Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Pastis, 9th Ave, New York

Chez Bruce, 2 Bellevue Road, London

Hailed as the pride of South London by many, Bruce Poole’s Wandsworth gaff is reliably packed every lunch and evening according to the staff that work there. Restaurant employees are trained to say that but with this place you can see they're probably telling the truth.

The place was more of a ‘pleasantly noisy’ bistro than a Michelin Starred dining room. Poole’s cooking is exact and careful but not flashy, bringing together vivid colours and bold flavours from home and abroad that's great to see done with such expertise. At busy times throughout the evening, you could almost feel the staff feeling the pressure of it all, but as a sign of a good team all continued to act smart, helpful and intelligent.


The fixed-price formula keeps a lid on the bill, although the utterly brilliant wine list can shatter the most prudent intentions. A visit is a must if you're in London and can spare sixty quid per head.

020 8672 0114