The Cheyne Walk Brasserie

The Cheyne Walk Brasserie  is a fantastic neighbourhood restaurant in Chelsea where the list of famous residents is as long as the Thames that runs through it. Writers, painters, politicians, and the odd Russian billionaire, fictional and real, have lived there since the early 18th Century. So it was a surprise to find the newly married Bryan Ferry with his wide-eyed wife, Amanda Sheppard, in for an early supper. With no fuss. That’s the place all over. No fuss.

There’s a warm welcome at the door, the staff act as if you are a guest not a customer. It’s lovely and warm.  There’s a big, wood-fire grill  in the middle of the room presided over by Head Chef Mikael Thibaud and it’s from there are delivered the delights of the evening. Apart from the wine. There’s a masterful wine list divined from the sommelier Aurelien Pihery who has chosen wines especially from Le Grand Sud and Mediterranean gems that pair excellently with the Provencal menu. It’s French food without the creamy sauces.

The olive-green exterior and frosted windows of the former pub by the river is the first hint of the Rive Gauche. Simple wooden floors contrast with dazzling ornate chandeliers, Tiffany-blue banquettes and rich, red leather carvers line the room. It’s shabby-chic Paris. Upstairs there’s a Salon for 70 with jazz evenings, croque monsieur,  ladies lunches – all  kinds of merriment in a French home-from-home.

Our wine, the red Pomerol – Clos des Litanies 2002, was a wallet busting £138.00.

Overlooking Saint-Emilion, the Pomerol’s terroirs offer the greatest Merlot wines in the world-exemplified by the outstanding Château Pétrus. The family run Joseph Janoueix vignoble only produces about 420 cases a year of this Pomerol and is also known for its Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. The name of the wine comes from 1514 when Brother Mathieu Bossuet used to rest and recite “Les Litanies” of the Blessed Virgin in the vineyards.  It was decanted and of course we wanted a sniff of the ripe and dried red fruits and licorice aroma. It’s best served with game, partridge, veal, roasted turkey and pears.

Now it may have been that the wine was such a wow that I found the Lobster and Crab Ravioli with Lobster Bisque (£17.50) sublime in texture but a little tasteless.

The Pan fried Pigeon Breast with Tomato Polenta and Prune Sauce (£16.50) was more than a match for the wine and it was a good portion, beautifully cooked, slightly pink. It seems that the dish to go for is the simple Veal Chop from Limousin (£23.00) The meats come from Simmental in the north of France or from the south-west of France.

As if it were not indulgent enough there followed the Chocolate Fondant with fragrant black Tonka Seeds and Vanilla Ice Cream. Friends who had the Red Fruit and Rhubarb Crumble with Custard Cream (£8.00) said it had taken on some of the meat flavours from the roaring oven.

We came out praising the holy monk and praying to find a cab home, it’s a quiet neighbourhood punctured only by the sound of an old owl hooting Avalon.

Address: 50 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London SW3 5LR – 020 7376 8787

http://www.cheynewalkbrasserie.com/