One Canada Square (Restaurant)

Top 10 things we learnt when we visited One Canada Square restaurant:

1) To thank my uncle for taking me to the opera recently, I asked him to join me for dinner at this recently opened Canary Wharf restaurant. In his honour, let me present to you: One Canada Square, an operatic experience.

2) The pre-opera drink: the audience prepares for the passion to come with cocktails. The English Cosmopolitan subtly flavoured and a pleasure to look at, arriving with a posy floating in it.

3) Surveying the opera crowd, judgement is passed on fellow music lovers, scandal and rumour discussed. One Canada Square defies expectation. It’s not only the haunt of City workers, but also of people who come after a busy afternoon shopping, and foodies wanting to sample the menu at the newest ETM Group restaurant.

4) The curtains open, the scene is set. It is evening; a restaurant in Canary Wharf. It has the air of an expensive, old fashioned hotel with tasteful, muted colours, dark green leather furnishings and the low strains of jazz.

5) The overture: the music begins, a dish to prepare the senses, to start the blood quickening. A palate cleanser from the ‘raw menu’: seabass ceviche with mango and chilli, a burst of flavour to commence.

6) The first act: the story is ready to unfold, the players are introduced. The presentation of the modern European cuisine is thoughtful, the taste delightful. A starter of mouth-watering eel with pickled apples and fried chicken, what one might think would be discordant sounds but which come together in a lilting cohesion.

7) The second act: close to the peak of the tale. Tragedy is always a possibility. It started well, but can it continue so? Sweet relief, disaster is avoided: the special of John Dory fish fresh from Billingsgate Market hits the right note.

8) The final act: ruin has been averted, this is not to be a tragedy. The ending to bring it all together: a knickerbocker glory to remind oneself of youth and end on a note of nostalgia.

9) The music begins to wind down, the audience, contented, lulls in their seats for the finale.

10) Applause. Cheers from the stalls, a well-executed performance. High quality food and drink with attentive, knowledgeable service. An operatic treat....read more