Salut!

On the corner of a busy Islington road, Salut! offers up relaxed modern European food in an equally as chilled setting. Served in an intimate space complete with an open kitchen, the food and drink menus are both short, yet well-thought-out. To start, we enjoyed fresh-tasting king crab, avocado and roasted pepper, with pea shoots and shaved fennel. For mains, things went up a notch with a terrifically tender sirloin steak, served alongside kale, king oyster mushrooms and a truffle pomme purée that enhanced the meaty flavours. The evening ended with an intricately presented trio of chocolate spheres, filled with liqueur crème and served with macerated cherries; the sour taste of the cherries balanced well with the sweetness of the chocolate. Drinks-wise, meagre non-alcoholic options went no further than water, leaving the decent French list to prove that Salut! is predominantly concerned with toasting good wine. While the food stands out here, a combination of unenthusiastic and slightly slow service, toilets lit by candlelight and rickety furniture means this is definitely one for edgier crowds. A solid choice for great European food at affordable prices, just don’t expect to be in the lap of luxury.