Bistro Bleu Brings French Dining To Bloomsbury
As an accordion’s tone murmured from the speakers, and raindrops outside the window shimmered and sparkled under the glow of a nearby streetlight, the ambience of Bloomsbury’s Bistro Bleu on a blustery February evening perfectly matched the ‘stranded in a Paris café’ vibe we had hoped for.
An intimate dining space, with just 36 covers, Bistro Bleu is incongruously found atop of a flight of stairs at the Rugby Tavern, a traditional British pub found in a cute courtyard under the shelter of a row of trees on Great James Street.
But while the pub beneath offers an authentic pub experience of pints, real ale and sports, Bistro Bleu is a journey to a more refined way of life, offering a French-inspired menu and boasting an impressive wine list to complement the dishes.
Our experience kicked off with what else but a French 75 each, an enjoyable and indulgent aperitif ahead of the main event. The menu is small but perfectly crafted with options of various steaks, a braised ox cheek bourguignon or braised leg of rabbit, as well as several fish dishes and at least one vegetarian option for each course.
Bistro Bleu’s innovative twists on traditional French dishes
The Prix Fixe menu runs from midday until 3pm Monday to Saturday, with the a la carte available all week long. We chose from the a la carte and started with tender stem and cauliflower tempura, served with a basil mayonnaise and crispy shallots. The batter was light and delicately flavoured, and the tender stem and cauliflower inside were both crunchy and fresh.
The Bavette steak was succulent and an excellent cut of meat, although more medium cooked than the requested medium-rare. Served with a shallot sauce and fries, it was a satisfying and tasty meal. As was the baked courgette and quinoa cannelloni, an innovative and enjoyable take on a pancake served with a rich and flavoursome tomato and smoked paprika cancasse. Both dishes were more lukewarm than hot, the same of which could be said of the service, but overall were appetising and enjoyable.
Desserts are, for sure, the star of the Bistro Bleu restaurant show. All hail the apple and cinnamon roll served with vanilla ice cream and covered in caramel sauce, and the warm chocolate and hazelnut cake with its praline chantilly is light enough to enjoy after two courses and satisfying enough to curb any desire for anything further.
Bistro Bleu is an unlikely addition to the Rugby Tavern, and the pairing of the two is not seamless as it felt the separation of restaurant from kitchen may be the reason for not-so-piping-hot dishes. But the food is innovative and tasty and the atmosphere welcoming and relaxing. With a little smoothing round the edges Bloomsbury may indeed have found its own slice of France in this unexpected dining destination.
