WHYTE & BROWN

We can't pretend to know which came first, but it's truly astonishing how many sayings, jokes and riddles hang on the theme of the humble chicken and egg. There are books, blogs and festivals aplenty and even Wikipedia has an entry on the subject, but as far as we know Whyte & Brown is the world's first chicken and egg-themed restaurant.

Nestling (forgive the pun) in a peaceful courtyard just off London's Carnaby Street, Whyte & Brown is the newly-hatched offspring of Mother Hen and creative director Fiona Gale and head chef Paul Fletcher. Both are as passionate about working with food and drink independents and pioneers as they are about the quality of fine-feathered friends used in their cuisine, so everything at Whyte & Brown is conscientiously selected and carefully sourced. That means free range chickens and eggs from Devon, farm fresh Kentish vegetables, locally made artisan breads, cakes and ice cream, uniquely house-blended coffees developed with Musetti and award-winning Suki teas.

The restaurant is designed on two levels, giving guests a choice of downstairs dining in the stylish bar and Mediterranean-feel alfresco courtyard or upstairs in the airy main space. The modern, distinctive décor immediately impressed as did a buzzy but relaxed atmosphere on the midweek evening of our visit. On this occasion we chose to dine upstairs, where we were warmly welcomed to our table by the knowledgeable and charming Chris and Natalie.

We happily munched our way through a bowl of Fried Chilli Broad Beans or 'habas' and sampled some British craft beer while deciding on first courses from the 'Start and Share' menu. We chose the signature Harissa Hot Wings (£5.95), chicken wings perfectly baked to fall-off-the-bone tenderness and with a tangy chilli afterkick, accompanied by some extremely yummy caramelised orange wedges and a minty yoghurt dressing. We also enjoyed our goblet of Croquette Balls (£5.45), filled with melt in the mouth chicken, pancetta and bechamel, and Poulet Confit (£6.25), slivers of delicately-spiced chicken in a piquant marinade, laced with whole peppercorns and topped with tastebud-tingling lemon crispettes. Other unique starters include Bangkok-Scotch Egg on Pickled Cucumber Salad (£6.25) and Saigon Salad (£5.45).

Our 'Feed and Feast' mains were equally tasty variations on the theme (£9.45-14.95). My guest had the Light Pastry Chicken and Langoustine Pie, chunks of roast chicken covered in a bechamel sauce, encased in butter puff pastry and topped with a whole langoustine. For the crustaceously-challenged, I'd describe a langoustine as halfway between a small lobster and a giant prawn.

Meanwhile, I adored my choice of Brick Chicken, crispy-skinned half chicken, marinated in lemon, thyme, garlic and olive oil, slow cooked and roasted under brick. It came with a generous side pot of gravy, notably delicious in its own right. To accompany our mains we enjoyed some superb creamy mash, seasonal vegetables and a tasty salad of heritage tomatoes in a basil dressing. You might also be tempted by options from the 'Chicken & Bun' range, like the smoky barbecue-sauced Pulled Chicken Bap or the caramelised onion and Parmesan-laced Chicken Caesar Burger. Children are well catered for, with a special two-course menu at £5.95.

Drinks include a good selection of reasonably priced wines (bottles from £15.45, the majority available by the glass) and we thoroughly enjoyed our bottle of luscious Casa Juanita Malbec. Also featured are a range of soft drinks, independently-brewed beers and spirits and a cocktail menu fashioned by award-winning mixologist Ryan Chetiyarwardana.

Hard to believe we had room for dessert, but the mouthwatering puddings proved irresistible. My guest bypassed the tempting Beyond-Eton-Mess and Passionfruit Tart and went instead for Tipsy Trifle (£5.75). This was a marvellous melange of four kinds of orange - Cointreau, jelly, crispettes and fresh fruit - surrounded by layers of chocolate sponge and custard, beautifully served in an individual glass ramekin and with a surprise scoop of blood orange sorbet. I succumbed to the Chocolate Brownie of the day (£5.95), which, joy of joys, had just the right combination of texture, taste and temperature – crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, the brownie warmed to perfection but not so hot as to melt the exquisite ice cream on top. With utmost difficulty we skipped the lovely-sounding list of liqueurs and afterdrinks, finishing off instead with a delicate Earl Grey Blue Flower tea and an excellent cappuccino.

There is an equally attractive and well-priced breakfast menu. With dishes like Eggs Anyway (£4.95), Scramble, Smoke & Sourdough (£6.95) and The Chicken & Egg Works (£7.95), Whyte & Brown's version of the traditional Full English, there's no need to raid the nest egg. If Whyte & Brown seemed fabulous in the summer, it promises to be just as inviting in the cooler months. Fiona and her team's upcoming plans include seasonally changing menus and brunch. Guests can continue to dine in the lovely courtyard, which in winter will be covered, heated and supplied with hot water bottles and blankets.

It's not every day we get to sample a newly-opened London restaurant which also happens to be a fresh breed of eatery. Our first visit to Whyte & Brown was a truly delicious experience and won't be our last. Although we've yet to unscramble that vexing chicken and egg question, we'll definitely be returning to try the other tempting items on the menu -- plus more of those incredible Harissa Wings, a side of that groovy gravy and another brownie.

Kingly Court, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW

Telephone: 020 3747 9820