Brasserie Zedel

Well! Brasserie Zedel - a French bistro in the heart of our bustling capital - is something worth experiencing. The food was delicious, the ambience was inviting, the entertainment was captivating and the décor was jaw-dropping.

Entering Brasserie Zedel was like being transported back to a Parisian café. In the Twenties. Nestled in the heart of Soho, a stone's throw from the touristy bustle of Piccadilly Circus it was reminiscent of Nighthawks by Edward Hopper; bright lights and warm interior invite you in from the dank, cold night.

Even before you enter the building, the aura of twenties grandeur is prominent. Walk through the foyer (which is an understatement - it's its own cafe) and you're struck by the Mackintosh-style mirrored interior. Walk down into the heart of the building past pre-30's 6ft film posters and you're in a 20's Parisian cinema foyer; complete with opulent crystal chandelier, mosaic tiled floor and deco style kiosks.

Entering the restaurant itself and you take a time leap from the twenties to the fifties (lighting aside); it's a huge square room lined with pink marble, plush red velvet benches and pastel pink linens. Serenaded by a live band, we chose the Scallops with potato puree (yes, that is a fancy term for mash) with brandy vinaigrette, and the Hanger Steak with chips (the only modern thing in the place!). Both dishes were delicious and the cherry glacé (sorbet to me and you) was a perfect finish.

The waiters wear superbly dressed, in coordinating yet mish-mashed outfits (probably denoting some form of waiter hierarchy but to us it just looked kitsch) and the clientele were similarly mish-mashed. Young professionals dined next to first-daters who sat alongside groups of extremely well-dressed parties of age 60+ revellers. The whole thing was starting to have the feel of a Wes Anderson film. You know the bit when the narrator gives some context to the location and characters; they all have their own story going on but it's immersed in a wonderful, hazy light and a rich colour palette of pastels and muted brights.

After we'd wined and dined we were invited to the Crazy Coq's, the cabaret club across the hall, to continue our evening with a swing band lead by Benoit Viellefon. The Crazy Coq club itself shot us forward into the sixties; the room was circular and intimate, with neon lights, monochrome striped interiors and multi-coloured spotlights. We twisted, shaked and jived our way through the evening with an eclectic selection of punters. It was a great way to end our expedition through time.

The food at Brasserie Zedel is excellent but ultimately it's the entire experience that makes this place worth going to, and in our case, back to. The individual stories, the lighting, the foyer (drooooool), the cabaret club, the intimate ambience, the opulence of the surroundings - Brasserie Zedel makes for a great adventure, journeying through the highlights of the 20th century. A perfect vintage night out!