A sophisticated French eatery serving traditional cuisine with a modern twist.

The Venue
Almeida is situated just off Upper Street in Angel opposite the Almeida Theatre. The restaurant itself is a fairly straightforward affair with the bar to the right when you walk in, the dining area in front and an open-plan kitchen at the back, where you can witness the kitchen staff dart about hurriedly. The decor unfortunately seems relatively confused with neutral green-grey walls and simplistic tables and lighting giving off a modernist feel, which clashes with the wicker-backed chairs, warm burgundy booth-seating and the various black and white photographs behind the bar that appear to be trying to evoke the atmosphere of a traditional French bistro.

The Atmosphere
Being off Upper Street you would not be mistaken in thinking that Almeida would be populated with trendy twenty- to thirty-somethings. However, it is quite the opposite with the majority of the clientele being older theatre-goers or couples looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Upper Street. The all-French waiting staff are polite, knowledgeable and willing to help without being pretentious or making you feel like an ignorant charlatan. Altogether, this creates an atmosphere of intimacy where you can fully enjoy the food and your company even as the venue starts to fill out.

The Food
There are a variety of menus that you can choose from when visiting, including the special lunch menu, which is £14.50 for two courses and £17.50 for three, whilst the dinner menu is £25.00 and £29.50 for two and three courses respectively. In addition to this, there is also a vegetarian menu, a more extensive lunch menu, as well as a menu specifically designed to complement a selection of Ramos Pintos wines and a port. Both the appetiser and main course sections of the a la carte menu contain a wide selection of vegetarian and fish options.

The starters include a Bouchot mussel and saffron soup, which is excellent. Silky and creamy, without being too heavy and filling, the soup itself is well seasoned. The mussels provide the perfect textual counterpoint being plump and juicy as well as adding a welcome burst of mild sweetness. The baked Scottish scallop and langoustine with horseradish nage is presented in the scallop shell with all the ingredients being cooked to perfection, providing succulent pieces of seafood that do not even hint at entering the all too familiar area of chewy and over-cooked. Whilst the langoustine is sweet and tender, the scallop on the other hand leaves something to be desired; even though it’s well cooked and seasoned there is a mysterious absence of flavour from the scallop itself which leaves you wanting.

The main courses are executed and presented with an even greater degree of skill and care. The spit roast Anjou squab, salsify, Jerusalem artichoke and mushroom (at a £4.50 supplement) is superb. Thankfully, the squab is not overcooked allowing the gamey, nutty flavour of the meat to come through, whilst the salsify offers a lovely bitter hint to the dish and the Jerusalem artichoke provides a pleasant textural juxtaposition to the softness of the meat. The fillet of Angus beef a la Bordelaise (at a £5.50 supplement) is absolutely sublime and worth every penny. Like all the dishes preceding it, it’s cooked to perfection. The texture of the meat is firm on the outside imparting a wonderful char-grilled flavour, whilst the flesh on the inside is soft and tender. The fillet is also accompanied by a marrow bone allowing you to dig and scrape around for the rich, buttery morsels within, as well as pomme puree, which, although outstanding, unfortunately arrives slightly colder than you would hope for.

The dessert menu offers up traditional French staples such as creme brulee and a selection of cheeses. The warm Valrhona chocolate pot with vanilla ice cream is thankfully not sickly sweet, but slightly bitter without being unpleasant as well. Furthermore, it’s surprisingly light, and when coupled with the vanilla ice cream provides a comforting end to a superb meal. The same can be said of the three fruit sorbets (lychee, rhubarb and blood orange) with a nougatine tuille. The sorbets each contribute their individual flavours (the lychee being sweet, the rhubarb tart and acidic, and the blood orange the perfect combination of the two) resulting in a light and refreshing finish.

The Drink
As you would expect, the wine list at Almeida has a wide selection of regional French wines and champagnes by the bottle, with a bottle of the house wine available at £14.50, as well as an impressive selection of wines by the glass and half bottle. In addition to this, there is also an array of choices from the rest of Europe, the Americas, Australia and South Africa. The staff are also particularly helpful in recommending wines to suit your selections and display a knowledge that makes you feel as if you are in good hands. There are also a number of dessert wines, ports and sherry, whilst the bar is well stocked to provide any traditional cocktail.

The Last Word
Aside from the clashing decor, which it must be said is a minor point at best, Almeida provides service of a quality that is all but lost in most restaurants. The food itself is especially well prepared, cooked and presented, leaving you satisfied and pondering what you are going to order when you return.

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