Review: Le Colombier
Chelsea is full of darling little places to enjoy supper after work with friends. Le Colombier is one of the most underrated restaurants in the heart of that dining smorgasbord.
Away from the main throng of restaurants in the area, the French bistro is tucked away on a quiet road, making dinning outside, as we chose to do, a delight.
To start we opted for the grilled langoustines. I normally object to any dish that has to be accompanied by a finger bowl. All the mess leaves me quite flustered, but when the mountain of meaty crustaceans arrived, I soon forgot my prejudice.
Portion wise there was plenty for my guest. I would have liked more lemon juice but it was the only faux pas I could find.
For our main we decided on the sharing course of beef rib which came with fries (French ones of course) and green beans. Ordering a dish accompanied with fries in an upmarket restaurant would normally leave me red cheeked, imagining the chef sneering at my choice when the order is taken through.
As an unashamed chip lover, I love the fact that a lot of French cuisine is served with fries such as steaks and moules. I can indulge my fries fancy and feel no shame.
The beef, which we ordered medium rare, was perfect and the huge portion, which my guest and I stared at wide-eyed with amazement, was soon finished off. The meal was served with a side of béarnaise sauce but the meat was so full of flavour I felt it wasn't needed.
Before dessert I couldn't resist the cheese platter which my friend and I shared. When in France! I was delighted to see one of my favourite French cheeses was included, Comte. Brie de Meaux and Roquefort were also featured, making this cheese fiend very happy indeed.
To finish (of course we saved room for dessert) I had the crème brulée and my guest chose the tarte tatin. The parfait way to end our evening.
I do feel maybe a little background music may have been nice. When we arrived at 7.30pm there were very few people there and it was a tad on the quiet side. Some background music would have made me feel less like I had to speak like I was in a library.
I noticed that diners are allowed to bring their dogs into the restaurant which is not only a bonus for pampered pooches but was also highly exciting for me. Having moved to the big city, leaving my cat and dog at home with the parents, I am experiencing extreme lack-of-cute-animal-in-my-life-syndrome.
Essentially, you know a French restaurant in London is good when your French/Swiss friend says how much she likes it. And as the clientele was made up largely of French people, Le Colombier is clearly a hidden gem that us Brits have yet to stumble upon.
If you're looking for high quality French cuisine at a very reasonable price, you need look no further. Vive Le Colombier!
Le Colombier, 145 Dovehouse St, London SW3 6LB, 020 7351 1155 www.le-colombier-restaurant.co.uk
Away from the main throng of restaurants in the area, the French bistro is tucked away on a quiet road, making dinning outside, as we chose to do, a delight.
To start we opted for the grilled langoustines. I normally object to any dish that has to be accompanied by a finger bowl. All the mess leaves me quite flustered, but when the mountain of meaty crustaceans arrived, I soon forgot my prejudice.
Portion wise there was plenty for my guest. I would have liked more lemon juice but it was the only faux pas I could find.
For our main we decided on the sharing course of beef rib which came with fries (French ones of course) and green beans. Ordering a dish accompanied with fries in an upmarket restaurant would normally leave me red cheeked, imagining the chef sneering at my choice when the order is taken through.
As an unashamed chip lover, I love the fact that a lot of French cuisine is served with fries such as steaks and moules. I can indulge my fries fancy and feel no shame.
The beef, which we ordered medium rare, was perfect and the huge portion, which my guest and I stared at wide-eyed with amazement, was soon finished off. The meal was served with a side of béarnaise sauce but the meat was so full of flavour I felt it wasn't needed.
Before dessert I couldn't resist the cheese platter which my friend and I shared. When in France! I was delighted to see one of my favourite French cheeses was included, Comte. Brie de Meaux and Roquefort were also featured, making this cheese fiend very happy indeed.
To finish (of course we saved room for dessert) I had the crème brulée and my guest chose the tarte tatin. The parfait way to end our evening.
I do feel maybe a little background music may have been nice. When we arrived at 7.30pm there were very few people there and it was a tad on the quiet side. Some background music would have made me feel less like I had to speak like I was in a library.
I noticed that diners are allowed to bring their dogs into the restaurant which is not only a bonus for pampered pooches but was also highly exciting for me. Having moved to the big city, leaving my cat and dog at home with the parents, I am experiencing extreme lack-of-cute-animal-in-my-life-syndrome.
Essentially, you know a French restaurant in London is good when your French/Swiss friend says how much she likes it. And as the clientele was made up largely of French people, Le Colombier is clearly a hidden gem that us Brits have yet to stumble upon.
If you're looking for high quality French cuisine at a very reasonable price, you need look no further. Vive Le Colombier!
Le Colombier, 145 Dovehouse St, London SW3 6LB, 020 7351 1155 www.le-colombier-restaurant.co.uk