This enthusiastically outlandish spot has managed to achieve what many London restaurants earnestly desire but rarely deliver – it is out-and-out good fun. There’s a joy evident in every element of the place, from the Roaring ’20s decor to little touches like the ‘press for champagne’ buzzers at each booth.
The menu skips between Russia and Europe, cherry-picking treats: starters include platinum vodka shots chilled to -18°C, and venison tartare, while mains feature ‘humble pie’, three-birds burger and chicken kiev. BBR is the sort of venue you can imagine Bertie Wooster taking his pals after a day at the Drones. At lunchtimes, it has been adopted by business types, with deals sealed over excellent food and ostentatiously shaken cocktails, as well as vintage bubbly and by-the-glass Château d’Yquem.
We can recommend the classic prawn cocktail with piquant pink sauce, and the immensely gratifying borscht made with Orkney beef. The mariner’s fish pie is another favourite, crammed with salmon and haddock in a thumpingly rich cream. Desserts are as playful as the rest of the operation; try a strawberries and cream soufflé or freshly flambéed crêpes suzette. A meal here isn’t cheap, but if you’re looking to intrigue and impress, this place is hard to better.