When I was but a young buck and knew very little about either fine dining or the London restaurant scene, I was amazed when I first visited Club Gascon around the time of its opening in the late 1990s.
Blanchette: Chic rustique (September 2015)
Les Trois Garcons: Deliciously decadent (December 2014)
I first visited Les Trois Garcons when it opened around 15 years ago. I loved it then and I still love it now. Shoreditch has changed a lot during this time, but the evidently successful formula here has not. We all probably play the game – if you had a restaurant, how might you choose to furnish it?
Helene Darroze at The Connaught: Two starts mostly justified (December 2013)
Brasserie Zedel (August 2013)
Aubaine Mayfair: Scored on most – but not all – counts (June 2013)
French food in London can often be a culinary minefield, with the experience ranging from the old-fashioned and high-end (think Gavroche) to the touristy and tacky (Café Rouge). Aubaine manages to sit comfortably between these two extremes and constitutes an enjoyable and fairly priced – if not exceptional – dining option.
RSJ Restaurant (April 2013)
Terroirs (December 2012)
I am full of plaudits for Terroirs. A group of five of us had a table in the corner downstairs last night and from my vantage point in the very corner I was able to look out at the whole restaurant. Unsurprisingly, every table was taken, but – as trivial as this may sound – everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves.
La Petite Maison (November 2012)
I am really surprised how polarised opinions appear to be about this restaurant. This is the third time I have been here and each time I have loved the whole experience and would undoubtedly return. One caveat, however: make sure someone else is paying, since it is not cheap! The heavy brown velvet curtain creates a sense of anticipation prior to entry and the dining room itself is lovely, beautifully light and spacious, a perfect antidote to a dull November day.