Jolene

So tuned in to local tastes are restaurateurs Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell, they have three eateries within a mile or so of each other. First came Primeur (Newington Green, 2014), then Westerns Laundry (Drayton Park, 2017) and, in 2019, Jolene . It’s a lovely spot, especially when the glass doors are opened out onto the pavement facing the Green. Textured plaster walls, a zinc bar, candles and dried flowers create a simple but stylish look, while a warm greeting comes with an invitation to look at the menu written commendably legibly on a blackboard. On a hot day, when we visited, everyone was ordering the ajo blanco, a chilled cucumber and almond soup, garnished with tender broad beans, peas and courgettes, although classic French artichoke vinaigrette, and an Italian-style nectarine, tomato and pecorino salad also suited the weather. Pasta dominates, however. A tangle of tagliarini, firm to the tooth, comes with asparagus, new season's girolles and raw egg, while orzo is partnered by cuttlefish and clams. In colder months, you might find duck tortelloni or tagliatelle with pork ragù. Price-wise, the only £20+ dishes are a couple of main courses such as skate with brown butter and capers or roast chicken with pink fir potatoes and aïoli. Dessert is a choice between something cakey from the bakery counter (a financier, say) or caramelised bread and butter pudding with custard from the blackboard menu. Service is pally but professional. An A4 page of wines features interesting bottles from excellent producers (Alice Bouvot’s Muscat from Jura, for example) but expect to spend a minimum of £45 a bottle. If you enjoy the bread (we liked the focaccia) you can pick up a loaf here or at the group’s London-based Jolene bakeries.