Review: The Lawn Bistro
It’s a hard life being a restaurant. Especially in London. There are close to 20,000 eateries in the capital, all desperate to serve.
So just how does a place stand out? Some go for gimmickry (trussed up junk food, anyone?), others stand by no reservations in an effort to build hype, and others charge the price of a small nation for their food to make it seem desirable (though sadly not always palatable).
It is rare to find an establishment which relies purely on good food and good old fashioned standards of service to make its mark. And this is why The Lawn Bistro is such a treat.
Situated in quaint Wimbledon village, at first glance the restaurant is a refined French bistro with a touch of a welcoming English pub. The elegant hardwood flooring is topped off by leather booths and tasteful artwork on the walls, while impeccably dressed waiters flit between the tables. It is not large, however, which makes it seem homely rather than grand. And although there is an extensive French wine list, there is also a decent selection of beer.
The food here is essentially hearty dishes with a bit of fancy flair. One starter was a souped up tomato, erm, soup…Or, more specifically, a tangy roast tomato and red pepper concoction with a sweet balsamic glaze. The charcuterie board was equally impressive, with portions of Bayonne ham, Rosette saucisson and delicate dollops of rabbit rilette arranged prettily on a wooden board. Both went down very nicely with the complimentary homemade bread.
For the mains, there are the usual roasts along with a range of different dishes to remind diners a) of the restaurant’s Gallic influence and b) that is it possible to eat something other than a roast on a Sunday. Predictably for us, however, the roasts won. My small chicken was tender to the point of sliding off the bone, and stuffed with a divine chorizo and tarragon concoction. My dining partner’s roast beef was fragrant and accompanied by absurdly delicious duck fat potatoes. In fact, both dishes were nigh on impossible to fault.
Full to the brim, we nevertheless soldiered on to pudding, and were delighted that we did. My hazelnut praline brulée was topped with chocolate ‘nuggets’, which were essentially chocolate cornflake cakes. No dish appealed more to childhood delight, though, than the baked Alaska, which came flaming to the table. It was sweet and creamy and decadent and pretty and everything a pudding should be.
With every course hitting the mark, it was tempting to stay put until fullness subsided so we could start ordering all over again. Fortunately (for our waistlines, at least), our charming waiter informed us of another option. During the week, The Lawn Bistro offers a Taster’s Menu, which allows diners to order three starters, two mains and a dessert each. They are portioned, of course, so that your stomach doesn’t actually split, but it allows you to sample a wider range of their menu.
And trust me, you’re going to want to. With friendly staff and fabulous food, this restaurant alone is reason enough to make a trip to Wimbledon. Apparently there’s a spot of tennis going on there too.
www.thelawnbistro.co.uk
So just how does a place stand out? Some go for gimmickry (trussed up junk food, anyone?), others stand by no reservations in an effort to build hype, and others charge the price of a small nation for their food to make it seem desirable (though sadly not always palatable).
It is rare to find an establishment which relies purely on good food and good old fashioned standards of service to make its mark. And this is why The Lawn Bistro is such a treat.
Situated in quaint Wimbledon village, at first glance the restaurant is a refined French bistro with a touch of a welcoming English pub. The elegant hardwood flooring is topped off by leather booths and tasteful artwork on the walls, while impeccably dressed waiters flit between the tables. It is not large, however, which makes it seem homely rather than grand. And although there is an extensive French wine list, there is also a decent selection of beer.
The food here is essentially hearty dishes with a bit of fancy flair. One starter was a souped up tomato, erm, soup…Or, more specifically, a tangy roast tomato and red pepper concoction with a sweet balsamic glaze. The charcuterie board was equally impressive, with portions of Bayonne ham, Rosette saucisson and delicate dollops of rabbit rilette arranged prettily on a wooden board. Both went down very nicely with the complimentary homemade bread.
For the mains, there are the usual roasts along with a range of different dishes to remind diners a) of the restaurant’s Gallic influence and b) that is it possible to eat something other than a roast on a Sunday. Predictably for us, however, the roasts won. My small chicken was tender to the point of sliding off the bone, and stuffed with a divine chorizo and tarragon concoction. My dining partner’s roast beef was fragrant and accompanied by absurdly delicious duck fat potatoes. In fact, both dishes were nigh on impossible to fault.
Full to the brim, we nevertheless soldiered on to pudding, and were delighted that we did. My hazelnut praline brulée was topped with chocolate ‘nuggets’, which were essentially chocolate cornflake cakes. No dish appealed more to childhood delight, though, than the baked Alaska, which came flaming to the table. It was sweet and creamy and decadent and pretty and everything a pudding should be.
With every course hitting the mark, it was tempting to stay put until fullness subsided so we could start ordering all over again. Fortunately (for our waistlines, at least), our charming waiter informed us of another option. During the week, The Lawn Bistro offers a Taster’s Menu, which allows diners to order three starters, two mains and a dessert each. They are portioned, of course, so that your stomach doesn’t actually split, but it allows you to sample a wider range of their menu.
And trust me, you’re going to want to. With friendly staff and fabulous food, this restaurant alone is reason enough to make a trip to Wimbledon. Apparently there’s a spot of tennis going on there too.
www.thelawnbistro.co.uk