Covent Garden restaurant

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.

Food images by Chérie City and interiors by Virginie Garnier

SUDA Thai Cafe Restaurant is a perfect spot for classic Thai dishes in a stylish yet casual setting. It’s the sister restaurant of my favourite Thai fine dining restaurant Patara, but with a more informal atmosphere, simpler menu and lower price point.

Tucked away in St Martin’s Courtyard, it’s conveniently located for a break from shopping in Covent Garden or a delicious after-work dinner with friends.

Suda is set over two floors, balancing industrial-chic black and silver design and cool photography with quirky touches such as carved wood donkeys and miniature plants. It also features a small market offering authentic Thai ingredients and fresh spices.

We sat on the ground floor at a rather large table for two, which worked well for sharing dishes easily. The non-alcoholic cocktails sounded healthy and delicious, so I tried the Lemongrass and ginger ice tea (£4.50) – fresh lemongrass shaken with ginger, lemon juice, sugar and topped with Thai tea. The ice tea was subtle and slightly sweet, however the glass was filled with so much ice that the drink was finished a little too quickly.

A more zingy choice was the Apple Press (£4.50) – fresh apple pressed with mint, ginger and honey. The drink was fresh, tart and not overly sweet, with a torn mint leaf foam.

We ordered a selection of starters to share, as they looked so tempting. Pratad Pu Cha (£6.95) – Suda crab and chicken firecrackers were long, thin filled wontons, tied with a string of seaweed and served in glasses with a sweet chili dipping sauce. The chicken and crab fillings were succulent and well-seasoned – a delicious contrast to the crunchiness of the wonton.

Also worth trying is the Satay Gai (£5.25) – chicken satay sticks with peanut sauce. The succulent skewers of chicken were lightly spiced and chargrilled while the peanut dipping sauce was full of flavour yet very mild.

Another fun and tasty starter was Tod Mun Pla Goong (£5.95) – Thai fish and prawn lollipops. The prawn lollipop was like a plump fritter and the fish lollipop was covered in a crispy batter – both were fresh, piping hot and very tasty. These little bites would be perfect for a party or as a bar snack with a cocktail.

For the main course, I was tempted by Pad Thai Goong (£9.50) with rice noodles. The noodles were cooked perfectly with beansprouts and finely sliced red pepper and were dressed in a light crushed peanut and lime sauce.

The Pad Thai Goong is usually served with prawns but Suda kindly offered it with chicken instead when I asked. The portion size was generous and there was plenty of meat, however the chicken was a little dry and didn’t absorb the flavours of the dish.

Steven ordered Gaeng Phed Ped Yang (£10.50) – roast duck red curry. The medium-hot curry was rich, fragrant and aromatic with a generous amount of thinly-sliced duck, cherry tomatoes, red peppers and grapes. The curry sauce was so tasty and addictive, with slow-cooked flavours of coconut, lemongrass and turmeric. Luckily there was so much sauce that I was able to sneak a few spoonfuls to dress my last few bites of Pad Thai Goong.

The Kao Phad Kai (£2.75) – wok-fried rice with eggs was a perfect accompaniment – much lighter and less greasy than any fried rice I’ve tried.

For dessert, I was intrigued by Kao Tum Mud Sai Chocolate (£4.95) – sticky rice roll with bitter chocolate filling. The warm rice, served on top of a banana leaf, was infused with jasmine and the strands stuck lightly together without being gooey. The rich, thick, slightly sharp chocolate sauce and the smooth vanilla ice cream added flavour to the nicely textured rice.

Steven tried Gluay Hom Tod (£4.95) – golden banana fritters with honey and sesame served with vanilla ice cream. The bananas were soft and naturally sweet, covered in a light, crispy batter with little golden pieces of puffed rice and a drizzle of honey and scattered sesame seeds.

We finished with a Fresh Mint Tea and a Fresh Ginger Tea – both were potent, calming and completely natural.

Suda is a great destination restaurant, but like its older sibling Patara, it has the potential to become a boutique chain of eateries. Staff are friendly and polite and service is efficient yet subtle. It’s the kind of place that lets you get on with your meal without interruption.

Prices are reasonable considering the food quality and generous portion sizes, bridging the gap between Thai ‘cheap eats’ and fine dining. The lunch set menu is particularly good value, offering a selection of popular main dishes with fish and prawn lollipops for under £10. I will definitely go back to Suda to try more of the delicious curries and noodles.

Chérie City was a guest of Suda

Photos by Chérie City and Suda

A Great Lunch at Frenchie Covent Garden

SUDA Thai in Covent Garden, London