You can see what he means when you visit the Highgate restaurant, which opened in the High Street last August on the former site of Cote Brasserie.
Spread around upmarket dormitory towns in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, Lussmanns serves British and European classics like shepherd’s pie, fishcake, and onglet steak in relaxed but stylish surroundings.
There are more adventurous dishes on the fish-forward menu, with sustainability high on the agenda.
Indeed Lussmann’s styles itself a “sustainable kitchen” and thought and care goes into working with suppliers and sourcing produce with high welfare and environmental standards.
We know that restaurants are having a hard time with the cost of living, and prices here are reasonable for such quality ingredients and high cooking standards.
At £8.90 my North African cod cheeks was the priciest starter and arrived as a generous, hearty bowl of chickpeas and meaty fish, gently but warmly spiced with coriander and harissa.
My partner’s hunter’s bruschetta warned it might contain shot – happily it didn’t – instead it was a creamy blend of rabbit, mushrooms and pancetta from the Sussex Weald heaped on toasted sourdough.
He was very happy with Lussmann’s own Pilsner lager, on tap at a £6.20 and I with the house white Corney & Barrow blanc at £7.50 for 175ml – none of this £10 for 125ml that is becoming fashionable in London restaurants.
Mains also didn’t disappoint, he went for the fish and chips Friday option of firm, MSC haddock in a proper crispy batter and home made tartare sauce – we swapped out the mushy peas for a bowl of mixed seasonal veg.
My whole Cornish sole was a beautifully cooked fish piled with capers, diced tomatoes and herbs in a puddle of extra virgin olive oil.
The French would eat this on its own, and indeed the side of sauteed courgettes in lemon and garlic was hardly necessary.
Already full, we could only manage to share the delightful dark chocolate mousse topped by a biscuity crumb.
The table next to us had long finished their meal but were not being hurried along – Lussmanns is that kind of place.
With its spacious interior, decorated with art and plants, this really feels like a neighbourhood restaurant that welcomes all – serving breakfasts at weekends, a daily set menu at £20.95 for two courses, and cheese and charcuterie sharing boards for the merely peckish.
Now spring is here, its sunny front parlour with awning is ideal for people watching, and and soon its rear garden will be a haven on the high street.
Lussmanns is at 2, Highgate High Street. www.lussmanns.com
