Duck Soup Pan-European, straight from the pan

The political map of Europe is absolutely senseless these days, what with the Russians making the best capitalists, the Greeks threatening civilization, and the Germans saving everyone. Charting out continental culinary cartography instead: Duck Soup, now open in Soho.

From an ex-Hix Oyster & Chophouse trio, Duck's perma-changing menu (two to three times every day) was/is/will be inspired by dishes sampled on various European jaunts, all served up in a white-tile sleeve dominated by a long wooden bar, and atmosphere'd with a "b.y.o. vinyl" turntable on which you're actually free to spin your own records, one of which hopefully won't be "shortest time until a Savage Garden album is smashed".

So far, smaller Euro-gorging has been provided by acorn-fed Spanish Bellota ham, Swiss "Tete de Moine" (a rare hard cheese which must be carefully scraped with a knife in order to bring out its subtle flavours), and their signature duck soup, with Italian Nostrale potatoes, foie, and a note reading "I could dance with you until the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows till you come home."

Homages that truly bust hunger include a French white-wined pound of bivalves (clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, etc.), two whole roasted quails w/ Moroccan-style burnt lemons & harissa mayo, and slow-roasted shoulder of lamb w/ ultra-fresh British garlic sauce -- call that European, and you'll be hearing about it in your Daily Mail.

Boozewize, apart from a Vedett tap and a huge, wholly "natural wine" list, they're proudly touting themselves as the only UK resto vending the Austrian town of F**king's light ale, "F**king Hell", or, what one exclaims resignedly when one must accept salvation from the Germans.