Giles Coren in The Times

The oyster bar offers a wide selection of small, picking dishes ... [I] ended up eating five courses: the razor clams (always), followed by a tapas-sized portion of octopus with rosevale potatoes and capers, then the potted shrimps (as I moved off sherry on to a glass of Gavi), then, still peckish, a bulging Welsh Rarebit and then a share with Esther (who had, meanwhile, had only a modest saucer of deep-fried goujons) of the meatiest, muscliest Spotted Dick in history, with a firm slap of golden syrup and custard.

We had six dishes, then, and five excellent glasses of wine, for £92 including service. Which is not bad at all. But the real value comes in the hidden, unpriced extras.

First came Ken Stott. He was with someone I knew, we were introduced, and within seconds he was railing at A.A. Gill, who, standing in as Sunday Times theatre critic when A View From A Bridge opened, had raised one or two small quibbles in his review.

“What’s a bloody restaurant critic doing reviewing theatre anyway?” Ken raged. “How would Mr Gill feel if I went and opened a restaurant?”

“I suspect he would be delighted,” I said.

Next in was Zoë Wanamaker, whom I had not seen since the last time I was in here, when she had fallen into conversation with the former Liverpool and England winger, John Barnes (no doubt reminiscing about the time she mercilessly hacked him down when he was clean through and only Sir Ian McKellen to beat). This time she was in with Duckface out of Four Weddings and came straight over to where I was sitting, to look past me at a photo on the wall of Ralph Fiennes, who had been sitting two rows in front of me, in the flesh, not an hour before. Zoë and Duckface giggled loudly and then scampered off to flick peas at Rupert Everett.

And thus, finally, I grasped the point of actors – it has nothing to do with the theatre, they’re just here to liven up our restaurants.

Read the full review here.