The Wolseley is rather a grand restaurant, with even the name alluding a certain import. The location really could not get much grander as well (apart from maybe Buck Palace), in terms of both the address and venue, a former bank replete with high ceilings, chandeliers and restored Japanese lacquered walls. Along with the grandeur, perhaps unsurprisingly, The Wolseley gives off a strong ‘Old School’ vibe, having an all day menu (including afternoon tea) and lots of attention to service; the Maitre’D doing the rounds, chatting with those whom I presumed were either the regulars or the important people. Unfortunately, The Wolseley has a policy of no photography allowed and rather than risk being kicked out on our anniversary meal, I didn’t dare contravene, which perhaps was more of a George Armstrong Custer moment than a Lance Armstrong one.

I have to admit, I was a little bemused by the wide ranging influences on the menu, a mixture of not only classic French and English dishes, but a few Austrian plus the odd Dutch and even Indian, too. I decided to go British to begin with and went for a half dozen of West Mersea Native oysters with a tankard of Black Velvet. Being a big oyster fan, I wasn’t disappointed in these juicy morsels, accompanied by the usual condiments of half lemon (wrapped in muslin to prevent the pips coming out when squeezing it), tabasco & shallot vinegar. I also enjoyed the silver tankard of black velvet, although had been hoping for a more substantial one than the half pint served up, but then I’m just a glutton. Ms R went for the crayfish, avocado and bacon salad, which was a simple dish but executed well, the crayfish succulent, the bacon crispy and the avocado fresh in a light dressing.

I finally got to have my Steak Tartare (as opposed to Steak Hachette!) as my main course and the other side of the table went for the Provencal Fish Stew. Having raw minced meat with a raw egg yolk on top is not everyone’s cup of tea and even I was feeling a little trepidatious before it arrived. I needn’t have worried, though, as my first mouthful made me forget the fact I was eating raw food, the meat being seasoned perfectly and the egg providing an unctuous texture to the Tartare. The fries that came with it were served in paper, placed in a rather delightful miniature metal pail and tasted as good as they looked. The Provencal Fish Stew was a very flavoursome dish, a little too much so for Miss R, but I thought it was a good example of a classic dish.

We both went for the Coupes (ice cream) for dessert, with Miss R selecting the Amandine, an almond & nougat ice cream with espresso ice cream and a butterscotch sauce, whilst I had the Sultan, liquorice, date & salted caramel ice creams also with a butterscotch sauce.    I really liked the combination of flavours in the Sultan, although I wouldn’t have minded if they had been a little more pronounced. The Amandine was also well received and polished off without any difficulty at all.

The Wolseley definitely has the feel of decadence and you can almost feel the presence of wealth in the clientele (myself excluded!). Despite this, the service was welcoming rather than formal and we in no way felt intimidated, despite the grandeur. The atmosphere is also surprisingly buzzy, the high ceilinged room bouncing voices all around which tends to have the added bonus of reducing the formality even further. I don’t think the food is particularly exciting, with a menu replete with classics, but everything we ate was well flavoured and looked good on the plate.  Despite the premium added to the price for the Piccadilly address and grand venue (dishes start at £6.75 for starters and go up to £23.50 for mains), I would be happy to go back. The Wolseley is an impressive place to go for dinner and if you like uncomplicated food in an opulent setting, you won’t go wrong here.