You have to wonder whether having an Icelandic head chef could ever be a sufficient draw to fill an aspirational restaurant. When faced with the challenge of launching Texture in September 2007, executives at the P.R. company must have breathed a collective sigh of relief as they read Agnar Sverrisson’s C.V. and spotted the magic words “Raymond Blanc” and “Manoir aux Quat’Saisons”. “Icelandic” may translate as a chance to sample delicacies like well-rotted shark, but Monsieur Blanc means class and integrity.

The black wooden tables at Texture are somewhat crowded together, the floors are uncarpeted floorboards and the high ceilings mean that there is an echoey feel to the place. Sverrisson’s cooking is careful and combinations of flavour and texture are considered. There is much to admire in terms of strong flavours and accomplished techniques. If there is a valid criticism it must be that the presentation of the food on the plate is extreme, there are squiggles of sauce, mini-towers, multiple flavours fighting for dominance. For me things are 10% too complicated and platefuls may be 10% too prissy but this is good food with good flavours.

At lunch time there is list of dishes that are all served in starter size portions (all priced at £8.50 which can make exploring the menu quite expensive, maybe it would be wise to try the tasting menu at £59). French Jerusalem artichoke soup comes with a poached hen’s egg and black truffle – very refined soup, like perfumed cream, a decent fresh egg and the whiff of truffle works well. “Winter vegetable textures” turns out a little to complicated and looks a bit like a splatter painting. The “Icelandic” cod comes with brandade, chorizo and squid and is a wholly successful combination. The Shetland hot smoked organic salmon is perfectly cooked but the promised Asian flavours seem rather tame. The Lancashire suckling pig (puzzlingly billed as Lancashire Old Spot elsewhere on the menu – I suppose Gloucester Old Spot pork from Lancashire would put our provenance compasses into a spin),is slow cooked and served with squid and bonito sauce, once again good flavours. The Charolais beef cheek is slow braised with root vegetables and red wine – Monsieur Blanc would be proud of this one. The Cornish monkfish comes with a barley risotto and is flavoured with anis and almond. The desserts include a plateful of different coconut delights, and there is a poached pear that comes with a fine five spice ice cream.

These are interesting dishes and by an large they all deliver on the taste front. It is possible that eating here has made me acknowledge some of my prejudices about presentation and concede that other diners may be delighted by the elegant and complicated plating. I am much more concerned about how food tastes than how it looks, but I like the flavours at Texture, bring on the decaying shark!

Charles Campion

Texture, 34 Portman Square, London, W1 (020 7224 0028)

www.texture-restaurant.co.uk