Despite some uncooperative British weather, Fiona Adams enjoys a slice of the French Riviera in Kew...
At the beginning of May, when the weather – according to season – should be warming up nicely, but instead more accurately resembled February, with rain and wind, we found ourselves in Café Rouge at Kew Bridge. What an escape! It was warm, cosy and with the traditional wood and Toulouse Lautrec style beloved by the original Cafés Rouge, a welcome haven from the elements.
While the spring menu, available from noon until closing, was tempting (especially at £12.95 for two courses) with mackerel rillettes and tarte de printemps amongst the highlights, we decided to stick with the core menu. After mixed bread and olives we dived into the brie and chive soufflé and a tian of avocado and crab. Both came with sourdough. The soufflé was hot and tasty, while the tian was light and lovely. There are plenty of typically French dishes to choose from, including escargots baked with mushrooms, garlic and thyme and egg meurette, a Burgundian starter of a poached egg in red wine, bacon and mushroom sauce.
For our mains, we veered to the more substantial (we were still thawing out!) with a new addition to the menu – a vegetarian Moroccan-inspired tagine packed with butternut squash, carrots, chickpeas, courgettes and spinach. Seasoned with ras el hanout spices, coriander and harissa, it was full of flavour and a perfect belly warmer. Poulet Breton was a moist breast of chicken with a sumptuous sauce of mushrooms, courgettes and leeks served with a soft and creamy mountain of mash. Reader, I dived in.
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Despite the fact we could hardly move at this point, a dessert had to be contemplated. Crème brûlée and parfait were well… parfait. Creamy and indulgent both.
In comparison to some of the new French kids on the block, Café Rouge may come across as a little staid but I prefer to think of it as traditional Gallic charm. The welcome is warm, like the interiors and the comforting and flavourful menu. Unusually, too, Café Rouge does not impose a time policy on its diners as many restaurants like to do these days. You do not have to gallop your dinner down in the requisite 90 minutes; in fact you will find a card on your table stating that ‘time is precious’ and that if you have booked after 7.30pm then you are more than welcome to linger as the fancy takes you. How refreshing that a restaurant values its customers.
At the end of our meal, one of the staff kindly showed us upstairs. The wind may have been howling outside, but it was easy to imagine that on a lighter, summer evening many a good party could be had up there. Not only was there a further dining and function room, but a fantastic wide balcony overlooking the river. With the sun shining and a cocktail in hand, simply close your eyes and you’re on your very own slice of French Riviera in Kew. And the best bit? You can stay as long as you like.
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