The Grill On The Market, Smithfield

The Grill On The Market prides itself on 'solid, honest proper food', and that's exactly what we got.

Rammed full of raucous suits unwinding after a stressful day in the office, the entrance to the restaurant was a heaving wall of noise, and alarm bells immediately started to ring. But, I needn't have worried because as soon as my plus one and I fought our way through the crowds hanging out at the bar we emerged into the dark, quiet and relaxing restaurant at the back.

Meat is the main event at The Grill On The Market (as its name would suggest) so my chum and I decided to kick things off with seafood starters - him mussel, me baby scallops, before we indulged our carnivorous side. Both dishes were very tasty and just the thing to go with the delicious champagne cocktails we'd ordered.

Then it was time for meat. Being a delicate ladylike sort of creature (pah!), I opted for the 225g rib eye, which was soft, cooked just right (medium rare, for me) and succulent. Where I really went to town was with the sides, and when presented with juicy mushrooms smothered in garlic, buttery petit pois and carb-tastic skin-on chips I didn't know what to chow down first.

We finished the evening off with a ‘And So To Bed’ - their version of a Lemon Drop made up of Cariel Vanilla, Limoncello and lemon mix with a sugar rim - and headed out into the night with full stomachs and a warm fuzzy feeling.

The Grill On The Market isn't a destination restaurant, and I don't think you'd head there on a romantic date, but it definitely ticks all the boxes for a tasty, hearty and fun (an acoustic musician piped up at 8pm) post-work dinner.

Visit The Grill On The Market website.