With its elegant 1920s style and classic Anglo-French menu, Le Cafe Anglais is an enticing, retro dining experience.

The Venue
There are two entrances to Le Cafe Anglais in Queensway: from the street via a lift or from the top floor of Whiteley’s shopping centre. It’s a great irony that the restaurant occupies the site that McDonald’s once held—especially as it’s run by superchef Rowley Leigh, formerly of Le Gavroche and Kensington Place, partnered with Charlie McVeigh, of The Bush Bar and Grill.

Le Cafe Anglais is in homage to the 19th-century Parisian restaurant of the same name and acknowledges the historic interplay between French and British cuisine. It’s light and airy with its high ceiling and the grand, long room is divided in two by a sweeping arc of a beige banquette. The colours are all serene creams and beiges and the whole feel is Art Deco (in keeping with the whole building) with the large rectangular ceiling lamps and huge windows which are lined by long, dark red satin drapes.

The Atmosphere
The 1920s design conveys a sense of opulent but tasteful serenity, underlined by the sweeping line of the central banquette. There is a gentle background hubbub of voices, but the tables along the main sweep are a little too close together. At the moment, there’s a slight air of suppressed stress, but that will melt away as the kitchen and serving machine clicks into gear and becomes a seamless operation.

The Food
For starters you can choose three from a selection of small hors d’oeuvres for just £8.50—an option which is highly recommended. The gloopy parmesan custard complemented by super-thin, crisp slithers of anchovy toast are a magical piece of culinary artistry. The sticks of salsify in tempura batter are delectably light and crunchy and the caponata (aubergines in tomato sauce) is good, although could have been less tangy and a little richer.

But it’s in his main courses that Rowley Leigh begins to seriously mine the rich vein of British produce and foods of yesteryear with dishes such as poached brill, fried huss and Dover sole, as well as partridge, grouse, pheasant and teal. The roast chicken with lemon thyme and garlic (a leg costs £5.50) comes in a slick of light, thin gravy and the pheasant (half for £12.50) is accompanied with escarole — both exude the comforting feeling of a traditional Sunday roast dinner at home.

For dessert there is a great selection of fruit including quinces, prunes and russet apples. Otherwise there’s apple charlotte, queen of puddings and quince, pear and almond tart. Beware though—the bitter chocolate souffle really is bitter and you have to leave space for the creamy pear, vanilla and chocolate ice cream. Most importantly, by choosing judiciously, you can eat here without breaking the bank.

The Drink
The first section of the food menu is entitled aperitifs and includes cocktails, Prosecco, Champagnes and Lustau sherries (Manzanilla Papirusa, Puerto Fino and Almacenista Amontillado). The wine list comprises around 100 bottles, is resolutely European and divided into countries and regions. Prices range from £15 to £150 with lots available by the glass, and the house wine is a Ca’ Dell Matt Cortese which, at an eminently affordable £15, displays all the classic characteristics of a good Piemontese bottle—clarity, crispness and lightness.

The Last Word
Le Cafe Anglais creates the affordable experience of exciting new pleasures and forgotten tastes of days gone by in an elegant, stylish setting.

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