3-4 Coventry Street,
West End,
London,
W1D 6BL
0872 148 3571
Note: Calls cost 10p per min plus network extras.
The ViewLondon Review
Café De Paris may be nearly 90 years old but it’s undergone somewhat of a renaissance in recent times. This glamorous venue retains many of its original features and, after presenting the best cabaret, music and entertainment for many years, it has now gone full circle by programming weekend burlesque and cabaret from the likes of Wam Bam Club and La Reve.
The Venue
You don’t expect to find a building so rich in history in between the notoriously to-be-avoided Piccadilly and Leicester Square. Yet, Café De Paris has been at home here since 1924. Born as a revue club, extraordinarily the club has not changed much in terms of its decor: it remains a grand ballroom, one of the few remaining from this era. The space is rich in opulent Belle Epoque-esque elements, from heavy draped velvets to gold leaf ironwork, passing by classical pillars, glass chandeliers and more. There is a large central dance floor surrounded by plush booths and an elliptical balcony, which is a great spot to watch the action on stage.
The Atmosphere
Sizzling and dazzling, Café De Paris truly entertains. The established Wam Bam Club on Saturdays is not to be missed and the new La Reve on Friday is quickly becoming just as popular. Contemporary and classic burlesque mix with vintage dance acts, twisted cabaret and comedy. As a self-declared Italian count strips out of his pinstripe suit down to his nipple tassels, while riding a unicycle, laughter, amusement and titillation quickly take hold. After the last song, the tables are cleared and the space becomes a dance floor: the club night begins.
Café De Paris has been endorsed by high-profile celebrities since the beginning. However, venues like this naturally become more popular with the masses as time progresses and the celebs now tend to visit during one of the many exclusive private or charitable events that are held here. For a venue that was in danger of becoming a trashy West End experience, the new direction at weekends now allows Café De Paris to attract a more demure crowd for dinner. A younger, more mainstream crowd tend to attend later on when the show’s over.
The Music
Depending on the night of your visit, you may find yourself grinding to the pounding sound of the latest r’n’b and house tunes or dancing away with a live big band complete with a contemporary version of the Andrew Sisters.
The Food
As customary with cabaret clubs, Café De Paris offers only set menus, although the food on offer is better quality than most burlesque parlours. Prices vary between an affordable £45 to a more extravagant £99 depending on the night. On Fridays, the £45 menu is decent value. The food tastes good and is well presented (although you are likely to have your main in the dark as the show will have started).
Out of the starters, the well-executed French onion soup is intensely aromatic and the goat’s cheese and roast pepper roulade is delicate and fragrant. The rib-eye steak – garnished with deliciously unexpected deep-fried wispy onions - is impeccable, tender and cooked to perfection and the same can be said of the duck magret, served with a confit duck spring roll which is possibly the best bit. If the devil is in the details, the hand cut chips are just amazing: noticeably bubbly and crispy on the outside, they are wonderfully soft inside. The desserts include lavishly presented Braeburn apple and cinnamon tarte, and a chocolate bavarois, very much in tune with the decadent performance on stage.
The Drink
There is a good selection of cocktails (£9-£9.50), which are mostly twisted classics. Champagne is another staple with more than thirty bottles on offer in every size (£67-£3000) including a rare Cristal rose vintage 1982. Wine is also available, starting from a not unreasonable £19 per bottle. Bottled beer is £5.
The Last Word
Café De Paris is extraordinary in more than one way: the history of the venue is an attraction in itself, and the weekend shows are up there with the best dinner entertainment London has to offer. Dress up and you will have an unforgettable night.