Spilled out of a mundanathon of academic training I was in the mood for a good lunch that wouldn’t break the bank. Aurora I’d visited some time ago and thought it might be worth a punt on this occasion – the punt came off.

Lexington Street is not easily located for the occasionally confused and so we did a fair amount of circling on our way there. Which was fine as it just added an edge of hunger to the party and ensured that starters were a must. Which thing was a warm mackerel on some celeriac and shit. Very good. Mustard in there. Gobbled.

Then what? Umm … yeah, seafood dish of the day. Linguine with creatures of the deep. On spotting my bowl of chilli seasoned sea-things a diner at another table (one of a handful, the quality of the food merits a busier room even on a Wednesday lunchtime) enquired what was in it. The waitress retired to the kitchen to find out but surely the right approach is to have a look for yourself? Either you like that stuff or you don’t? Or maybe you should test yourself on cockles, winkles, razor clams? Well, this had cockles, octopodi and wee prawn with its bigger sibling the big prawn. And that was very good too. Gobbled that.

Ah, but the wine the wine. The wine, a Picpoul, was warm. And though it was stuck in an ice bucket the first taste, which should be crisp, was not so crisp as it ought to have been. Which is a shame.

Communication between chef and staff was by the means of bellows of your cooking guy from the bowels of the resto, whose room (I must not forget) is very well shabbed. Eighteenth century walls, floors, stairs and bread oven giving a feeling of old Soho. We had coffee and left.

I liked it.

7/10 (would have been 8 if the wine had been cold)

To see where else I’ve eaten in 2016 go to the GoogleMap here

London Restaurants Aurora French London Restaurant Review Soho