They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but even a good, cheap lunch is at times hard to find. Bistro 1 offers a very good lunch or dinner at a very reasonable price.

The Venue
There are four branches of Bistro 1 in central London, three in Soho and another in Covent Garden. All have the same policy of providing good, nourishing and interesting cuisine at a knockdown price. All are constantly busy every day, so it must be sheer numbers that allow them to offer a two-course meal for £6.90 at lunchtime or £9.90 for dinner. You may choose a starter and main course or main course and dessert for the price. Should you want all three courses, just add another £1 to the bill.

The Atmosphere
Because they are constantly busy, there is always a good and lively atmosphere at Bistro 1. The décor is fun with huge cartoon drawings of various groups of people tucking into food of all kinds. The Beak Street branch is quite snug with tables placed fairly close together but this doesn’t seem to matter when you are having a good time. The clientele is made up of local workers and tourists looking for a good meal on a budget, so the mix is quite eclectic and yet you wouldn’t have trouble taking granny and the kids as there’s something here for everyone. The staff are hard working yet remain pleasant at all times under extreme pressure.

The Food
If you were putting a label on the menu, it would have to be something general like Mediterranean but from no particular country because you will find a mixture of items. The prawn cocktail is not just any prawn cocktail because it also has slices of avocado fanned around the plate and the whole dish served with Thousand Island dressing studded with more prawns. The Bistro mixed meze is also to be recommended, if only because there’s enough here for a main course: portions of hummus, falafel, tzatziki, bulgur wheat salad, pilaki beans, and borek, a fried flaky pastry with feta cheese. It’s a great selection of appetisers particularly if you are ravenous.

The main courses are equally eclectic and each dish has a full supporting programme of rice and salad, French fries or mashed potatoes and there are extra side orders available if you feel you need them – but you probably won’t! Every plate is piled high and there are no signs of portion control. There are also four chef’s specials which incur a £1.50 supplement at lunchtime or £2 at dinner. The rib-eye is a very succulent cut and so tender and full of flavour, one of the juiciest and certainly one of the best-value steaks. The chicken breast with bacon makes a great combination with the melted cheese giving it that extra pièce de resistance. It’s really very good and, looking around, a popular choice. The accompanying fries for both dishes are fresh, crisp and piping hot and the mixed salad is more than adequate. From the desserts there’s a very luscious strawberry cheesecake that is rich and soft in texture. The apple tarte tatin is nice, hot and sticky with the caramelised fruit.

The Drink
The wine at Bistro 1, like the food, is also reasonably priced. The whites and the reds are priced from £10.50 for the house bottles or £2.75 or £3.95 by the glass. The usual soft drinks and beverages are also available.

The Last Word
The way Bistro 1 is run should be an example to all other restaurateurs. Because the restaurant offers a wide range of excellent and well-presented dishes at an extraordinarily reasonable price, customers naturally keep coming back for more.

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