Listen closely as you walk in the door of Le Pont de la Tour. Do you hear creaking? So did we. Initially, we thought it was the sound of a place past its sell by date. What we subsequently discovered was a place making some very positive steps to get up off its laurels.

Like many people, my experience of Pont had been lunch back in my City days. For me, one of those been-there-seen-it-done-it recession bores, those days ended in the mid '90s. Which, coincidentally, appears to be about the last time Pont saw a makeover; well, save for the Crustacea Bar tucked into the counter of the bar. In some respects – the classic nature of the menu, the skill in the kitchen, the excellent services, the depth of the wine list – that’s a very good thing. In other respects - the layout, the decoration – it’s quite the opposite.

It does perhaps explain the lack of custom in the bar on an admittedly wet August evening although, as my companion pointed out, with a view this good, there’s really no excuse. As the name suggests, the restaurant and bar overlook Tower Bridge. It’s one of the best drinking views in the capital so where were the punters? It can’t be the credit crunch because we’d had to fight through the crowds at other riverside drinking holes to get there. The problem would appear to be the room itself which is characterless and badly in need of a shake-up.

However, there is light at the end of this particular tunnel. Pont is now part of D&D, who’ve recently made over Launceston Place to such excellent effect and have apparently shifted some key staff from Skylon to help revive Pont’s fortunes. And it certainly helps to have Lee Bennett in the kitchen. Bennett’s CV is impressive – Savoy Grill, Gordon Ramsay, Pierre Ganaire and Alain Ducasse – ditto his food. The oysters were impeccable, while his French influences shone through in first rate starters of steak tartare and an excellent, and robust, smoked eel, poached egg, pancetta and beetroot.

Main courses were of similar quality if lacking in oomph. Angus fillet, oyster mushrooms, blue cheese sauce was well sourced and well cooked, and Veal Rossini was everything Veal Rossini should be. All textbook stuff – indeed, all classic French textbook stuff –but a little, well, unexciting. Yes, it’s no doubt very acceptable to the few bankers still on expense account lunches but, by modern standards, there’s something lacking. However, there’s enough indication here to suggest that Pont’s ambitions lie several steps beyond classic and, even better, enough indication that the revival is already under way.

Le Pont de la Tour
The Butlers Wharf Building
36D Shad Thames
London SE1 2YE

Tel: 020 7403 8403

http://www.danddlondon.com/restaurants/restaurants/lepont