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A Great Brunch at Sofitel London St James

June 1, 2015 by cheriecity

Weekends don’t get much better than when brunch is involved. Especially when it’s a lazy, late and luxurious brunch, so you can catch a few extra hours of beauty sleep (or recover from the excesses of Saturday night).

If you like your Sunday brunch with an air of sophistication, The Balcon at Sofitel London St. James has just launched its fabulous new Le Brunch menu. Classic French dishes are given a creative twist and feature alongside brunch favourites, American-inspired dishes and lighter, healthy options.

The restaurant

We visited the elegant Russell Sage-designed restaurant for a long, mid-afternoon brunch and were seated at a lovely corner booth with views over elegant Waterloo Place. We were warmly greeted by the delightful staff, who explained the menu and chatted to us about our weekend.

Cocktails

The special brunch drinks are just as exciting as the food, including a Kir selection from the Champagne Bar, potent coffee and rum-based cocktails, alcoholic milkshakes and frappé coffees.

I chose a Kir with Pear Liqueur and Bulgare tea (£10), which was sweet, fragrant and refreshing, served chilled in a large wine glass with fresh raspberries. I really enjoyed the white wine in the Kir, but you could ask for a Kir Royale if you prefer to start the brunch with Champagne.

Steven tried the Black Russian milkshake (£8) made with dark rum, Mozart chocolate liqueur, chocolate ice cream and milk. It was decadent yet light and milky and just boozy enough.

To start, we were brought two slices of savoury cake – a bold Mediterranean-style black olive tapenade flavour and a richer, more French ham and cheese. We were fans of both and thought they were an interesting alternative to the usual bread basket, however a mountain of freshly-baked bread rolls with French butter soon followed too!

Brunch dishes

While we were waiting for our first dishes, we had a long chat with our lovely waitress Neslihan about her native Turkey and she recommended a contemporary Persian singer that she had recently seen live at Barbican. She kept us entertained until our food arrived and it was so nice to build a rapport with the staff – everyone in the restaurant was treated like regulars.

I couldn’t resist trying the Duck Eggs Benedict with Bayonne ham and green asparagus. This was one of the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had. The duck eggs were poached to perfection with runny, vibrant orange yolks and were perched atop fluffy toasted English muffins, steamed chunky asparagus spears and a generous amount of flavoursome, freshly-carved Bayonne ham.

Steven went for the more indulgent Grilled jerk marinated steak and fried egg with cornmeal waffle and home-made barbecue sauce (£4 supplement). The juicy, succulent medium-cooked steak was well-seasoned and had a delicious flame-grilled taste. It went well with the crispy, grainy and slightly sweet cornmeal waffles and the fried egg and tangy, smoky barbecue sauce finished it nicely.

Dessert

To follow, I ordered a quintessentially British dessert with a French flourish – Raspberry macaron Eton Mess. It was a heavenly, whimsical dessert with lightly whipped, vanilla-scented Chantilly cream, fresh raspberries and soft, chewy raspberry-flavoured macaron pieces. I couldn’t help thinking of Marie-Antoinette with each mouthful – she certainly would’ve approved of this dessert.

Warm chocolate and ginger tart with milk ice cream was another high point of the meal. The luxurious chocolate fondant had a soft cake texture and oozed molten dark chocolate infused with aromatic ginger. As it that wasn’t mind-blowing enough, it was set on a fine, buttery pastry base and topped with cool, light milk ice cream.

We finished our brunch with pots of Earl Grey and Jasmine Pearl tea, which were served in my favourite Sofitel Asian-style cast iron teapots (one day I will have one of my own, as well as a Sofitel SoBed).

Le Brunch at The Balcon is a fabulous way to make the most of your weekend. The menu is full of tempting dishes and the top notch food leaves you feeling full and satisfied without being too much. With such chic surroundings in the heart of London, notable service and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect choice for a memorable brunch.

Le Brunch at The Balcon is priced at £20 per person for two courses and is available from 12pm to 4pm every Sunday.

Chérie City was invited by The Balcon

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by The Balcon)

London, Restaurants

A Hamburgé Party at Big Fernand London

April 9, 2015 by cheriecity

After trying Big Fernand in Paris last year, I was counting down the days until it arrived in London. It’s now open in Fitzrovia and set to convert us to its signature ‘hamburgés’.

London can be a tough burger market to crack, since we have so many fantastic home-grown options. So, what makes Big Fernand stand out from the burger-flipping crowd? Le fromage, bien-sûr! Raclette, Tomme de Savoie and Fourme d’Ambert are sourced directly from France and are a cut above most regular burger cheese.

Then there’s the quality of the meat (supplied by HG Walter), the sesame buns baked in London from Monsieur Fernand’s secret recipe and sauces made daily in-house.

