New French Restaurant On North Cross Road

[Zak]

It seems that the restaurant located in the old Pretty's caf? will be opening shortly.

We bumped into the head chef yesterday, as they were in the process of stocking up, and he told us that it's opening

on 12th January. It looks like they've spent quite a bit on fitting it out and from peering in through the door it looks promising.

I can't remember what it's called - can anyone help with that?

[SebsC]

Saw it today - think it was called La Bonne Bouffe

[DulwichFox]

It is sign written as 'Bonne Bouffe'

They spent a lot of time getting the paint job right.

Now looks very smart from the outside. Haven't peered in yet.

Looks like they are here to stay. (not a pop up)

Lets wait and see what's on offer.

(Can remember when it was 'Golden Tandoori' 1980 ish.)

DulwichFox

[KidKruger]

Golden Yandoori run by the little guy Farouk ?

[DulwichFox]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> Golden Yandoori run by the little guy Farouk ?

That's the guy.. Still around. See him outside the Mosque occasionally.

Used to be the only Indian Restaurant open on a Sunday for miles around.

His mother used to serve at the table. 1980 ish

Foxy

[Dog duck]

Who cares? If it's good, it's good, if it's average it's probably trying... So endless pointless 'I liked this, I liked that will soon start to clog up the thread as usual

[Sue]

Dog duck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Who cares? If it's good, it's good, if it's

> average it's probably trying... So endless

> pointless 'I liked this, I liked that will soon

> start to clog up the thread as usual

So?

Go and start another forum with no "clogged up" threads because nobody is sufficiently interested to post on them?

Good luck with that 😀

[Zak]

Just found their website

https://www.labonnebouffe.co.uk/

[cella]

Nice home page but no menu that I could see!

[yeknomyeknom]

I concur

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dog duck Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Who cares? If it's good, it's good, if it's

> > average it's probably trying... So endless

> > pointless 'I liked this, I liked that will soon

> > start to clog up the thread as usual

>

>

> So?

>

> Go and start another forum with no "clogged up"

> threads because nobody is sufficiently interested

> to post on them?

>

> Good luck with that 😀

[Toldyouso]

Aw Shucks! French? I was so hoping for a pizza, burger or Indian place ;o)

[Willard]

On the subject of French restaurants, I hear good things about this place too

https://www.facebook.com/babettenunhead/

[Jeremy]

Sounds like Bonne Bouffe will also have some B&B accommodation above the restaurant. Could be handy.

[Seabag]

The founder of the Bermondsey Arts Club is to open a new restaurant in London. George Garnier has partnered with wine importer Sylvain Bertheleme to open La Bonne Bouffe in East Dulwich. The authentic French restaurant will have 40-covers and opens at the beginning of February.

Source:

The CODE Bulletin.

London.

[BrandNewGuy]

Now looking for staff:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bar-jobs/waiters-bartenders-for-french-bistro-in-east-dulwich./1216416484

[dc]

Officially opens on Thursday 16th although they have obviously been doing some trial runs judging by their Instagram page. I'm hoping it will be like Casse-Cro?te only a bit nearer home.

[Nigello]

It looks impressive and has that French bistro air (like a classy/non-commitee-designed Cafe Rouge) sp I hope it is good and that it does well.

[titch juicy]

Does anyone else find it mildly irritating when restaurants put up a website without a menu?

Surely they must know that the first thing people want to see when they look at a restaurant's website for the first time is the blinking menu.

It seems to be a common thing too.

[Sue]

titch juicy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Does anyone else find it mildly irritating when

> restaurants put up a website without a menu?

>

> Surely they must know that the first thing people

> want to see when they look at a restaurant's

> website for the first time is the blinking menu.

>

> It seems to be a common thing too.

Thought the same when we passed on Saturday (I think it was).

All lit up, tables laid, looked open, but no menu in the window.

Hopefully at some point they will let us know about food and prices!

[Nigello]

Menus on a board or in the window are a big boon. Noone wants to go in, ask for a menu, then walk off with an awkward "no thanks" when you find out it's ?27 for a main course with sides extra.

[DulwichFox]

VAT must be included in meal prices displayed outside, or in, a restaurant, but they don?t have to be included on the menu.

When you get your bill, it may show a breakdown of how much VAT you are being charged.

Having the full price might make it look expensive..

Sitting down and looking at the Menu, prices may seem reasonable but add on VAT and service charge and then

feeling obliged to leave a tip..

DulwichFox

[JoeLeg]

No restaurant I have ever worked in - and I've been everywhere from a local ED place to Michelin kitchens - has ever put prices on the menu without VAT.

The VAT has always been included in the price - we do our P+L calculations after removing 20% of what we take and giving it to HMRC. It may not be illegal but it's unethical. I wouldn't work somewhere that did it.

As for "service charge and then feeling obliged to leave a tip" - if you've paid service charge (which you are under no legal obligation to pay, and anywhere that pressures you should be boycotted), then why are you feeling obliged to leave a tip? Typical nonsense from Foxy where the restaurant industry is concerned, but then it's hardly the first time he's demonstrated his total lack of understanding regarding how much money we take off people, what we do with it, and how much profit we make (much less tha he thinks, is the answer by the way. Much less.)

And if you think eating out is expensive now, just wait. Between increases in rents, shocking increase in business rates, and uncertainty over the future, the whole industry is frankly shitting itself. Latest (worst case admittedly) estimates are that up to 40% of London restaurants will close. I'd enjoy these places while you can and continue to use them. Otherwise they're doomed.

Unless you listen to Foxy, who thinks we make massive profits and gouge customers all the time.

[Penguin68]

Where service charges are not paid through (at all or in full) to the staff (as is the lamentable custom in a number of restaurants/ chains) it is possible to hold back the service charge on the bill and pay your waiter directly in cash. I often ask waiting staff how the service charge is handled. One issue is that, if you pay by credit card, some establishments will hold back an element of the service charge which equates to 'its' share of the charge made by the CC company, or even a 'handling charge' to allocate money to staff. A number of establishments also operate a tronc system where service charges are pooled and then allocated to all the staff, including those you don't see (such as those in the kitchen). If you want to directly reward your own waiter then you may wish to consider how best to do that. UK minimum wage laws do mean that serving staff are not paid (legally) below that and are thus obliged to 'earn' their living through tips (as is frequently the case in the US).

[JoeLeg]

Penguin68

I'm not quite sure what point you're trying to make with your final sentence, but I will agree that there are some appalling operators out there who use service charge to pay wages, Michel Roux Jnr being the latest culprit to be caught out.

There is no law against it, although there should be (indeed my own personal view is that service charge should be illegal, though that opens up a can of worms of how much we would actually have to charge for the food and drink).

It is a Gordion knot of a problem. Hospitality is in general a badly paid industry, and service charge is a divisive issue. Where I work the owners admirable not only pay above minimum wage but also operate the tronc system whereby every penny of service charge is given to the staff, both kitchen and floor. But we thus have an horrendous wage bill, which is a constant concern. Our customers are very happy, but we have to watch the bottom line like a hawk. However, good staff are not cheap, not should they be.

But if we abolished service charge we would have to put prices up by a corresponding amount. So are we perpetuating a broken system by not doing so? Yes, of course we are. Would the public tolerate higher prices for food and drink I return for no service charge? We aren't sure yet.

[titch juicy]

I'm still trying to work out why VAT was brought up in the first place.