Casse-Croûte

London, Bermondsey - French - Restaurant - ££

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Booking is absolutely essential at this tiny, stereotypical French bistro, where the floor is all black and white tiles, the gingham-clothed tables are tight-packed, and the walls sport French advertising posters. That said, everyone is here for the good food and jolly atmosphere. The daily menu – only three choices per course – is chalked up on a blackboard, and when dishes are gone, they are gone. This is proper cuisine grand-mère, where a bowl of soupe à l'oignon, kept steaming hot with the traditional blanket of melted Gruyère on toast, might precede confit rabbit leg accompanied by a traditional sauce moutarde (served on very decent mash) or monkfish with saffron risotto and squid ink. There’s a typically Gallic shrug when it comes to vegetables, but portions are generous, expertly cooked and served with a certain elan by heavily accented French staff. Not everyone makes it to pudding, but if you do, you’ll find classics such as île flottante – a perfect example, not...

Booking is absolutely essential at this tiny, stereotypical French bistro, where the floor is all black and white tiles, the gingham-clothed tables are tight-packed, and the walls sport French advertising posters. That said, everyone is here for the good food and jolly atmosphere. The daily menu – only three choices per course – is chalked up on a blackboard, and when dishes are gone, they are gone. This is proper cuisine grand-mère, where a bowl of soupe à l'oignon, kept steaming hot with the traditional blanket of melted Gruyère on toast, might precede confit rabbit leg accompanied by a traditional sauce moutarde (served on very decent mash) or monkfish with saffron risotto and squid ink. There’s a typically Gallic shrug when it comes to vegetables, but portions are generous, expertly cooked and served with a certain elan by heavily accented French staff. Not everyone makes it to pudding, but if you do, you’ll find classics such as île flottante – a perfect example, not too sweet and dotted with toasted almonds. Though no one ever seems to rush, the 25 or so seats will be turned at least twice a night. The wine list (also scrawled on a blackboard) stays in France, with every bottle offered by the glass and carafe.

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M Amis

15 October 2024

Dined here as a group of four. First time we had been here and we’ll certainly return. This is a really small French bistro style restaurant and it feels like you could actually be in Paris. The place was full for a Monday lunchtime and had to turn away walk-ins. Many of the people dining there were French which is a really good sign. And I’m not surprised - atmosphere is wonderful, food is fabulous and service is great. Menu is on the blackboard and is simple but with a good selection...
Dined here as a group of four. First time we had been here and we’ll certainly return. This is a really small French bistro style restaurant and it feels like you could actually be in Paris. The place was full for a Monday lunchtime and had to turn away walk-ins. Many of the people dining there were French which is a really good sign. And I’m not surprised - atmosphere is wonderful, food is fabulous and service is great. Menu is on the blackboard and is simple but with a good selection. It also changes as lunch goes on. I had ducks heart with Roquefort for starters which was amazing. We then shared a cote de boeuf for the table and it was tasty and plentiful. For desserts we all had crepe suzette and it was as good as any we’ve had in France. A wonderful experience in a unique restaurant - absolutely loved it.
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