Angel, French Restaurant Guide

“Evoking a big Parisian brasserie”, this Wolseley Group venture on Islington Green has had a chequered history. Opened in 2015, when Corbin & King owned the business, they closed it again in 2019 saying “we just couldn’t make it the success we aspired to”. But then, in 2020 – having failed to sell the property – they re-opened and had a second run at making a go of it. With Corbin & King then forced to exit the business in 2022, we are now going around again under the new owners. In June 2023, after our survey had completed, the restaurant re-opened yet again after a complete refit of the vast space and a new menu. Though brighter, the decor is still in the traditional brasserie mould. When it comes to food: out go the retro ‘tarte flambées’ and the chicken schnitzel – in comes the focaccia and – according to the PR – an ‘evolving seasonal menu… taking inspiration from the southern Mediterranean coastal regions’. Er, except it also includes very un-Mediterranean dishes like Dressed Dorset Crab, Loch Duart Salmon with jersey royals and a watercress velouté and Flat Iron Steak Frites. The weekend brunch – with its pancakes and Eggs Benedict – also owes little to Spain, Italy and Greece. Other novelties are a new cocktail bar, and a DJ booth (the latter of which really risks ‘Dad dancing’ for this kind of venue). Our pre-revamp feedback suggested the same rather ‘OK but not particularly distinguished’ performance of old. But we’ve left it unrated on the basis of the latest changes, as this sounds like a case of ‘outlook negative’.

“French comfort food in a cosy setting in the heart of Islington” is just the ticket at this long-serving outfit, where “both cuisine and ambience resemble a bistro in France two or three decades ago”. “Wines have a restrained mark-up”, and there’s a “super-value set lunch which is also available on Saturdays”. Top Menu Tip – “boeuf bourguignon is particularly good”.