Queuing at a burger counter is rarely a hoot, but Big Fernand’s troop of charming Frenchies wearing checked shirts and flat caps are sure to keep you entertained while you wait. Just like the Paris restaurants, they make it feel like a fun place to be.

I visited last week for a burger tasting with a group of London food and lifestyle bloggers. We started the evening pairing Big Fernand’s delicious Raclette and Tomme de Savoie cheeses with red, white and rosé wines from their drinks menu.

We then moved on to the counter to choose our burgers and watch them being cooked to order. If you can brave the winding spiral staircase (hold on to your tray like your life depends on it), you will be rewarded with a more private, chilled out place to hoover down your burger.

It has the feel of a vintage-style apartment with floral print walls, an old school radio, mismatched furniture, wonky lampshades and a super-comfy day bed, in the event of slipping into a burger coma.

Although I’d already tried Le Bartholomé (£9) before in Paris, I couldn’t resist ordering it again. It was just as decadent and delicious as I’d remembered but definitely bigger.

My succulent medium-cooked beef patty had a flavoursome, mature taste and was packed inside a big, tasty sesame seed bun. The thick-cut, country-style bacon was nicely smoked and went perfectly with the gooey, slightly nutty Raclette cheese (bacon and Raclette always remind me of après-ski indulgence in the mountains).

The caramelised onions, plentiful fresh chives and tangy, rich Bébé Fernand (barbecue sauce) are what really elevate the burger to legendary status. I mean, how often do you ever get fresh herbs scattered inside a burger bun?

It’s also worth noting that Big Fernand doesn’t waste any time with burger fillers like lettuce, pickles and raw onion – I’m completely onboard with this. Medium is my cooking comfort zone, but I would probably try medium rare next time – you can even order it blue rare.

Fernandines (£3) are made from fresh, hand-chipped potatoes and the portion size is generous. I personally find the cajun seasoning a little overpowering when sprinkled so liberally, but they are definitely some quality fries. They are however taken to a whole new level when dunked in the home-made house sauces – the smoky, creamy barbecue sauce was really addictive.

I washed it down with a bottle of Elixir d’Archibald Fernand (£2.80), which looks like it should contain something much more lethal than its lovely grapefruit lemonade. After all that delicious meat and cheese, the daybed was looking very tempting!

Big Fernand London flies the Tricolore well for the French hamburger atelier and after ironing out a few kinks since its opening, it has found its rightful place in the city.

Chérie City was invited by Big Fernand

Photos by Big Fernand and Chérie City

London, Restaurants

Dinner at Villandry St James’s, London

July 7, 2014 by cheriecity

Villandry St James’s is the second Villandry restaurant in London (another is at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire) and it is certainly the grandest.

Opened at the end of last year, Villandry St James’s occupies a stunning Edwardian baroque building on Waterloo Place, in between Regent Street and Pall Mall. It brings a fresh new spirit to a part of central London that is characterised mostly by old institution restaurants and traditional private members’ clubs.

While the Great Portland Street original is understated and simply furnished, the lofty Villandry St James’s is all about European grand cafe elegance with red leather banquettes, gilted wood panelling and tarnished mirrors.

It’s set across two levels with an airy cafe for all-day dining and a raised restaurant area with more intimate feel. There is also a mezzanine floor with two private dining rooms and a low-key bar.

We visited at the beginning of the week, which is coincidentally Villandry’s popular Lobster Monday. Having already experienced the delighted of Lobster Monday, we ordered from the main menu, even though most of the diners around us were chomping down tasty lobster and chips.

On arrival, we were seated in a delightful circular booth (with real, butter-soft leather seating) close to the high arched window – a great spot with plenty of natural light.

The wine Sommelier was on hand to make recommendations, but we were in the mood for cocktails. As it was a warm day, I ordered a classic Mojito (£8.80), which was refreshing and just sweet enough, packed with lots of muddled fresh mint and lime.

Steven’s Old Fashioned (£8.80) was well-balanced and very strong, clearly made using quality Whisky.

I started with Asparagus & Poached Egg – with Parmesan cheese and truffle oil (£9.50). The tender, fresh asparagus was accompanied by a perfectly-cooked poached egg with cracked black pepper and long shavings of high-quality Parmesan, drizzled with a dash of earthy truffle oil and sweet Balsamic vinegar. It’s the ideal dish to order if you fancy something light and pleasing without filling up before the main course.

Steven’s White Crab Salad (£9.20) was without a doubt the star dish. Cool, flaky white crab meat was packed together and topped with chunks of avocado. It was served with crispbread, avocado puree, a lightly dressed salad and lemon juice. It was generously-sized and deliciously fresh and summery – a perfect choice for the warmer weather.

