped that this time, all would be well – so to make amends, they decided all ten of us deserved a three course meal, with wine – free!

The food just kept coming: a huge array of meze, then grilled meats and vegetable dishes. J explained she is a vegetarian, along came an exquisite vegetable curry. Then a glass of champagne each. They wanted to take our orders for dessert, but sadly we had to leave for the theatre. I thought this was a staggeringly magnanimous gesture on Sofra’s behalf – a free meal for two people would have been great – but for ten!

A couple of weeks later I returned for lunch with my friend M, and had another delicious meal – a selection of 9 meze, set out on a glass plate and served as a main course, followed by a sublime saffron crème brulée (me) and slow cooked apricots with double cream (M) It was all wonderful, but that saffron crème brulée lives with me still. Even though I had to pay for it this time, I’ll be back.

Approved moderately priced Daisy Solomons 2012