City slickness meets Spitalfields chic at Le Bouchon Breton, sister restaurant of the enormously popular South West London restaurant Le Bouchon Bordelais.

The Venue
Le Bouchon Breton is located on the upper level of Spitalfields Market with plenty of terrace seating front and back. Pots of cyclamen add a splash of colour but it’s the large light panels (that change colour through a rainbow spectrum) that really lifts the area surrounding the restaurant and if you’re dining at the back of the restaurant there’s the added benefit of an unplanned light show. Inside, it’s a comforting mix of industrial (exposed iron girders and large floor to ceiling windows), French brasserie (burgundy leather banquette seating juxtaposed against tables laid with crisp white tablecloths) and Art Deco (intricately wrought lamps stand at each end of the custom built pewter bar and even the restaurant’s logo that’s etched onto the windows is lavish).

The Atmosphere
Friendly French waiters (and no, that’s not an oxymoron) set the tone and there’s plenty of beaming smiles and laughter that drifts over from each of the well spaced apart tables. They could easily have packed in more tables but it’s to the restaurant’s credit that they’ve opted for diner privacy over elbow-to-elbow dining as you’ll often find nowadays at even the most high end restaurants.

The bar area is popular for pre and post dinner drinks and many diners join bigger groups of friends at the bar after their meal adding an upbeat informality to the restaurant which works well although the Euro pop that’s played at night jars a little. Surely the French First Lady, Carla Bruni’s latest album would work much better? That said, it’s a small quibble and doesn’t impact that much on the atmosphere at night and if you’re after a croissant and a coffee to start your day whilst browsing the papers at the weekend, it’s cosy and calm with the familiarity of a neighbourhood restaurant.

The Food
Le Bouchon Breton offers superb seafood and the selection includes French and British oysters (starting at £1.80 and £1.60 per oyster respectively) and large plates of seafood sized for two to share start at £35 for a selection of eight oysters, tiger prawns, a crab, mussels, whelks, winkles and two varieties of clams, with the most expensive platter including a whole lobster priced at £58.

Typical French fare is on offer and both Michel Roux Jr and Head Chef Nicolas Laridan (formerly of Le Gavroche) have sought inspiration from grand Parisian brasseries such as La Coupole and Le Train Bleu whose influence is evident throughout the menu. For starters, if you’re not opting for seafood the soups are a good option. Fish soup (£8.50) and onion soup (£5.95) are always a good test of a French restaurant and Le Bouchon Breton triumphs at both. Whilst the fish soup isn’t served in a giant pot with a ladle as it is in the South of France the bowl is nevertheless generously sized and served with plenty of Gruyere cheese, croutons and dollops of garlicky rouille. Similarly, the onion soup is a world away from the average offerings you often find at French restaurants in the capital with cider enhancing the sweet flavour of the onions once you break through the refreshingly crispy grilled topping of croutons and cheese.

A big portion of moules et frites is really reasonably priced at just £13.95 and is ideal for a quick lunch or dinner. However, the other main courses really showcase the chef’s talents. The corn fed chicken breast (£14.95) is served with apple and wilted gem lettuce plus plenty of sweet Breton cider sauce and is so plump and tender that you could get away with eating it with a spoon rather than using a knife. Similarly, the roasted rack of lamb swimming in rosemary jus is so full of flavour that you’ll find yourself lingering over every mouthful and the accompanying ragout of flageolet beans and richly ripe tomatoes is the ultimate comfort food during colder months.

Don’t get too carried away with the other courses as the dessert selection is well worth leaving room for. Aside from the cheese trolley featuring over forty regional French cheeses where you can choose a selection of three (£6), five (£8.95) or seven (£12) different cheeses, the dessert options are just as decadent so it’s definitely worth ordering a selection to share. A giant glass of chocolate mousse (£6.50) decorated with langue de chat finds the perfect balance between dense chocolate and finely whipped cream and is so light that you’ll be halfway through the glass before you’ve paused for breath. The tarte tatin served with caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (£7.95) is generously sized and incredibly authentic however, it can’t compare with the stand out dessert – the clafouti (£7.50) that’s dotted with brandy soaked prunes is a perfect example of the typical Limousin dish and its light custard cake consistency makes it easy to eat even at the end of a filling meal. In fact, the clafouti is so good that even if you don’t want a full meal it’s worth dropping by for a slice whenever you happen to be passing.

The Drink
The sommelier at Le Bouchon Breton was also previously at Le Gavroche and there are over 700 bins including an impressive Breton wine list. The restaurant’s dedication to fine drinking is not only evident in the long pewter bar, there are also plenty of bottles of wine displayed on the walls in the bar area. As you’d expect the Champagne offering is equally showstopping with vintage and non-vintage bottles depending on your budget. Classic cocktails and pints of beer and cider are also extremely popular.

The Last Word
Offering fine dining in one of the capital’s most fashionable areas, Le Bouchon Breton is an impressive restaurant set within Spitalfields Market whose easy brasserie approach makes it just as popular for breakfast as it is for late night dining and sipping Champagne.

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