Good old Canteen grub

With its blond wood refectory tables, clean, uncluttered lines and young, attractive punters, Canteen has the zen-like look of a latter-day Wagamama.

But in place of a fusiony, modern menu, this Canteen dishes up proper old British grub. It's a long time since I've eaten a meal that included pie and mash - and pork scratchings.

A great menu it is too, wandering from breakfast eggs and toasted - that need to be pre-ordered 48 hours in advance. You can even have tea and biscuits.

The food is pretty fine. Other than the odd hiccup - baked eggs (with good, undyed smoked haddock) that were as hard as old boots, distinctly unmushy 'mushy peas' - this is a comfort eater's idea of heaven.

Potted duck came on like silky, fatty rillettes, its richness cut with a pungent homemade piccalilli and I loved the buttery pastry on my pie of the day: not sure I'd have chosen to stuff it with pork and parsnip, though.

After scratchings, eggs and pie, a treacle tart with clotted cream was the finale my arteries didn't need. 'Canteen is committed to providing honest food', they say. Good on them.

Canteen
Canada Square, London, E14 5AH