Last week, for one evening, we ate like kings.
Just a gentle amble from Chelsea Bridge and tucked behind leafy trees
lies Cheyne Walk Brasserie. The building, whose formative years were spent as a
Victorian pub, has been transformed into a chic Parisian restaurant marked from
the outside by an oh-so-adorable coiffeured poodle swinging above the
entrance.
Cornflower blue banquette seating, a healthy dusting of chandeliers
and fresh flowers create a stylish interior and set the tone for a stunning feast.
Positioned in the center of the room, an open grill delivers both the sound and
smell of your dish being lovingly crafted and creates a real sense of home
cooking.
The menu, if rather exuberantly priced, is easy to navigate. Archetypal
brasserie dishes range from fabulous cassoulette of snails with cream and
garlic sauce to a more simple salad of green beans, pistachios and fresh mint.
The provincial edge runs through to the main course where naturally the grill
options play a large part of the choice. Carnivores will be satisfied by
healthy chunks of meat that arrive at the table complete with charred rosemary
burning like incense but the fish does not let the standard drop – whole native
lobster with garlic butter sits with absolute grandeur on the plate, surely the
king of any menu?
A predominantly French wine list provides fine wines by the glass or
bottle and the well-informed staff, mostly French of course,
are on hand to offer encouraging advice.
If you have a spare moment wonder upstairs to the Salon complete
with sumptuously deep chaise longues, an open fire and a stunning view of the
Thames. Feast on tartines, and baguettes during the day or as the light fades,
enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail. If there is any room left, put the word to rights
over a post-dinner cognac.
