New French Restaurant On North Cross Road

[KrackersMaracas]

I'd second Cafe Monico, Mick - I popped in for an excellent brunch a month or so ago and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food and the setting.

[Mick Mac]

derwentgrove Wrote:

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> Back on topic: had dinner at La Bonne Bouffe with

> the other Mr Derwent Grove tonight.

What did you have? would you recommend it?

[steveo]

Austrian

EDOldie Wrote:

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> Louisa Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Mick Mac and Jeremy, you know damn well that Le

> > Moulin was a fine FRENCH restaurant, Eric was a

> > Frenchman for goodness sakes. They provided

> many

> > regional specialities, most of which would be

> > unrecognisable to most 'supposed' forum

> > connoisseurs of authentic French cuisine!

> Anyhow,

> > this isnt the time or place to be digging at

> long

> > gone successful institutions. I'm not willing

> to

> > go into the menu options here, you are both

> fully

> > aware of Le Moulin and it's superb menu.

> >

> > Louisa.

>

> It was a great restaurant but I think Eric was

> Swiss.

[derwentgrove]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> derwentgrove Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Back on topic: had dinner at La Bonne Bouffe

> with

> > the other Mr Derwent Grove tonight.

>

> What did you have? would you recommend it?

I'm afraid we got a little carried away (it was a Friday night and the start of a fortnight's holiday):

A Kir Royal each

French Onion Soup/Country Terrine

Steak Hache in peppercorn sauce/Duck Confit

Fries & Spinach

Bottle of Chateau Lussac

An Espresso Martini each in lieu of dessert

The starters were both excellent. The duck trumped the steak hache. All of the food was rich but sensibly sized so we didn't feel overwhelmed. Planning to return post-holiday to try the Moules and the cheese next time.

[Alex K]

When I look at menus like the one at the BB and think about the relationship between price and food ("rapport valeur : prix", since the BB is French), I say -- How lucky we are to have Sopers in Nunhead, a short bicycle-ride away, and how lucky I am that my father taught me how to use an oyster knife.

Merciful Jesus. ?27 the dozen for oysters?

No, don't mind me. I'll be just fine, let me sit here and collect myself. Had a funny turn whilst looking at a menu, that's all.

[Jeremy]

Surely it doesn't come as a surprise that it's cheaper to buy from a fishmonger and eat at home?

?27 for 12 oysters is slightly on the steep side, but hardly extortionate. I'd certainly expect to pay over ?20 in a restaurant.

[EDOldie]

I might be wrong but I thought I saw some (french) oysters in Moxons the other day at ?2.50 each or ?30 a dozen

[binkylilyput]

?2.25 per oyster is probably about average in a restaurant

?2.50 in Franklins, for example

Menu looks simply fab and I look forward to trying :-)

[Seabag]

Penguin68 Wrote:

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> In France I would expect a proper cheese trolley

> with regional cheeses and the choice of up to 3 or

> 4 cheeses at one price (there is a restaurant I

> know just outside Calais that manages a brace of

> trolleys!). I hope you get to choose your one,

> two, or three slices - rather than them being

> forced on you without choice.

A cheese trolley, in a small restaurant?

Really, where has trollies for anything these days

Oh yes, Roberto's in Vauxhall has/had one, about 10 years ago. They also had a faux columned interior garden scene going on, didn't they.

Or was I just drunk?

[Jeremy]

Seabag Wrote:

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> Oh yes, Roberto's in Vauxhall has/had one, about

> 10 years ago. They also had a faux columned

> interior garden scene going on, didn't they.

Is that the place that was on the ground floor of the beige tower block which was demolished a few years back?

[red devil]

Don't think so Jeremy, if it's what I think sb is referring to, it's the restaurant on South Lambeth Road that the MI5 spy famously lost his laptop one night after a drunken night there. Despite the interior the food is/was good...

