The idea of the local, quality brasserie is not a complicated one.

Really, all it involves are the following things done well and available within a ten minute drive of your front door: good fried breakfast, a steady flow of coffee, and enough comfort food and/or cocktails to get you through to bedtime. Doesn't sound hard does it?

Unfortunately though, there seems to be a dearth of this type of establishment (hell, I'd go as far as calling it a public service) outside of Zone One.

One exception to this rule, however, is Chiswick. For a few years now the lucky occupants of W4 have had access to the fantastic Sam's Brasserie, and they've made the place such a roaring success that owner Sam Harrison has decided to take the idea south of the river.

Harrison's opens today in Balham, and it follows exactly the same concept as the original. That means dawn 'til dusk food and drink with classic British grub and the type of comfy surroundings and familiar service that makes you want to stay much longer than you should and eventually maybe even get your mail redirected there.