Belgo isn’t exactly new new — I’d eaten there before, many years ago. I’ve always wanted to try their beat-the-clock menu — you pay according to the time on your order, so if the order is 5.45pm, you pay §5.45 — but we usually have something else to do between 5 and 6.30pm on a weekday. Anyway, the reason it makes this list is because it’s become my go-to restaurant, especially if I’m a) on my own and b) in Central London. With branches in several locations, and I have the one in Chalk Farm in mind, it could have become our special place, since L’Ecluse is gone.

Belgo offers Belgian food (duh). This means moules frites and beer. How can they go wrong? There is a separate menu for beer, offering on tap, monastery brewed, fruit beers, white beer and speciality (aka strong) beers. I had a Chimay Bleu, 9% dark ale and considered the classic Chimay. I also tried one of the fruit beers — the waiter suggested the Floris Apple, but I found it tasted too much like cider, nothing special.

Oh, moules frites. I had moules provençal, ie in tomato and garlic sauce. Very very nice. The kilo pot disappeared far too quickly. There were other items on the menu like chicken, sausage and steak but I question anyone who goes to Belgo and not order mussels. The frites were more like British chips to be honest, but notice how they automatically comes with mayonnaise? Gets another star in my books.