Embedded in the maelstrom of a commuter hub, "The Terrace" makes a refreshingly smart appearance, marking the start of The Broadway and resting above Centre Court Shopping Centre.

Elegantly presented, the restaurant expresses a modern art deco-style interior, retaining the friendly character of Footlights while taking a step further into trendy territory.

The dining area was comfortably designed with enough space between tables to have a conversation without exchanging the details of your sordid weekend with the next table's latest update on Dora The Explorer. The music was pleasant and not too loud and for a Thursday there was sufficient company to provide a lively yet relaxing ambiance.

The service was equally as pleasing and my guest and I were met by a sleek Slovakian woman with a Martini bearing her name.

'Dana's Dirty martini' however only took after its namesake in the fact that it was deliciously sweet and immaculately presented and the approach of the staff was genuine and friendly throughout.

The first thing we noticed about the menu was that it was populated with favourites. From roast lamb to fresh vegetarian options and pizza, The Terrace is the sort of restaurant that can accommodate almost any taste.

The drinks menu which I hazard to say was thrice as long as the food menu was equally welcoming and my guest who is a teetotaller was thrilled at the extent of non-alcoholic beverages available.

Our meal began with a starter of pizza bread and Scottish moules mariniere.

The latter comes highly recommended, ranking higher in my book than most five star restaurants.

The mussels maintained the fresh, puffy texture of a newly plucked fruit de mer, were almost unusually large and settled in a divine mix of cream, white wine, garlic and shallot sauce with parsley and lemon that had a subtle aroma and delicate consistency and was consumed with warm bread, long after the mussels themselves disappeared.

For the main meal I chose a fresh, flaky sea bass adorned with capers and olives and my guest dined with reckless abandon on a leg of lamb cooked to perfection and falling off the bone.

Each dish was cooked according to its tradition, with the lamb basking in thick and tasty gravy and the Mediterranean flavour of the bass neither bashful nor overstated.

Both meals left barely any room for the dessert, which did not fail to impress either. The texture of the amaretto soaked lemon drizzle cake was like that of extremely moist polenta but actually was derived from ground almond and despite its rich flavour I was able to consume it in its entirety.

When I inevitably return to The Terrace I will sample the dessert cocktail menu and report back. In the meantime I highly recommend The Terrace for dinner or especially for parties as they have specialised catering menus for small and large groups as well as two wide-screen TV's that will be active during the summer for the Olympics and other sporting events.

But if that’s not your bag you can also enjoy highlights like live music, a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday brunches and a family-friendly atmosphere with a great kids menu.

In addition to all this there are the two large balcony areas which are a long standing favourite in sunny weather.

Eve Ainsbury.

The Terrace Unit 601 Centre Court Shopping Centre Queens Road Wimbledon London SW19 8YA Tel: 020 8944 9970