L'Etranger, London SW7

Dinner for two, without wine, £85

Even the classiest joints recognise a recession when they see one. L'Etranger, a neighbourhood restaurant in a rich part of town, has diversified into the wine trade, doubling as an off-licence by day. But it's not your average offy—there are no bargain bins, just a collection of serious wines available at relatively decent prices.

A bottle of 1937 Château d'Yquem, which some dealers offer for anything up to £3,000, can be yours at L'Etranger for £1,200. You can still splurge if you're feeling profligate, of course. This is Kensington, after all. Lovers of Burgundy can pick up a nice 2001 Romanée-Conti for £3,500. The food is fusion—Japanese and French, which leaves a little room for indecisiveness. Are we in a picky, sushi kind of mood, or are we looking for something more red-blooded? The fashion here is mix-and-match. I opt for wagyu beef nigiri. The meat is Icelandic—winter raw, but what it lacks in texture, it more than compensates for in flavour.

Waiters helpfully steer us in the direction of the tuna and crab spring rolls, which manage to be light, succulent and hearty all at the same time. Extra points on the scoreboard for the caramelised black cod, which on the restaurant's website is confusingly described as "infamous". What on earth can it have done to acquire that sort of reputation? It is sticky and delicious. Only dessert lets the side down: 10 quid for a plate of fruit and a cauldron of cloying chocolate to dip it in? Wrong decade.

David Woodward