On the evening we dine at Métisse, a new French fine-diner-cum-bistro in the former digs of Gastro Park, Antipodean and Ételek, it’s frantic in the dining room. Owner Opel Khan is like a hurricane swirling from table to table, trying to keep everyone happy.

His staff seem thrown by the number of diners – they’re lovely, but scattered. I’ve been to this site in all its incarnations and I’ve never seen it this busy so, service aside, they’re clearly doing something right.

At the base of the Barcelona building in the backstreets of Kings Cross, it’s always been a lovely, unique space. The curved room is crowned by a cloud chandelier and has floor-to-ceiling windows hung with French linen that offer a quieter, yet often colourful perspective of the area.

Chef Benoit Lollichon, an alumnus of three Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy, is dishing up slightly reworked French classics and although Khan has touted the fare as three Michelin-star food at bistro prices, I disagree. It’s bistro food, for bistro prices. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Sure, the cutlery, crockery and glassware are special, but the service and food are far more laid-back.

Among the bistro classics, a decent beef tartare tossed with capers and gherkin comes topped with a quail egg yolk and served with shards of crostini, and blushing chunks of slow-cooked lamb come with colourful ratatouille.

A confit duck leg, meanwhile, is spot on, but the beans in the accompanying cassoulet would have benefited from more cooking. However, boned and rolled chicken is nicely cooked and works well with the onion consommé. It’s all nice and nicely priced.

But Métisse would do better without the pretence of being fancy because, well, it’s not. Embrace the casual, laissez-faire nature of the food on the plate because it’s the reason why the room is humming.