[JoeLeg]

A little over ?3 an oyster is pretty steep if they're selling fairly 'standard' Dorsets or such. If they're splurging on the more expensive Mersea or some of the high-end French one's them it'd be about right.

If they're importing from the continent or Republic of Ireland then the euro exchange rate won't help that price.

[Jeremy]

JoeLeg Wrote:

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> A little over ?3 an oyster is pretty steep

Think your sums are a little off, Joe.

[dc]

The oysters are 'Fines de Claire' which are French and cost ?2.25 each for a dozen, ?2.50 each for half a dozen.

[JoeLeg]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> JoeLeg Wrote:

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

> -----

> > A little over ?3 an oyster is pretty steep

>

> Think your sums are a little off, Joe.

I think you're right. Mea culpa.

Sounds about right for fines de clare though.

[TheArtfulDogger]

Got to admit I'm already disappointed without trying this place, simply because I fancied a Sunday evening meal and despite their door and website stating open weekends till 11:30 they shut at 5pm on a Sunday night...

OPENING HOURS

Tuesday to Friday 12? 11.30pm

Weekends 10am ? 11.30pm

Oh well will have to find somewhere else for the night now.

Hopefully they will correct their opening hours to avoid confusion in the future.

[daveybigpotatoes]

I went with my wife last nice - thought it was excellent. A lovely little place and am sure to go back.

Not cheap but I thought very reasonable really.

[RecorderSue]

What about the French Restaurant on lordship Lane which has been there for donkeys years?

[DovertheRoad]

RecorderSue Wrote:

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> What about the French Restaurant on lordship Lane

> which has been there for donkeys years?

Call it a wild guess. But the thread title suggests this discussion is about the new one on North Cross Road.

[EDmummy]

Just had a very lovely night lunch in Bonne Bouffe. Great food and charming staff.

[DadOf4]

Went to La Bonne Bouffe for the first time on Saturday.

It was chaos as they'd had a problem with their booking system and taken far too many bookings. However, they dealt with it pretty well and placated the ED masses with free bubbly

The room is lovely and their formula seems like a really smart idea: simple French bistro dishes, done well.

However, IMO, theyre not done anywhere near well enough. If you're going to do the simple (yet pricey) thing, that simple has to be really good - and it was, OK ish.

OK terrine, just ok mussels, celeriac remulade (sic?) with nothing else on plate (just too simple for ?7 IMO) Chicken main course just needed to be cooked a few minutes less and they forgot the tarragon - think you get the idea - nearly there - but with nowhere to hide when its this simple

I will go back, because I think they're just starting out and the chaos of this weekend probably was reflected in the food. Plus they do seem to pretty passionate. A bit more thought on the food and I think this could become a firm favorite (in a comfy slippers sort of way) , however if they cant deliver on the food it will be one of those places that ED eventually realises they could eat better at home for a lot less

fine margins

[sheff]

Agreed - Saturday was rather chaotic. We ended up being sat about an hour late but we were plied with Champagne and a cocktail at the end.

From sitting at the bar you could see just how busy they were in the kitchen and the unfortunate pressure on the front of house must have had an impact.

But, credit where its due, the staff were working their socks off to get things right.

Food was good, but as above, i'd like to try again on a less manic nights.

All in all I think this could be a great little place, they just need to get the booking system working!

[DulwichFox]

The restuarant owners need to be told directly at the time of any short commings.

I'm sure they were aware of the down falls..

No excuse for over bookings though.

Especially in such a small space where there is little chance of reseating people.

DulwichFox

[snooks]

Must say 2 of us had a gorgeous meal there yesterday and will be going back. Service was considerate and efficient

[SueOrr0103]

Just to add to Snooks, my husband and I had a fantastic meal yesterday. Loved the ambience and the meal. I had the duck which was divine and my husband had the chicken which was delcious too. The wine list is very good and not as expensive as we expected. All in all a great evening and we are very pleased about this new addition to ED.

Sue