Savannah

It's a dangerous situation when dining companions arrive late; when the restaurant offers such a splendid bar, it is simply insulting not to use it. Savannah has clearly invested in the corporate look as the furniture and surroundings are streamlined with natural materials: timber, stone, glass and leather.A word of advice: do not be tempted to overindulge in the breads on offer. The warmed walnut and rye bread complements the sexy starters, but a little restraint leaves room for later delights.Savannah excels at refined fare for carnivores. Proving our lust for red flesh, I realised that between us we covered almost every living thing in the food chain: paprika marinated baby chicken with crispy pancetta, grilled breast of Gressingham duck, lamb steak and seared fillet of beef all featured at our meal. Steaks are tailored to your particular taste, from their size to the sauce that adorns them. The Big Fat Chipswere substantial and tasty and mopped up the oozing juices that just couldn’t be left behind. Particularly impressive was the Gressingham duck breast; I usually avoid breast meat but the texture was fantastically moist and springy rather than tough, and the chargrilled apples, calvados and Madagascan poivre verts sauce provided a sophisticated variation on the sweet-fruit-andduck combination.With a seriously stuffed belly, we were tempted by a warm chocolate brownie garnished with redcurrants and ice cream, and a crepe filled with mangoes and strawberries. They were filling, but as not good as the mains.Savannah has an impressive international menu. The wonderful textures are testament to the flare with which it is cooked and many unusual flavours are harmonized to extract the best taste. With mains ranging from £9 to
£17, it can be an expensive night, especially if you quaff a glass or two of wine, but the portions are large and the atmosphere lively.Archive: 0th week HT 2004