A Tenth Wedding Anniversary is a significant event and so choosing a restaurant in which to celebrate is no trivial matter (especially for an amateur food critic). Nonetheless, after little consideration, my comrade and I elected Marianne. This was the third time we have visited it – and we have never been disappointed yet. Arguably, it is the best place to go for an intimate fine dining experience in London. The only (good) problem is that the restaurant seats only 14. Dare I sing its praises too much, and it may become increasingly hard to get a table here in the future! Small is beautiful at Marianne. There is a sense of intimacy and personal touch here that it is a struggle to find in other restaurants. The eponymous Marianne (a former MasterChef winner) serves only a tasting menu, drawing on classic European influences and utilising predominantly seasonal ingredients. Both my vegetarian comrade and I were highly satisfied with our menus and accompanying wines, which were superbly paired. The amuse bouche – a tiny espresso cup of deeply flavoursome pumpkin soup with fresh cubes of said vegetable – set the tone for the rest of the evening. The highlight for me was my pheasant main (served wonderfully pink), accompanied by cavolo nero, pear and Sichuan spices. The pairing of this with a Montsant red was inspired. Throughout, presentation was excellent. The stand-out piece worthy of mention here was the cured trout, pickled kohlrabi and citrus dish which preceded the pheasant. Vibrantly hued orange and white slices of the two principal ingredients were displayed artistically on a glass dish suspended over a plate – culinary art at its best. Cheese and dessert too were superlative and the petit fours accompanied with anniversary greetings traced in chocolate were a lovely touch on which to conclude. Full marks!