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Soho's Gallic “gem” Blanchette branches out with a second site in east London's always buzzing Brick Lane. Expect classic French small plates as well as new dishes with influences from southern France and North Africa.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Just fab!”, say fans of this pair of “rather crammed” French bistros in Soho and Brick Lane offering “delightful and different dishes in a good atmosphere”. Served as small or sharing plates, the food is generally “interesting and imaginative”, and the “service friendly, if a tiny bit flaky at times”.
Summary
“Just fab!”, say fans of this pair of “rather crammed” French bistros in Soho and Brick Lane offering “delightful and different dishes in a good atmosphere”. Served as small or sharing plates, the food is generally “interesting and imaginative”, and the “service friendly, if a tiny bit flaky at times”.
Summary
“Specialising in Gallic small plates, cheeses and charcuterie” plus dry-aged beef – and with “portions somewhere between tapas and a full plate” – this French-owned duo in Soho (2013) and Brick Lane (2016) have earned quite a culinary reputation, and – though “cramped” and “very noisy” – have a “fun atmosphere”. Although praised by their many fans as a “reliable” option, their ratings slipped this year, with various gripes about the tapas-y format: either that it’s “expensive”, “un-relaxing” or just “doesn’t suit this kind of French food”.
Summary
“You can imagine you have been whisked away to France”, particularly at the “noisy and boisterous” Soho original of this Gallic duo (which “looks like it’s been there for years, but is actually only three years old”), whose year-old East End sibling is also providing “a great addition to Brick Lane”. Founded on a traditional mix of “cheeses, cut meats and small plates”, the arrival of ex Bibendum chef Tam Storrar as chef/director seems to have taken the menu in a “more complicated and increasingly Mediterranean” direction.
Restaurant details
Opening hours
Last orders: 11 pm, Sun 9 pm
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