To follow, I went for an irresistible French classic – Confit de Canard with braised red cabbage (£14.50). The duck was really delicious, with tender, well-seasoned meat that just fell away from the bone and an almost perfect crispy, golden skin topped with fresh herbs.

I loved the slow-cooked, tangy red cabbage with honey-marinated currants and the rich, meaty duck jus.

To accompany the plentiful confit duck with a side of the most fantastic Crushed Potatoes (£4.50). Flavoursome potatoes were mixed with copious amounts of butter and olive oil and topped with fresh herbs. The extremely moreish, generously-sized crushed potato elevated the duck confit to an even more comforting dish – simply food heaven on a plate.

Steven tried the Saffron Chicken Supreme with peperonata (£18.50). The succulent, juicy chicken breast was well-marinated in fragrant saffron and was served on a bed of sauteed, blackened red peppers with cracked black pepper and mixed herbs. The light, tasty chicken went well with a bowl of Hand-cut Chips (£4), which were thick and well-seasoned, served with a choice of condiments.

For dessert, it had to be the Villandry Pudding Platter (£12), so we could taste a little bit of everything. The array of tempting treats included a mini raspberry macaron, pineapple carpaccio, mini rhum baba with exotic fruits, Stonehenge meringue, chocolate square and mini creme brulee.

All of the desserts were exquisite and perfectly bite-size, but I particularly enjoyed the creamy white chocolate creme brulee and the pineapple carpaccio drizzled in a piquant chili and passionfruit sauce and cooling coconut sorbet.

We finished with two pots of lovely Earl Grey Tea. Petit Fours (£2.50) can be ordered to accompany tea or coffee, if you’re skipping dessert or have a sweet tooth.

Villandry St James’s is a stylish spot to enjoy all-day French classics, sumptuous cakes and light bites. It’s close enough to Regent Street’s shops for a quick and tasty refuel yet relaxing and chic enough to feel like a secret address. I can’t wait to go back and try more of the tempting menu.

Chérie City was a guest of Villandry St James’s

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Villandry St James’s)

London, Restaurants

Supper at Bouchon Fourchette – Hackney, London

July 31, 2013 by cheriecity

Bouchon Fourchette is a delightful Hackney restaurant that brings traditional French food to Mare Street.

There are plenty of restaurants and street food stalls in the area that have French influences, but Bouchon Fourchette is one of the only places to come for classic French comfort dishes such as raclette, hachis Parmentier, Croque Madame, Coq au Vin and chocolat liégeois.

Bouchon Fourchette is owned by Nantes-born Hackney local Dorothee Gaschignard, whose experience in the hospitality industry includes managerial positions at Côte Restaurants and Gaucho Grill. Presiding over the stove is Chef Jeremy Huguet who trained and worked in the kitchens of Alain Ducasse and Pierre Gagnaire restaurants, including Spoon in St Tropez and Les Airelles in Courchevel.

Bouchon Fourchette really stands out on this stretch of Mare Street with its black and orange exterior and scattering of terrace tables. Inside, the restaurant has a cavernous feel with concrete floor and exposed brick walls, furnished simply with retro wood and metal chairs and tables and a the daily specials written on chalk boards.

The friendly, mostly French staff all greeted us as we arrived (sans reservations) and seated us at a nice table across from the semi-open kitchen. As we were visiting for a light evening bite, we skipped starters and desserts and went for just a main dish.

Steven and I both couldn’t resist the Duck confit with puy lentils (£11). The plump leg of duck was exceptionally tasty, with tender, flaky meat infused with the flavours of fresh thyme and perfectly crispy skin.

The lentils were rather under-seasoned, even with thinly sliced lardons, but the bold richness of the duck balanced the dish and prevented it from becoming too salty. It was a deliciously hearty, comforting and generously sized dish that I would definitely order again.

My mum went for the Potato and Gruyère omelette (£8) with a side of frites (£3) served in a brown paper bag. The large omelette was rich, buttery and filled with halved new potatoes and oozing Gruyère, garnished with fresh herbs.

The omelette was well-seasoned and full of flavour, while the side salad was drizzled with a tangy, peppery French dressing. The frites were a little bland, so next time we would try a side of potato purée instead.

We didn’t stay for dessert on this occasion, as a tray of my mum’s home-baked chocolate brownies with cherries and hazelnuts awaited. However, the poached pear in red wine, crème caramel and chocolat liégeois décadence to share sounded tempting.

Bouchon Fourchette is a charming, relaxed neighbourhood restaurant that is a little corner of Lyon in Hackney. Prices are very reasonable and it has a lovely, unpretentious atmosphere. We will definitely return soon to try a Croque Madame, an evening charcuterie board or the Eggs Benedict at brunch.