There's nothing like a bit of healthy competition to keep restaurants ticking over, which is why we're excited about Skylon and Canteen, the newly refurbed Royal Festival Hall's two star restaurants, going head to head.

As part of the Hall's £100 million makeover, Skylon, the latest offering from D&D London (formerly Conran Restaurants), opens its doors for the first time today.

As you'd expect, no design stone has been left unturned, from the cutlery to the coffee pots and the decor (comfortably contemporary with a hint of retro cool) to the staff uniforms (modernist/utalitarian chic). The food should be good, too, seeing as they've enlisted the talents of Helena Puolakka whose past stints have been at La Tante Claire and working with Pierre Gagniere - sea bass en papillotte with iberico bellotta, baby fennel, niçoise olives and Puy lentils is just a taster of what's on offer. But the panoramic views of the London skyline could be the clincher.