Review
aded by months of laid back summer dining the hunt for something more classic and refined commences and we find ourselves enveloped at a corner table inside St James’s latest offering, Boulestin. It’s the end of summer in London, and as the leaves turn we’re looking for the sort of place that invites you in with lit windows against the dark. We want rich food and red wine as we reminisce on treasured autumnal pleasures. Somewhere in between reveries of crunching leaves and toffee apples we are introduced to Boulestin’s A team, Alessandro (sommelier extraordinaire), Anna (our divine waitress), and Adrian (the charmingly charismatic manager). A flurry of drinks and specials is proffered and we take our picks based on their recommendations. A pinot noir is a most apt companion to the meal ahead.
Te vibe is luxe classic French, which is you what you would hope for given its heritage. For Boulestin is a revisitation of a great London classic which was itself the progeny of a great French classic. Marcel Boulestin was an anglophile Frenchman who launched his native
Boulestin J
Helen Wade-Smith enjoys classic French cuisine in an elegant London setting
cuisine into the British kitchen psyche with cookery book Simple French Cooking for English Homes (a great inspiration for Elizabeth David among others). His eponymous restaurant in Covent Garden was once said to be the most expensive restaurant in all of London and remained open long after his passing in 1943 until the early nineties. Te minds behind the current edition have roots in the Conran restaurants, and you get the sense on entry that those involved understand good food and how to present it.
Te striking chequerboard floor beneath elegantly appointed green leather chairs and oatmeal banquets beneath a lofty glass atrium sets a tone of pre war glamour, and the food has the polish to match.
First comes a Russian lobster salad dressed in the sort of mayonnaise that is a million miles from Hellman’s, and I have the scallops accompanied by tomatoes and capers, light in essence but full of depth and warming flavour. We move on to mains and, although there was no filet on offer, a ribeye was most splendidly cooked and I had the cod in saffron, which had
the subtleties of flavour that comes only at the execution of the most consummate professionals. Every detail is thought out to the last, not only in the food but right down to a control setting on every light bulb to orchestrate the mood of the place.
Desert was an unparalleled treat of macaroons with crème patisserie and autumnal blackberries, tarte lègère aux pommes, and Armagnac soaked prunes with Sauternes custard. Further indulgence was lavished in a specially pared cocktail of vanilla, espresso and Frangelico that had us retreating into the night aglow in liquored conviviality.
Boulestin is the type of establishment that will please Francophiles and foodies alike, as great for power lunches as for cosy tête-à-têtes. Our verdict: long may it reign on the St James’s scene.
For more information or to book visit:
www.boulestin.com Boulestin, 5 St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1EF
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