Named after one of the steam engines that used to run on the railway line overhead a century ago, Beagle is very much in the modern-industrial style.

Set in three railway arches near Hoxton Overground, the restaurant and bar fill an expansive space with bare brick walls, flickering candles, and dimmed electric lighting coming from what look like old oil lamps.

Danish wooden chairs, symmetrical unfussy steel chandeliers and the lack of any art on the walls, combine to produce an overall effect that’s luxuriously functional – and very now. The modern British menu is exciting, without being overly pretentious.

Using the much-lauded “seasonal quality ingredients”, each course under the watch of head chef Tom Ryalls accomplished something a little bit out of the ordinary.

The ox tongue pastrami starter came with pickled beetroot and sesame seeds, and was tender and softly scented, while the wood-grilled whole quail was sweetly offset with pomegranate and kohlrabi,

I relished the ox cheek main course which came with pickled walnuts and the texture of the wilted little gem lettuce was lovely and crunchy next to the gloriously tender rich meat.

Roast squash with lentils and goats curd veggie main course was wholesome and pure.

For desert I plumped for the poached pear, to see what to make of the celeriac it was being served with – and the odd combination proved a winner.

My friend kindly offered to “take one for the team” and try the even stranger sounding goats cheese sorbet with cardamom biscuit – but he needn’t have worried.

Like everything else that went past our lips it was nothing short of delectable.

I love Beagle’s retro-industrial vibe, and the contemporary twist it gives quality British ingredients.