French-inspired, moodily-lit and supremely plush, Compagnie des Vin Surnaturels is a wine bar and restaurant that we really want to love. Located in colourful Neal’s Yard, it’s a stylish little hideaway from the mayhem of Soho and Covent Garden.

However, despite its initial charm and carefully curated selection of wines, three separate visits have left us feeling disenchanted.

With its clashing patterns, soft fabrics and wooden accents, the interior has a touch of ooh-la-la glamour to it. It has an almost speakeasy, cocktail bar vibe, which is unsurprising given that the owners also run the Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown. Not to be fooled by the name, ‘Surnaturels’ has nothing to do with natural wine, but is supposedly linked to mysticism and the unknown.

Inside, the tables and chairs are small and low, and while it’s fitting for a romantic dalliance or an intimate tête-à-tête, it can get crowded due to its layout and busy Seven Dials location. This impacts on the service, which is at times inattentive. On our last visit, we ended up leaving after the first drink - even though we wanted to stay for another and some food – because we had tried for over 20 minutes to coax one of the waiters to our table and we simply got fed up.

Granted, the wine lists by the glass and bottle are very good. They are meticulous and lengthy, although not overly adventurous in terms of range. By the glass, there are:

• 14 reds

• 10 whites

• 1 rosé, and

• two Champagnes

The cheapest (both red and white) is £6 for 125ml, but the majority are in the £10-15 bracket and some go up to £30+. They also have what they call ‘special wines’ (Madeira and Tawny Port), which range from £9 for 70ml to £49 for 50ml (the latter for a 1905 Madeira). We do like that they have a ‘mystery wine’ on offer (£9 for 125ml on our last visit), for which you get a free bottle if discovered. It’s a simple, yet playful touch.

I’m too chicken to play the mystery wine game, so we settle on two glasses of white: a René Mossé Chenin Blanc 2017 from the Loire Valley and a Weingut Wittmann Estate Riesling 2017 from Rheinhessen. A medley of bruised apples on the nose, the former has intense acidity and flavours of lemon and tart green apple. The latter smells of white nectarine and has a slight fizz on the palate. They’re both delicious and go down a treat on a mild afternoon.

The list by the bottle is French-heavy and quite expensive - most are £45+ and a lot are £100+, although you can get a small handful of reds and whites between £30-40. There are some Australian stars by the bottle (most notably the Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 1990 from the Yarra Valley), but they cost a pretty penny. There’s an interesting selection of Swiss wines also.

We’ve heard that the food is delicious (particularly the ‘Posh Madame’ – a Croque Madame with truffle ham and quail egg), but we can’t vouch for that ourselves. It’s largely cheeses and charcuterie, with some meat, fish/seafood and vegetarian dishes to share. It’s a shame that the cheese selection comes in groups of three and five only, as it means that for someone like me (who can’t have cow’s milk), there isn’t an option of trying just one. Each plate ranges between £9-20.

A place for schmoozing, gossiping and getting in touch with your inner Parisian, CdVS is the place to take those you wish to impress (you would certainly impress me, if you could pick the mystery wine!). It’s not, however, the best place in London to relax with friends or loved ones. It’s also not our pick when it comes to cheerful, helpful service or (perhaps ironically, given its name) experimenting with the unknown.