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Blanchette - Soho, London

French cuisine at its best at Blanchette

Category : Restaurant Cuisine : French
Address : 9 D'Arblay St, Soho, London, W1F 8DR, UNITED KINGDOM
Web : www.blanchettesoho.co.uk
Opening Times : Mon-Sat: 12pm-11pm, Sun: Closed


  • Blanchette  one of Innerplace's exclusive restaurants in London
  • Blanchette  one of Innerplace's exclusive restaurants in London
  • Blanchette  one of Innerplace's exclusive restaurants in London
  • Blanchette  one of Innerplace's exclusive restaurants in London
  • Blanchette  one of Innerplace's exclusive restaurants in London

French restaurants have been a dime a dozen since the 1960s and small plates aren't exactly avant-garde these days, but there was something singular, something quite stirring, about D'Arblay Street's new Gallic joint Bistro Blanchette. Opened by a band of brothers with consulting from the Salt Yard Group, this charming little number channels the spirit of your favourite petite, bare brick bistro from across the Channel. Antiques sourced from Paris, ornate tiled floors and distressed wooden chairs all bask in the warm glow of candle-lit tables and quirky nautical pendant lighting. Guests who are more interested in a casual bite can opt for the bar area, backed by a painted tile fresco in the Belle Epoque fashion, with potted plants, hams, cheese and various sundries on display. The rustic-chic dining room is well-suited for a date night, and the intimate and slightly sexy ambience amplifies one's enjoyment of the food, which was excellent. We kicked things off with a Languedoc blend; some crunchy pig's ears; golden-crisp, creamy cheese beignettes; and a cured Corsican jambon as silky as lingerie. With the promise of the snacks and charcuterie, we suspected that we were in for a good meal, and our suspicions were vindicated with the mains. Grilled beef onglet was an earthy punch to the mug, complemented with snails en persillade, cylindrical salsify chips and a red wine sauce. This was nearly trumped by the porcine brilliance of black pudding with chargrilled pork belly, quince and parsnip puree. We'd be remiss not to mention the sides: chips with béarnaise were as delicious as you'd expect, but fusing Jerusalem artichokes with a potato gratin was a brilliantly enlightened culinary judgement. By the time cheese and dessert arrived, we were thoroughly satiated. It was such a pleasant experience that wandering off into a rainy London evening was almost palatable.

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