Market, 43 Parkway, London NW1

How is it I can recall the taste and texture of my first smoked oyster at the age of six – sweet, salty, oily, juicy, oozy – but I can't remember what I had for dinner last night? My theory is that I'm running out of space on my personal taste archive, so the brain automatically ditches anything mediocre or middling to leave room for the great or the truly disastrous.

Luckily, I scribble notes and sketches of the food as I eat, to aide my mémoire. Otherwise various reviews, written up days later after 14 similar meals, might read: "I forget what I ate here – and so will you."

But I don't need to consult my notes on this smart little diner in Camden, because I have total recall. Not because it was flamboyant or appalling, but because everything I had was simple, natural, unfussy and right.

Market is the baby of front-of-house Denise Tang and chef Dan Spence, last seen at the gastropubbish Medcalf in Exmouth Market after cooking his way through London, Australia and Hong Kong. The rear wall around the open hatch to the kitchen has been blackboarded, and writ large is today's special (faggots with mushy peas, £10) and today's greens (brussel tops, £2.50). The rest of the menu is just as seasonal and sustaining, in a St John/Anchor & Hope/Great Queen Street sort of way, with its devilled kidneys on toast, a mighty looking chicken and ham pie, Atlantic prawns with tartare, and beef stew with colcannon. Starters are around £6 and mains around £12, with most portions being on the trencherman side, so it's not surprising the place is packed.

To begin, a little Le Creuset casserole dish holds soft, tender lumps of pig's cheek mixed in with melting morcilla sausage in a rich wine reduction, freshened up with a few green peas (£6.50). It's gutsy without being gluey. Just as good is a chip-chop salad of chicory, anchovy, egg and crunchy golden croutons (£5), all crisp and bright and spring-has-sprung.

A bottle of Nicolis Valpolicella Ripasso (£31) from the upper reaches of the modest and friendly wine list is unusually rich and smoky. It's a treat with the salt mutton, a happy, messy hash of big slabs of blush-pink salt-mutton leg from Farmer Sharp (£11.50), draped over a bubble-and-squeak of parsnip, Brussels sprout and sweet potato. It just needs more than the gentle slather of caper sauce it comes with to keep it moist.

A slab of black bream (£12.50) perches on a wave of smooth mash, scattered with lightly cooked mussels and drizzled with salsa verde; one of those dishes in which everything pulls together. To end, a little jam sponge pudding (£5) is blonde and fluffy, with fine custard.

I remember my fellow diners as a rum lot, with more silver hair, cashmere and art jewellery than your normal Camden crowd. Then I discover they are all of the same faith, devotees of my fellow restaurant critic, St Giles of The Times. I just hope this review sends a more varied bunch of intelligent, good-looking fortysomethings from The Independent on Sunday.

I remember the prices being extremely reasonable, the service relaxed, and the long room unpretentiously, budget-consciously plain, with exposed brick walls, square zinc-topped tables and numbered wooden vintage chairs. I also remember thinking there were no mixed messages, just the harmony of compatible, highly seasonal flavours brought together by a good cook with freshness and restraint.

Market has a more independent voice than the (very welcome) rash of modern British gastropub/bistros – British, certainly, but not relentlessly so. It's strong, sustainable and sustaining, and I find it more exciting than the last 20 glitzy, exploitative, upmarket restaurant concepts to have come along.

Note to self, in case I forget: come back as soon as possible.

16/20

Scores: 1-9 stay home and cook, 10-11 needs help, 12 ok, 13 pleasant enough, 14 good, 15 very good, 16 capable of greatness, 17 special, can't wait to go back, 18 highly honourable, 19 unique and memorable, 20 as good as it gets

Market, 43 Parkway, London NW1, tel: 020 7267 9700. Lunch daily; dinner Mon-Sat. Around £75 for two, including wine and service

Second helpings: More British bistros

J Baker's Bistro Moderne

7 Fossgate, York, tel: 01904 622 688

The former Michelin-starred chef Jeff Baker breathes new life into British classics. Try potted duck with molasses cake, hare pudding with liquorice and old-fashioned walnut pie

Woods Bar and Brasserie

Pilotage Building, Stuart Street, Cardiff, tel: 02920 492 400

In a converted dockside building on Cardiff Bay, chef Sean Murphy tempts with Stilton gnocchi and pheasant terrine with mulled wine jelly

Hereford Road

3 Hereford Road, London W2, tel: 020 7727 1144

Former St John Bread & Wine chef Tom Pemberton serves up simple, seasonal British food: devilled kidneys, brawn with piccalilli and whole braised oxtail

Interesting? Click here to explore further