Chez Gerard has become one of London’s best known upmarket restaurant chains in recent times, and a branch located smack-bang in the middle of the West End’s trendy Charlotte Street, with its throngs of skinny-jeaned media types, seems like a winner from the off. But does it have enough gastronomic draw to keep people coming back in an area so saturated with great eateries?

The Venue
Chez Gerard is not a wildly differing chain in appearance, and Charlotte Street’s diminutive incarnation hardly rocks the boat by sporting its trademark white tiled everything with royal blue trimmings. In fact the look is so impeccably Parisian brasserie you’d think you stepped straight off the train at Gare du Nord. Waiters are suitably French looking, too, all smouldering looks and pouts to order. Seating is comfortable, though it does feel a tad too cramped at times, and the toilets look like they get a daily brush-down with Colgate, they’re so achingly white. You feel like if you accidentally spat out your food it’d disappear in seconds; squeaky-clean French cleanliness done to perfection.

The Atmosphere
Because of its precarious proximity to a multitude of media hotspots, as well as the upper-class echelons of Marylebone and Mayfair, Charlotte Street draws a wide squall of custom cut right across the smorgasbord of London’s in-crowds. Thus the atmosphere is neither uptight pretension nor smug self-deference; resting somewhere easy in which everyone can take a date or a mate for a mid-priced feast. Waiters, though pleasing on the eye, may have a tad too much nouveau nonchalance – which used to be called cool but can pass into simple rudeness at times – and for this reason the meal ordered may not come with its required bells and whistles. Lighting may seem slightly intense at times but there’s nothing much to linger upon; apart from the sometime disregarding service the ambience is more than ample.

The Food
Chez Gerard prides itself on its impeccable range of steaks, so there’s no surprise that meat dominates the menu. The Salade de Chevre Chaud (goat’s cheese salad, about £6) comes with smoked bacon lardons which are extremely succulent and full-flavoured. The goat’s cheese is welcomingly strong – a trait a myriad chains fail to catch – and the salad generous, if uninspiring. The traditional French onion soup (£5) is again generous, if lacking intensity somewhat.

For the main event, plump for the much-trumpeted fillet as your main event, either the mid-priced 8oz rump (£15) or the like-weighted sirloin (£19). Both are served with chips which are just a little too French-fried, being more Burger King than bistro. Yet both portions of meat are well-cooked and extremely succulent – going some way to back up Chez Gerard’s claim that they make the best steak-frites this side of Paris (does this, then, include all of North America?). A side of juicy spinach and beans (£5) is cooked just the right side of al dente to hold in its freshness. Yet neither steak comes with sauce, which are an extra £1.50. For desserts, the well-spread cheese selection (£7), which includes many French favourites alongside an equally-adventurous line-up of breads which are sturdy in flavour and size.

The Drink
A Mojito and Strawberry Daiquiri, both £7, fail to stray in any way from their classic concoctions of mint, lime and rum; and rum, lime and strawberry respectively. Both, however, are definitely worthy of note and manage to taste fresh, uplifting and strong enough to dwell upon. A rare and smooth Leffe beer breaks average at £4 and makes for a nice diversion to all the Fosters, Becks and Carling swilling around the area by being bubbly and light.

The Last Word
Chez Gerard fames itself on meat, and this incarnation is no exception with tender and perfectly cooked cuts. Drinks are well-made and the decor lends itself naturally to West End pre-theatre food. It’s just a shame staff aren't more attentive, otherwise this restaurant could find itself employing the best traits from both sides of the Channel.

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