For my special birthday dinner celebration with C, I got taken to Bam-Bou - gorgeous french Vietnamese restaurant housed in a beautiful old colonial style house in Fizrovia (top of Charlotte street).

Ooof, what a place! Dark and sensuous decor set off perfectly by the Charlotte Street lights sparkling through the floor to ceiling windows. The place felt sultry despite the dampish London weather. Lovely as the setting is, it all fades to background with the arrival of the food.

Hanoi-style short ribs were dark and unctuous, sweet but never cloying - bones were licked dry and fingers sucked clean. The other starter, salt & pepper squid, was hot, fresh and cooked in the lightest of batters.

Main courses kept standards high - Spiced barramundi with lime dressed tom and coriander salad was a feisty treat and pan fired sea bass with fennel & wild ginger slaw was subtle and delicious. Both fillets were fresh as the sea and zinged with the energy of the citrus and roots. They were also set off perfectly by a side of polished white rice and bok choi with tamari and soy washed down with a red Sancerre (I know we were surprised too, that’s why we had to try it).

We barely had room for pudding but managed to share roasted mango with lime sorbet and melted with the fruity ice…

4.5/5 (the coffee was a bit average and the service slightly erratic - but I can’t wait to go again)

Starters £3-7
Main £9-14
House Wine £17

1 Percy Street London W1T IDB
020 7323 9130
www.bam-bou.co.uk