Dolls House (Bar)

Top 10 things you need to know about The Dolls House:

1) Do any of us wonder what happens behind the closed doors of florists or launderettes, butchers and barbers? Not at all. But I have recently learned that, with restaurants, we should consider their sensuality.

2) At The Dolls House, we immediately begin to breathe a relaxing, pleasant and, yes, quite sensual air. The sounds of the live jazz perhaps, in the ground floor parlour, every Thursday and Sunday nights, create the mood. As do the endlessly attractive people who seem to like each other, and us, very much.

3) For dinner, we climb a narrow staircase to the top floor restaurant and feel like we’re leaving behind the comforting warm bath of the parlour. But no. Now, we are in a decadent attic, sitting under a vast chandelier designed around a huge disco ball. Mystifyingly ornate, Rococco-style looking glasses decorate the walls, but they are without mirrors. They are a trick, not real. They are "blind" and beautiful.

4) A short menu: good news. Seasonal items predominate: very fresh. Easy on the pocket: thank you.

5) Thank you again for delivering divine sea bream with crab and a rib of Hereford beef to die for. Thank you again for the artistically-presented chocolate truffles, and lime and lemon meringue, and smiling, warm service. The Beaujolais Villages is as mellow as our moods and as delicious as our server. In this louche and luxurious attic, I feel we having the best value, real quality dinner in London.

6) At the stroke of 11, the plates disappear and the lights dim. Now it’s cocktails and candlelight: a club. Members arrive and lounge loosely on the banquettes. The membership fee is simple; just bring a bottle of spirits and a personalised cocktail will be created just for you, and your friends. The vibe is becoming intimate, more confiding.

7) The Oxford English Dictionary explains the word "debauched" as overindulgence in certain aspects of life. We didn't stay until 4am, when the lights dim completely and the members slope off. We will next time.

8) Respectable Sunday roasts are served in the parlour. Handy for the late nighters upstairs.

9) With two other, similar venues in North and East London, the owners are certainly experienced in prodding our pleasure zones.

10) A complete and memorable evening like this should really come with a heftier price tag....read more