London Street Brasserie, Reading, Berkshire

Reading doesn’t really have a wealth of fine dining establishments. There are the usual Ask’s and that Portuguese chain, a Slug and Lettuce and the like in the town itself (and outside there is l’Ortolan for example) but the only decent, independent eatery I know inside the town is the London Street Brasserie.

Owned by the same chap as the famed Crooked Billet the London Street Brasserie has a small patio area over looking the Kennet and Avon Canal. It’s not a great view but at least it is outside, relatively sheltered from traffic and, for us, an opportunity to relish some welcome late autumn sun. I’ve been meaning to eat here for ages after reading several glowing reviews in the local press, so as we were in town needing refreshment after a bout of hefty shopping (why else would you visit Reading?) it seemed like an ideal stop.

We were the only patrons. But it was 4:30 on a Monday afternoon. Between midday and 7 the only options available are from the 2 course set-menu, priced at £13.50 a head.

Crispy fried tapenade of Goat’s Cheese leafy salad with a tomato black olive vinaigrette may not have been as exciting a choice as Nick’s Pan Fried Mackerel Fillet tempura with a shallot and tomato salad with a crunchy cauliflower piccalilli, but the cheese was perfectly cooked, nicely melted inside the crisp pastry case, with a fresh and crisp salad. The only off-putting thing about the mackerel was the day-glo drizzle of sauce around the edge; a dish otherwise deemed perfect by Nick.

I snaffled a fork-full of his main dish - a Jamaican Goat Curry, with Coconut basmati rice. Tender and juicy but a little under-spiced I thought; Nick disagreed. But then he is French and terribly argumentative. The success of my Oriental Marinated Chicken Fillet served over Japanese glass noodle salad with sugar snap peas, lime leaf, roasted peanuts, chili, papaya and coriander more than made up for it. Perfectly cooked, wonderful fresh flavours and ingredients. Excellent value.

The wine list is good with a few by the glass – a branded South African Chenin, a Pinot Grigio but we went for a bottle of Macon Villages, the producers name escapes me, but it was a great accompaniment to the meal (£21). Oh, I forgot to mention the great bread basket and olive selection.

London Street Brasserie Riverside Oracle, 2-4 London Street, Reading RG1 4SE.