COUNTER - CHIUSO

Counter is a story of two halves, both of which are great. On the one side is Counter Brasserie, which serves good American and French style food. I had the Burger, which is big, juicy and delicious while my partner had the Tuna, which was succulent, generously sized and served with crunchy rice cakes and peppers. We accompanied our meal with a great bottle of French Malbec. We came back the next morning for brunch. Equally yummy, with stuffed French toast to die for. On the other side is BackCounter, their cocktail lounge. They serve strong, sharp martinis, mixed by twinkly eye candy. Counter is not exclusively gay, but the owners and about half the staff and customers are. So it's a real welcoming place and a must-eat-and-drink-place for a gay visitor to London.