Tom's boost for Battersea

More than a decade ago at this Battersea address, Ilic worked as head chef of the restaurant Stepping Stone. More recently the site was called The Food Room and the plain name brought with it stark décor and an unwieldy lay-out. These remain, but Ilic's cooking is of such a high standard and his pricing so gentle that I didn't even mind what looked like someone's old tights stretched over a wire cylinder to make a candleshade on the table.

Even though a cheerful little pig is part of the new Tom Ilic logo, the chef has had the sense to understand that a neighbourhood restaurant must also cater for picky eaters, fish fanciers and even vegetarians.

A first course of seared mackerel with horseradish soufflé, pickled beetroot and watercress salad was a brilliant get together with the double whammy of the soufflé - in terms of its crisp exterior hiding a soft centre of hot horseradish - coming across as truly inventive. Smoked haddock tortellini served with ribbons of buttered, herb-flecked leeks were beautifully made and the crisp strip of pancetta the perfect contrasting texture and flavour. A more typically macho Ilic starter of sautéed calf's sweetbreads with oxtail raviolo and an apple and parsnip purée was also an unmitigated success.

The signature dish is probably assiette of pork - I remember previous incarnations assembling four or five exemplars of nose-to-tail eating - but I couldn't persuade my companion to shift from her choice of croustillant of mushrooms, white onion and truffle fondue with which she seemed delighted.

Mallard duck cooked two ways - the breast roasted, the leg cooked as confit - was notable for the tender, luscious leg. A fig and red onion tartlet and creamed Savoy cabbage was the accompaniment.

All main courses arrive similarly fully garnished and none, at least last Tuesday evening, costs more than £13.50.

Among the desserts, the marrying of warm gingerbread with poached rhubarb and panna cotta infused with ginger and lemongrass was the star turn.

Ilic was not particularly well served by one of his waitresses who seemed too impatient for the job. Any conversational encounter was interrupted and brought to an end by her cry of "no problem" as she rushed away. Which became a problem for us. That and maybe, actually, the candle-shade aside, restaurant Tom Ilic is a terrific new addition to the area.

Tom Ilic
Queenstown Road, London, SW8 3RH