Dorian

*Chef Max Coen is no longer heading up the kitchen.* In 2022, Chris D’Sylva, a supplier to a number of respected restaurants in the capital, assembled an elite team from The Wolseley, Noble Rot and Core by Clare Smyth to create one of London's more distinctive (and talked-about) eateries. With chef Max Coen (ex-Ikoyi et al) at the helm, Dorian opened as a modern-day British bistro with attitude, proclaiming itself to be ‘a neighbourhood joint for those that suck the marrow out of life’. The atmosphere is cool and lively, the style unassuming – think exposed ventilation ducts, an open-plan kitchen with counter seating, wine cabinets, black-and-white tiled flooring, British 'racing green' banquettes, wooden chairs and close-packed, linen-clothed tables. Every dish on the menu sounds instantly appealing, which can make choosing tricky. We kicked off with moreish, sweet white crabmeat set on a crisp pan-fried potato rösti, ahead of a 'squidgy' veal sweetbread paired with radicchio and topped with a purée of grilled onion – both excellent in their own right. However, the undoubted star turn was a tranche of sea bass served with grilled corn, razor clams and a saffron fish sauce – a technically brilliant dish, and highly pleasurable too. To conclude. a 'devilfish’ choux bun with a crown of nuts oozing with chocolate and cream showed that there is a sense of quiet confidence and swagger to the entire operation – helped along by a slick team. Unpicking the wine list throws up exciting choices from France and Italy, including stellar labels and older vintages. There are some affordable bottles and by-the-glass selections (from £9) but the majority are over three figures.

Dorian’s owner Chris D’Sylva said he wanted his Notting Hill restaurant “to feel like it’s been there forever” when he launched it in 2022. Mission accomplished, then, for the owner of Notting Hill Fish + Meat Shop and Supermarket of Dreams with the Talbot Street restaurant having risen to institutional status pretty much overnight, earning a Michelin star just over two years after opening, in February 2024. Billed as a bistro for locals 'that want to suck the marrow out of life', the venture personifies the mini revolution that has occurred in Notting Hill pairing and easy-going vibe with very high quality food. The savoury menu is divided into three core parts - a large range of snacks that include its signature caviar rosti; starters such a beef tartare; and a mains selection that includes hefty hunks of protein, including a number of steak options. The drinks list features the Dorian port & tonic, made using a house port made especially for Dorian by the Vault team, alongside creative spins on cocktail classic.  The wine list, featuring a rotating selection of over 1,000 bins, leans heavily on burgundy and champagne but also showcases lesser-known producers, indigenous grape varietals and rising starts from across the globe.  For those bringing their own bottle, the corkage policy – introduced in 2024 – allows one bottle per table, at £100. The elegant dining room features banquette seating along three of its sides, marble tables with wrought-iron stands, wood panelling, brass lighting and smoked mirrors but the real action is to be found at the counter that looks onto Dorian’s open kitchen.