Palm Court is a dependable French-chic brasserie in Covent Garden. It’s perfect for a catch up with friends over classic French dishes, or to enjoy a pre-theatre menu dinner.

The Venue
Located on King Street, just a juggler’s ball throw away from the buskers and tourist crowds of Covent Garden, Palm Court is a French-inspired restaurant that is parfait, as they would say on the continent. The décor is decidedly French retro, with old school adverts for Côte d’Azur aperitifs decorating the wall and wall-length mirrors fringed with mini palm trees. Wicker chairs continue the Riviera theme, whilst a long leather bench offers more comfortable seating. A large chandelier hangs from the rich burgundy wooden ceiling; the candles flicker to create subtle low lighting that makes everyone look like a French movie star.

The Atmosphere
Staff are smartly dressed in full-length aprons with a dark coloured tie; they are happy to make wine recommendations, and are attentive at refilling water or clearing away plates without being overly present. There’s not much space for them to navigate between the tables, but staff seem to move with ease and serve food promptly.

The Food
Petite casserole of clams, mussels and chorizo (£7.95) is served in a traditional cast iron pot with a basket of warm bread on the side. Small pieces of onion sit in the clam and mussel shells, whilst the chorizo adds an earthy, full bodied flavour that contrasts with the delicate shellfish. Whole tiger prawns are pan-fried in garlic butter (£7.95), although the butter could have been a little subtler and the rocket leaves are too bitter. Homemade tapenade (£2.25) is a pièce de résistance; a hard edge of capers fuses with black olives, lightly flavoured with thyme.

You can’t go wrong with the classic steak frites (£16.95), served with a choice of Béarnaise, green peppercorn, or Roquefort sauce (£1.50). The steak is slightly over-cooked, even when asked for rare, but otherwise it is a tender piece of good quality meat. The chunky chips look like oversized divas next to a bowl of skinny French fries, but they are delicious, fluffy and crisp on the outside. A side portion of green beans (£3.25) are perfectly cooked, if a little heavy handed on the butter. Salad Niçoise (£13.95) might be a healthier option, but it is just as filling. A generous slab of seared tuna steak commands respect atop a pile of crisp green beans, soft boiled egg, slithers of red onion and olives. The caper berries are a surprising and delicious addition. French Fries (£3.25) are dense with potato on the inside, but a little chewier than they should be.

Other main courses include a selection of pasta from £8.95, a stunning whole Cromer Crab served chilled with mayonnaise and French fries (£14.95) or iron-rich grilled calves liver with mustard mash (£13.95), plus a selection of daily changing specials.

Dessert (all £4.95) showcases the usual suspects; crème brûlée, panna cotta or dark and white chocolate terrine. The Pavlova has just the right balance of sweet meringue, clotted cream and tart black berries. The meringue is too dry in the middle, but did have a gloriously sticky bit at the bottom. Balls of vanilla and chocolate ice cream and a ball of mango sorbet arrive in a tuile basket. The mango sorbet tastes more perfumed than fruity, but the vanilla and chocolate ice cream are good.

The Drink
The wine list is predominantly European, with a few New World wines elbowing their way in too. The citrus notes of the Venezie Pinot Grigio pair well with fish (£5.25 per glass or £18.95 per bottle) and the Australian Shiraz (£5.80 per glass or £20.95 per bottle) is velvety and fruity with the steak. Sparkling and Rose wines are also available, and the Kir Royale (£4.95) is an elegant aperitif.

If you can’t decide between drink and dessert, Palm Court’s dessert cocktails offer a potent alternative (£5.95). The Espresso Martini packs a vodka and kahlua fuelled caffeine punch, whilst the Golden Cadillac is a softer cocktail, flavoured with crème de cacao and cream. Digestifs are available from £4.70 and tea, coffee and fresh herbal infusions start at £2.25.

The Last Word
You know what you’re getting at Palm Court Brasserie; good service, classic French cuisine and a twist of Riviera style.

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