Mark Hix’ new Soho restaurant, Hix, already feels like it’s been there a decade. And I mean that in a good way . . .

I’ve actually found myself there twice in the last 24 hours. Last night after the opening of the London Restaurant Festival (intending to drop by for a drink, ending up having supper) and today for a planned lunch with my son. With any other restaurant I’d have rung him and suggested a change of venue, but I was more than happy to go back. As it seemed were half of London’s food writers, PRs and wine importers who seemed to make up the majority of the clientele.

So what makes Hixy’s restaurants so good? Well it’s a combination of things. The decor is always cool and understated, the entrance discreet. Anyone who loved his former restaurants, The Ivy and J Sheekey and enjoys his current Hix's Oyster and Chop House will immediately feel at home here.  It already feels like it’s been open for months, if not years.

The service, while not quite yet firing on all cylinders (we didn’t get our wine until we were half way through our first course) can’t be faulted for attitude. Friendly without being over-familiar, attentive without being intrusive, it feels like being in the best of members’ clubs.

And the food is simply great. Imaginative, bold-flavoured, based on the best of British ingredients. Hix has the knack of writing a menu that makes you want to try everything. Only one of the eight dishes I tried (not all mine, I hasten to add) was underwhelming - the much talked about cods’ tongues with girolles which were slightly gluey in texture. A ‘seashore salad’ (above) while divinely pretty was a touch vinegary. But two deeply savoury rabbit dishes - sautéed wild rabbit on toast with salsify and elderberries and wild rabbit offal with chanterelles and a truly delicious cauliflower purée were fantastic as was a Herdwick mutton, kidney and oyster pie (left) served with what must be the best potatoes in London. (They’re referred to as ‘specials’ and are apparently steamed then lightly battered and deep-fried. Fabulous)

Downsides? It’s not cheap - but then it wouldn’t be in that location. £11 was a bit stiff for four unadorned slices of smoked salmon, even if they’re subject to a ‘Hix cure’ and a 250ml carafe of admittedly very good Crozes Hermitage (whose producer I failed to note) set us back £28.95. (Mark has since pointed out that it was a 500ml carafe which makes it considerably more reasonable - nevertheless you could easily find your passion for wine running away with you here if you're not careful . . . )

It’s a bit loud if you don’t like loud restaurants and the service is a little slow. But that won’t deter the punters. Book now before the reviews come out or you’ll face a waiting list as long as the Ivy . . .

Hix is at 66-70 Brewer Street, London W1F 9TR Tel: 020 7292 3518. In addition to the ground floor there’s a basement bar which serves a limited range of food, with cocktails by one of London’s best bartenders Nick Strangeway (who used to work at my son’s City steakhouse Hawksmoor) and a private room which you can hire for fixed priced ‘feasts’ such as ‘pig feasts’ and ‘game feasts’ (Great idea!)

And just to reassure you - after such a eulogistic review - I did pay my own bill on both occasions!