The Judge & Jury is a great concept. Nestled in the back of the Courthouse Hotel in the heart of Shoreditch, you would be forgiven for having no idea it even exists.

We were the only ones in the restaurant on a Thursday night at the end of August, but the music and rustic décor set the mood.

The walls are adorned with cartoon style drawings of famous people, from Martine McCutcheon to Alfred Hitchcock, dressed up as judges, in a nod to the building’s former days as a court room.

At first glance, the menu looks average and admittedly, my guest and I were not expecting to be blown over by the food – but we ended up eating our words. Literally.

My guest ordered the Scottish smoked salmon with capers, shallots, chives and watercress (£10) to start and said the combination of herbs alongside the fish was a zesty, delicious mix.

I had the avocado mash and omega seeds on toast with tomato relish (£7), a dish I would usually associate with brunch as opposed to a fancy dinner starter.

I really enjoyed it, the tomatoes giving it a tangy kick which complimented the soft flavour of the avocado well.

The main course options are limited and if you are vegetarian, you are restricted to one dish: the Moroccan chickpea tagine with couscous (£14.50).

But I am a carnivore and can never resist a good steak, so opted for the medium rare 10oz Rib Eye with a side of béarnaise and of course, truffle cooked fries. It was perfectly cooked and although my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach, I polished off the whole thing within minutes.

My guest tucked into the rump of Scottish lamb with heritage beetroot, celeriac puree, pickled salsify with lotus crisps (£19.50). It is one of the most beautifully presented dishes I have ever seen and I had a serious case of food envy.

The lamb was tender, melt in your mouth, the lotus crisps an interesting flavour and the celeriac mash a healthy alternative to greasy, fried chips.

If you fancy something a bit lighter, the corn fed chicken breast with savoy cabbage and wild mushroom (£16.50) or the crab linguini with spring onions and chili (£18) also look good.

For desert, we ordered the pineapple carpaccio with coconut sorbet and I can safely say I am still thinking about it a week later.

The thin slices of pineapple were a refreshing way to end the meal and the coconut sorbet was the right amount of sweetness.

All in all, the Judge & Jury is the perfect restaurant to go to if you find yourself in Shoreditch but are looking for something a little classier and a little more upmarket than its traditional, hipster establishments.