A la Colthard/Fischers

I often say the function of a restaurant critic is less to review new restaurants and more to provide a roster of reliable restaurants.

Most diners have their favourites as do most reviewers.

One of mine is the Viennese style kondotorei Fischers in Marylebone High Street to where I was invited by two old friends yesterday.

Upon arrival some 20 minutes late for our reservation I was immediately struck how full the restaurant was and a long queue formed behind us.

Within minutes we had our table.

This is the test of a good restaurant: can the waiters and waitresses and kitchen cope?

Yes they could, because a Corbin and King restaurant means good training and quality staff.

I always have the trio of herring and schnitzel Holstein but my host has such an aversion to dairy products he prefers not even to see an egg which sits up on the Holstein schnitzel.

So I ordered my favourite soup – borscht – followed by a normal schnitzel. My guests had the herring and goulash.

Our choice of food  veered from Viennese to Hungarian, Polish and Baltic – all good.

I thought my friend, a connoisseur of wine would order a grunerveltiner but he went for a classic Soave and Cotes du Rhone.

Over drinks before at another fave of mine the Hotel Marylebone we had cursed the practice of wine by the glass so I ordered a bottle of rose

I was charged £16 for a glass of Chablis the other day.

I did not see the final bill but from previous experience I would think it was about £100 per head.

I will certainly be going back as I have been doing in the 7 years since it was launched.