The Good Food Guide

In the Delfina Studio Trust building Maria Elia offers her intriguing cooking in a painting-hung restaurant-cum-gallery that lunches artists from the upstairs studios as well as visitors, and contributes its profits to the Trust. A first course of oregano-baked feta with Turkish figs, crushed hazelnuts and Cabernet Sauvignon vinaigrette might precede main courses of venison steak with spiced chocolate oil, mash, juniper-roasted apples and aubergines. Desserts may include coconut cream and rosewater bavarois with rose-petal banana fritters. Such adventurism is in safe hands here as it is supported by a culinary intelligence that yokes well-tried techniques and combinations to bold and novel approaches. With several by the glass and house bottles at £12.50, wines are mostly kindly priced and enhance the pleasure of food that already offers decent value for central London.