It’s rare to find a restaurant that manages to tick off everything on your dream wish list. Not an easy task, but that was my first impression of Frenchie Covent Garden after visiting for lunch a few days ago.
It’s safe to say that Frenchie has been one of the most anticipated new openings in London this season. Nantes-born chef Gregory Marchand and his wife Marie opened the original Frenchie in Paris’ hip Marais neighbourhood in 2009 and with just 26 seats, it’s still quite a mission to get a reservation. A mini empire on the Rue du Nil followed with Frenchie Bar à Vins and Frenchie To Go, before bringing their innovative bistronomy concept to London.
Gregory Marchand knows the city well, having made his name at Savoy Grill, Mandarin Oriental, Electric House and Fifteen, where his mentor Jamie Oliver gave him the nickname ‘Frenchie’. He has also cooked around the world in Hong Kong, Spain and at Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern in New York.
Frenchie Covent Garden occupies a prime spot on Henrietta Street, just off the Piazza, and the interiors are unbelievably gorgeous. Emilie Bonaventure designed the inviting two-floor space with white-wash walls, exposed brickwork, sleek marble bar, brass highlights, parquet flooring and comfortable seating in soft grey and rose pink fabrics.
I visited with a friend at lunchtime and as soon as I stepped through the door, I felt instantly welcome and well looked after. We were seated at the counter and were brought a bottle of chilled water while deciding which of the three dishes to order from the daily-changing set lunch menu, which is designed for sharing (two courses for £22/three courses for £28).
Carrots & vadouvan, barley and medjool date was a stunning dish, elevating the simple beauty of heritage carrots with modern Indian flavours. The sweet, slightly firm carrots were roasted in aromatic, gritty vadouvan (a blend of masala spices) and accompanied by a smooth carrot and cumin purée, springy barley doused in a lighter carrot sauce and a punchy date gel. It was a visual delight with rich colours and exotic flavours, though a little spicier than I’d imagined.
Basque black pudding, bramley apple and stracciatella was a complete contrast to the carrots with cool, zingy flavours. The velvety, rich black pudding was lightened with creamy stracciatella, tart bramley apple purée and tiny apple cubes.
Lincolnshire chicken, button mushroom, shiitake and Meyer lemon was an absolute joy to eat. The succulent roast chicken was exemplary with a crispy, golden skin and a farm-fresh, matured taste. However, it was the accompaniments that really excited – thin slices of button mushroom dusted with Iranian black lemon powder, herb-infused shiitake mushrooms, wilted greens, a buttery mushroom purée, a lusciously uplifting Meyer lemon curd and a garlicky meat jus.
It was quite possibly the most creative chicken dish I’ve ever tasted, with umami-rich surprises at every turn – it was so good I really didn’t want it to end.
Elwy Valley lamb pappardelle, Kalamata olives and espelette was presented in a more low-key, homely style but the flavours were sophisticated. The fresh egg pappardelle was perfectly al dente and silky, topped with juicy, tender lamb, fragrant black olives and plenty of espelette pepper, which gave it a sumptuous, smoky taste.
The modest portion sizes meant that we could comfortably indulge in the Bitter sweet chocolate tart, Maldon sea salt & bacon ice cream. Now, I love chocolate but a simple chocolate tart has to be really special to pique my interest and happily, this one was absolutely heavenly.
The thick chocolate ganache was like velvet and went well with the thin, rustic pastry and sticky salted caramel. The ice cream was delicious, but I could only detect the slightest hint of smoky bacon – it was enjoyable but didn’t make a big impact on the dessert.
New season Yorkshire rhubarb and Brillat-Savarin was so pretty and fresh – I can’t help gravitating towards pink desserts. Mouth-watering rhubarb sorbet sat atop sweet poached rhubarb and smooth, whipped vanilla-scented Brillat-Savarin (a soft white cheese) and crunchy biscuit crumble.
One of the most remarkable things about Frenchie is the staff. They’re just so charming, knowledgeable and genuinely interested in their guests, particularly Head Sommelier Bastien Ferreri who took the time to chat with us between each course.
Gregory Marchand was cooking downstairs in the open kitchen while we were there and is present almost every day, living nearby on Neal Street. This dedicated direction and fine attention to detail has made Frenchie a huge success already, just a few weeks after opening.
Frenchie Covent Garden is certainly more accessible than the Paris restaurant, but following quick word-of-mouth and rave reviews, it’s already becoming difficult to get a table. So go quickly, as Frenchie is a restaurant you won’t want to miss.
For more information and booking, visit: www.frenchiecoventgarden.com
Food images by Chérie City and interiors by Virginie Garnier
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