Cipriani, Davies Street, London

I really like my job on the days when it takes me to some of London's most interesting restaurants. Actually, I like it most of the time but that's another story/blog!

When I needed a venue for a business lunch, someone suggested Cipriani (http://www.cipriani.com/locations/london.php). As a true country mouse, I hadn't a clue about it...my Time Out Guide to Eating and Drinking in London has, perhaps wrongly, been buried in the magazine rack for a while now so I tend to go with recommendations. This was a pretty good one and for a venue for conversation as well as scoffing, it is pretty good. It's lively enough to be interesting and fill the moments when conversation lapses but quiet enough to be able to talk properly. As the lunch was a business meeting, I didn't force my co-diners to analyse their lunches to the nth degree, so I can speak only of my own experiences, but they were good.

The dining room at Cipriani has a fantastic feel to it - it's very art deco in style, with a busy bar and is a great place for people watching...when you're not meant to be focusing on the discussions you're actually there for. The first thing that wowed me was the bread - like croissants, but rolled into sort of a flat-bottomed sea shell. These were incredible, and although I could feel the calories going straight to my hips, there was no way I was going to leave even the smallest crumb! The menu at Cipriani has a great mix of pastas, risottos, meat and fish and making a selection was something of a challenge, to say the least. To start, I chose bresaola, which came with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan shavings. This was a fantastic start, the meat was soft and full of flavour and really got my tastebuds warmed up. To follow, I chose swordfish steak with cherry tomatoes and black olives: the steak was not an even thickness and so while the middle was perfectly cooked, some of the edges were starting to get a little dry. The cherry tomato and black olive topping was a great way to serve the fish, and was laced with basil and black pepper, although the generous quantity somewhat drowned the fish. This dish was served with a portion of rice, which was nice enough but somewhat surplus to requirements.

As this was a business lunch, I stuck to water, although the wine and cocktail list was certainly calling my name - the Cipriani family, which owned Harry's Bar in New York, has a strong connection to the Bellini but as someone who is often somewhat knocked out by lunchtime drinking, I just had to resist. Perhaps if McFoodie and I are ever in the area and on our own time, we'll give it a try. I'd certainly be interested in trying something else from Cipriani's menu and doing some more focused people watching.