Tucked away in the heart of Marylebone is the elegant Orrery serving a French-inspired menu.

Today we visit Orrery a fine French restaurant forming part of the diverse D&D group. Located on the top two floors overlooking a charming church garden and the lively Marylebone Road.

Just a short lift ride away, it has its own designated lift, Orrery is perfect for both locals and those visiting Marylebone’s boutiques. The sun is shining, and it’s still pleasantly warm, but we regrettably forgot to request a terrace table.

Which is fully booked with a large party and a few lucky dinners who planned ahead for the warm day.  So we settle in the indoor dinning area instead which has a minimalist design of cream tones, white cloth and rather striking arched windows.

Orrery brings the French tradition of prix fixe menu here with three course menu at £68 and a two course one at £58, both fairly reasonable prices for such a location. For those wanting to explore a variety of dishes and savour a curated dining experience there is of course also a tasting menu.

There is also a lunch menu, with strikingly similar dishes, for a little less than in the evening.

Turning to the starters, you’ll find an array of classical and beautifully presented dishes such as hand-picked Dorset crab, caramelised onion tart, salmon ballottine and seafood ravioli.

But first we enjoy a freshly baked mini boule of bread with French butter and a golden crisp crust that crackles lightly as we break into it revealing a warm and slightly chewy texture inside. It’s a challenge to restrain yourself from asking for one more.

Our starters somewhat echo Orrery’s décor: my seafood ravioli is an expertly executed al dente pasta enclosing a majestic seafood filling simply presented in a moreish lobster bisque.

But the real star is the Dorset crab, which is hand -picked by the chefs at the restaurant. The presentation of the starter is a little tricky to describe, sort of like a deconstructed tartlet, often found in french desserts.

It’s beautifully crafted with delicately sweet, crab meat topped with a fine crisp tuile, mango and wasabi puffs. Like the terrace, the starter is bright and summery and adorned with fresh edible micro greens, almost too saddening to break apart.

For the mains we opted for contrasting flavours from both land and sea. The seabass, which I naturally enquired about, is confirmed to be wild.

It’s a delectable dish showcasing a rich blend of flavors and textures, served alongside a courgette flower and aromatic basil cumin sauce. Another unexpected but pleasant surprise was to discover that the courgette flower was stuffed with creamy ricotta cheese, one of my holiday favourites during warm months in Italy.

My guest’s main is the classic, no surprises here, beef medallion, paired with pomme purée and sauce Périgourdine. Tender and juicy, cooked to perfection the beef is complimented beautifully by the rich Périgourdine adding depth and pleasant lingering flavour.

The dishes are light, leaving plenty of space for something sweet. After a dessert dilemma we went for poached peaches and raspberry mille-feuille mascarpone with raspberry sorbet.

Mille-feuille is my normally preferred dessert in French patisseries, sadly this is a little disappointing. While visually appealing, the thousand layers are not as flaky, nor does the mascarpone cream quite reach the harmonious crescendo we had hoped for.

However the poached peaches and yogurt are simple yet refreshing, wonderfully poached, soft yet still holding their form adding a satisfying light round up to a fine meal.

Orrery offers a solid dining experience with a charming atmosphere and thoughtfully prepared dishes with a modern flair. It’s a lovely spot for a pleasant meal in a refined setting.

Orrery, 55 Marylebone High St, London W1U 5RB