The ViewLondon Review
A French-style Gastropub set in a pretty side street near Clapham Common and Clapham South, Abbeville makes for a nice night out with good food and plenty of choices for drinks.The VenueAbbeville Road is a small high street, located apart from the bustle of Clapham. The area has a pleasant, quiet ambiance, and the outside tables at Abbeville are great for watching the passing action during the day or evening. This venue has a pub section with its own entrance on the right, and a separate restaurant area that can be entered from the street on the left or through the pub. The pub consists of bar stools and just enough room to stand and enjoy a drink before heading out to the rest of Clapham or eating in the restaurant.
The restaurant area takes up most of the Abbeville, and consists of a half level that offers a good view out from the upper floor, or a cosy den if you go out back or below the raised floor. The decor is quirky but tasteful, with prints lining the walls and a variety of tables and chairs in varied styles, for example you can sit at a table made from an old spinning wheel.
The AtmosphereAt night, smokers cluster around the outside tables and chairs, while inside drinkers and diners enjoy the atmosphere. You’ll find mostly well-dressed locals in their late twenties-thirties and families eating here, and it manages to be a lively place on a Saturday without being hectically busy. The bar area feels like a traditional pub. Soft lighting and a quick, friendly service by the bar and kitchen staff makes this a relaxing place to eat out. Table service is provided in the restaurant area and waiting staff are good at recommending dishes.
The FoodThe menu consists of an excellent range of dishes, all reasonably priced. Typical French and British food is on the menu to suit most tastes, but with surprising twists to them, which makes eating here an interesting experience. For example, steak and chips comes with a creamy gherkin relish, which is an excellent combination with the perfectly cooked, medium-rare steak and gives an exciting flavour to what is standard gastropub fare. The fish dishes on offer look interesting too. For example, sea bass with parma ham gives an excellent combination of salty crispy coating and soft fish and risotto. The starters are certainly palatable, too - although the chicken salad needs a bit more dressing as the meat can be a little dry. The puddings are recommended, particularly the melt-in-the-mouth crumble.
The main courses and starters (which can be ordered as mains) are of a perfect size for a three course meal. Dishes are thoughtfully presented, and extra condiments offered, although with the balanced preparation of the dishes these are hardly necessary. Overall, these traditional dishes have excellent variations to them, making this an out-of-the-ordinary place to eat. The prices are very reasonable for the starters, which cost around £4-6, while mains range from £8-16. It’s also worth noting that a different, lower-priced menu is on offer for weekday lunches, and another for weekends.
The DrinkAll the standard drinks are on offer here, as well as some excellent wines - the house wine (2006 Villa Anita) is particularly good with a pleasant, forest fruit taste. The prices are reasonable for this sort of venue, a bottle of wine costing £12 to £40, and wine by the glass is also available.
The Last WordThis is an excellent place to have interesting French food, at a quirky, cheerful venue in a pleasant area. The menu has enough to appeal to most tastes and is reasonably priced with friendly service, which is great for a relaxed and enjoyable night out.