World Foodie Guide

Le Café Anglais is ex-Kensington Place chef Rowley Leigh’s new(ish) venture. It won London Restaurant of the Year and New Restaurant of the Year at the London Restaurant Awards a few days ago. As it’s had plenty of positive write-ups, I’d always intended to visit one day. After sampling their heavenly spit roast belly pork with lentils at Taste London, I finally went for dinner, with two foodie friends in tow. Both are seasoned travellers to France, and one a die-hard Kensington Place regular, so I knew I was in good company.

Entering from the main door on Porchester Gardens, it’s hard to believe that Le Café Anglais is in fact located inside Whiteleys shopping centre. At 7pm on a Friday evening, the restaurant was almost empty apart from a few diners. We had our very own attentive waiter to ourselves for almost an hour, and felt extremely pampered indeed. It wasn’t until around 8.30 or 9pm that it started to get busy, and even then, the noise was barely noticeable as it’s so airy and spacious inside.

We started off with bellinis, then moved on to the Saumur Champigny 2005 Domaine Le Petit Saint Vincent (£29.50), which one of my friends particularly likes. I know little about wine, but trusted his judgement. For me though, the food always takes priority. The three of us ended up ordering far too much food in our excitement at seeing the many choices on the menu. It’s fun to go wild once in a while though!

HORS D’OEUVRES (£3.00 each) in order of deliciousness, although they were all very good:

• Parmesan Custard and Anchovy Toast – I absolutely had to have this. I’ve read so much about this gem, and Niamh from Eat Like A Girl personally recommended it. This was moreish. The custard is served in a little cup and the toast cut into thin slices like soldiers. Dip and eat!

• Devilled Chicken Livers
• Oyster Fritters
• Kipper Paté and Soft Boiled Egg
• Mortadella with Celeriac Remoulade

FIRST COURSES:

• Pike Boudin with Fines Herbes and Beurre Blanc (£7.50)
• Warm Smoked Eel Salad with Bacon (£10.00)

These were both excellent choices, particularly the pike boudin. Comfort food at its best.

ROASTS:

Although there were some tempting fish options, it’s the roasts for which Le Café Anglais is famous. These are all prepared on the gigantic rotisserie at one end of the dining room. Two of us chose the suckling pig (£19.00), while the third had the daube of beef with red peppers and olives (£13.50), served with its own side of excellent mash. We also had sides of gratin dauphinois, ratatouille and mesclun, oil and lemon salad.

From what I tried of the beef, it was pretty good. But I was disappointed with my suckling pig. The skin was nice and crackly, but the meat was quite dry and ‘old’-tasting, rather than succulent and tender as I’d expected. I rarely leave food behind, but one of my friends had to finish it for me. In retrospect, the chicken would probably have been a better choice.

PUDDINGS: washed down with dessert wine (Monbazillac 2004 Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure)

• Champagne, Peach, Raspberry and Strawberry Jelly (£7.50) – Jelly seems to be on a lot of menus at the moment, and when it’s done well, it’s gorgeous. I can say that this was the best jelly I have ever had – refreshing, fruity and not too sweet

• Queen of Puddings (£5.00) – this looked rather spectacular when it arrived. I’d not heard of queen of puddings before, but it’s a traditional British pudding. Both my friends’ mothers used to make it for them at home, but their recollection of both ingredients and taste was at best hazy!

• Apricot and Almond Tart (£6.50) – confirmed as delicious by my friend

The must-haves in my opinion, based on this meal, are the Parmesan custard, pike boudin and the champagne jelly.

Dinner came to £200 for three people. It could be much, much less though. The menu allows for some creative ordering, so that you can spend as much or as little as you like. You could, for example, have two hors d’oeuvres (£6.00), followed by roast chicken leg (£4.50) with a side of gratin dauphinois (£4.00). With the £1.50 cover charge, which gets you bread, butter and radishes, this would take you to £16.00. Throw in a glass of wine at £2.50 and drink tap water (which they are very happy to serve you). This would be £18.50, excluding 12.% service charge.

Le Café Anglais provides a lovely, relaxed dining atmosphere where you can enjoy very good food and wine with friends. It could even make its way onto my shortlist of favourites if it’s not careful.

10 – Perfection, 9.5 – Sensational, 9 – Outstanding, 8.5 – Superb,
8 – Excellent, 7.5 – Very Good, 7 - Good, 6.5 - Above Average, 6 – Average

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Contact details:
Le Café Anglais
8 Porchester Gardens
London W2 4DB
Tel: 020 7221 1415
info@lecafeanglais.co.uk
www.lecafeanglais.co.uk

Helen Yuet Ling Pang @ World Foodie Guide

Tags: British, dining out, food, French, Le Café Anglais, London, restaurant review, restaurants, traveleating, wine