The Traditional English Restaurants of London

A gentleman called Ranald Macdonald Younger of Clanranald – I bet that he was sorry when Macdonald’s Hamburgers chose Ronald Macdonald as their corporate image – set up and owns this well-established Belgravia eatery.

The strongly Scottish element on the menu also betrays its roots, along with the huge selection of malt whiskies on offer. You can even, if you are feeling truly adventurous, order haggis, beloved by certain of their customers, but treated with suspicion by many of the others.

The family’s Scottish moor at Rannoch supplies smoked duck and venison, whilst the scallops are hand-dived from the Hebrides, and salmon comes from Orkney; as you would obviously expect the beef all comes from the Highlands of Scotland, and is properly hung before serving.

Supporters claim that it is like stepping back in time, as, though of fairly recent vintage, it manages to create a comforting and lived-in feeling. The luncheon two course set menu is only £14.90, whilst in the evening they offer their 1745 – a significant date in Scottish history – menu, unsurprisingly at £17.45, with a choice of tempting starters and mains, but you can interchange between it and the ‘a la carte’.

Who could fail to be tempted by first courses such as seared scallops with roast Macsween haggis and rosemary infused mash; salad of Rannoch Moor hot-smoked wild Highland venison, spiced pears and pickled walnuts or pheasant and field mushroom risotto with port, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings?

That could be followed by the finest quality 28 day matured Scottish beef, Aberdeen Angus short horn cross breed, direct from the estate of the Duke of Buccleuch with a choice of sauces from Béarnaise sauce to green peppercorn, or, if you prefer fish, steamed skate wing with crushed new potatoes and a warm salad of prawns, scallops, squid, lemon, chilli and ginger and, for vegetarians, asparagus and girolles in puff pastry with tomato, chives and a soft poached free range egg.

Customers also rate their wine list as being exceptional, whilst all appreciate the club-like wood panelled walls, oak flooring and bar, giving Boisdale a thoroughly snug and enjoyable atmosphere. An optional 12.5 per cent service charge is added to bills, but they include a little note stating, “Please ensure that it is deleted if you are in any way unhappy.”

The Macdonald Bar at Boisdale opened in June 1999 and is home to The Boisdale Jazz & Cigar Club. The seven-metre zinc bar features an amazing list of over 100 classic cocktails, 400 wines, 150 malt whiskies and over 100 Cuban cigars in addition to all the other good things which Boisdale can offer. The Macdonald Bar has a late licence until 1.00am with live jazz and blues from the thirties and forties, played by The Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band.