Just play it again, Sam

The split-level dining area in Sam's Brasserie is a handsome building which was once a paper factory.

When I went to the loo at the newly opened Sam's Brasserie in Chiswick, I was reminded of Per Se restaurant in New York, owned by Thomas Keller - he of The French Laundry that, more than once, has been voted Best Restaurant in the World. It was the music. In both establishments groovy music is piped loudly into the Ladies (and doubtless into the Gents). My friend said that she enjoyed one song so much that she sat waiting until it finished.

In other respects Sam's Brasserie is not like Per Se, a sumptuous establishment overlooking Central Park where a cavalcade of exquisite Lilliputian dishes sets you back £100 before drinking. Thomas Keller wouldn't print his menu on a piece of paper that serves as the tablemat, as Sam does.

The eponymous Sam (Harrison) has worked in Sydney for two years and recently managed Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. Rick is an investor. A large bar and even larger split-level dining area occupy the industrial-style ground floor of a handsome building that was once a paper factory and is now office space for small businesses. I would like to work in a small business where I could nip down to Sam's for some fig toast with Serrano ham at £6 and a 500ml carafe of Hunter's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2003 for £17.50.

The head chef, visible in the open kitchen, is Rufus Wickham, whose dad, Julyan, designed Kensington Place, one of the restaurants that opened in 1987 and changed everything in catering for ever. (Others were Marco Pierre White's Harvey's and Simon Hopkinson's Bibendum.)

Rufus has cooked at Kensington Place with Rowley Leigh and at The Crown in Southwold. Four of us had no argy-bargy deciding what we wanted from his quite long modern European menu.

Reg, who generally recoils at the sight of a chickpea, embraced several of them among steamed mussels and clams and slices of chorizo. A few more mussels would not have come amiss. Terrine with onion marmalade was much liked by an American friend who asked me to distinguish between terrine and pâté. I changed the subject to remark on how chefs love to hurl butter into dishes.

There was too much in the tagliatelle with buttered girolles, but of course it makes the ingredients irresistible. Deconstructing a salade Niçoise is a mistake, as is using grilled tuna. Tuna in oil is better.

Roasted cod on brandade with parsley purée was excellent;-basted English duck - slices of magret and confit leg - with orange sauce was not bad; potée (cuts of pork simmered in stock in an earthenware pot) was much liked, particularly the petit salé part; rump of lamb with creamed flageolets and grilled tomatoes (for some reason heavily sprinkled with anise seeds) was also well received.

Among the desserts, millefeuilles of peach and the chocolate and caramel ice creams stood out as gorgeous.

Sam, who resembles a young Desmond Olivier Dingle from the esteemed National Theatre of Brent, is an Old Etonian and thus has impeccable manners. Dressed in a pinny, he mucks in and inspires the rest of the staff with his sweet enthusiasm.

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