Giaconda Dining Room - Denmark St WC2

I have written about Denmark Street before - one of my favourite streets in central London, partly due to the heritage but also due to its rough and ready charm, despite being somewhat past its heyday.  It's hard to escape the looming Central St Giles development when you enter Denmark St from Charing Cross Road these days - but in a weird way it kinda works, a crazy multi-coloured lego palace at the end of this quirky little street that is still half living in the swinging 60s.  Anyway this post is not a further paean to Denmark St, it's an acknowledgment of what I think is one of the best restaurants in London, The Giaconda Dining Room.  I love the fact that this place is out of the way, I love the fact that the room is marginally bigger than the average living room, I love the service (the Aussie waitress is absolutely top of her game - I wish she would run a master class for other London waiting staff and pass on her considerable skill) but most of all I love the grub.  I have been several times over the last couple of years but have never got around to writing about it (not sure why) so I was determined to rectify that today.  I had the most amazing grilled brill in a wonderful buttery sauce with string fried potatoes and a watercress salad - it was nothing short of superb.  I succumbed to their amazing pudding selection and had Eton mess, which was spot on and not as sickly sweet as it can sometimes be.  My macchiato to finish was perfectly made and topped off one of the nicest meals I have had in a long time.  I have never been here in the evening - I imagine it would be super cosy, particularly at this time of year.  If I had to level any criticism it would be that when the room is full it's a tad hard to hear - but that could be more to do with my advancing years than the acoustics.  Anyway, this place is sensational - if you haven't been already, just go.