Greenwich whitebait with paprika mayonnaise and seeded bread was a little dry but otherwise doable.  Beef carpaccio with caper mayonnaise, parmesan and rocket was good and the lobster ravioli with a lobster and salmon mousse, with a sherry, lobster and cream sauce was actually nicely done and good value (£9) for the quantity.

What wasn’t such good value for money was the lobster thermidor with half a lobster for £28 which was tough, unrefined and with a sauce that had split.  One would expect to pay this price or just over at a restaurant that prepares Thermidor well but when it is presented in this way and maintains the price tag, I have an issue with this mentality of charging just because it is lobster – it still needs to be cooked well and this was not making it a ruined experience.

The lamb was fair but nothing to write home about and the sides were probably the more reasonable aspect of the meal.  Ice creams were basic and the tart dessert was not too bad but I would be very surprised if this was done from scratch and was suspiciously out of the packet and with icing sugar dusted on in a clumsy way before being served.

The visit was pleasant but unfortunately represents the category of food I least like – being charged normal – high prices for dishes that simply are not worthy.  I would like the Trafalgar Tavern to up its game considerably as not everyone that goes in is a tourist to be served quickly and moved on.

Many shops and restaurants have changed since, so there is a possibility that there are others I have not been to that are worthy of trying.  However, the stylish look, casual feel, attentive service and array of menu choices do make this venue a very nice option as there is not much to dislike.  I have found the service can be quite stretched to discomfort levels when fully booked and even seen / heard staff being argumentative with each other when the pressure is high which, if removed, would raise its game a lot.  However, I have also found the staff very accommodating and hospitable to guests as much as is possible to requests which is actually a forte of this venue.

There is obvious care in to the smoothies, shakes, hot drinks and general brunch options and I think this says a lot as only places that have pride in their work will go to this attentive level for the small things which I do like here.  The salad and eggs benedict were on form today with perfectly runny yolks but I don’t agree with the top of the eggs being grilled just for decoration as this seriously affects the hollondaise – sprinkles of herbs or seasoning would be what I would go for instead here.

It hasn’t always been this well done on some past occasions however, today was very good.  Aspects that could have been better, I would say the were the chips as, although wonderful, had too much cooking oil within them (and could have had this soaked away more before serving) and I felt the sauce béarnaise could have done with a touch more seasoning (the tarragon was fine but seemed to need a touch more acidity via more punch from the shallot & white wine reduction and salt).  Still, very pleasant brunch and even more cherished for the detox diet I am shortly about to embark on.

The Red Thai curry with thinly sliced duck was beautifully viscous and will be much more to British tastes compard to how it is authentically done in Thailand (being a lot more watery as a sauce and with a greater punch of spice).  £40 for two people to share on this ocasion meant very good value as it was highly gratifying to eat and both parties were stuffed at the end for the two starters and sharing the selected main with rice.

A must for me to return to sample and a very safe bet for anyone who loves Thai food and does not need to travel too far to get here.  Service was speedy rather than heartfelt.  A good place to find in summary.