The 10 Cases, Covent Garden - London Restaurants

The 10 Cases is a little, friendly breath of fresh air in Covent Garden.  There's a daily changing 3 starters, 3 mains and 3 desserts scribbled on the blackboard, with 1 or 2 signature dishes that are stayers. Mains come with your choice of side dish, included in the reasonable prices.

It has a wine bar feel - except that the tables are mostly reserved for diners, and the bar alone the refuge for the boozers. There will be 10 whites and 10 reds on the menu - they stock 10 cases of each wine, and when anything runs out, they'll swap it for 10 cases of something else. Simples. And they're very friendly about giving you tastes - bonus. Drink by the glass, carafe or bottle of a well chosen wine list with prices ranging generally from about £4-£10 per glass.

Wine list and free pea shoot nibbly

The fare itself is fairly basic, bistro stuff - all very fresh, if not earth shattering enough to distract from the lovely wines, which are probably the real reason you're there.

Lovely house salad with runny poached egg and mushrooms

The rolled lamb shoulder was just ok, and while the whole, grilled Dover sole with caper berries was fresh and hearty, it was probably a tad overcooked.

Rolled shoulder of lamb

Grilled sole

There's no service charge, only a small mark up on wines but there's a £1.50 cover charge for freshly baked, warm bread, water etc. Budget on spending about £6 per starter, £16 per main and £5 per dessert.

The things that would get me back to The 10 Cases are the fabulously, refreshingly simple concept, the stellar service - so keen, so interested, so helpful (there are 2 guys behind the operation, and you get the sense they're keenly involved) - the lovely wines and the easy peasy, relaxed atmosphere. The food was a nice accompaniment but not a draw card in its own right, at least at these early stages.

The 10 Cases, 16 Endell Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9BD (Tel: 020 7836 6801)

PS. Apparently there's also a private dining room downstairs.

Bistro du Vin, Soho

Lamb with lentils & bacon

While I don't usually go for chain restaurants, each Bistro du Vin has its own personality. The thing about the new Soho branch is the cheese room - La Cave a Fromage - where you can get unlimited (unlimited!) cheese for £12.50. At this point, I'm picturing myself getting kicked out at 4am a la Homer Simpson at The Frying Dutchman. Differences aside, the quality, unfussy bistro fare and reasonable prices are consistent with its siblings.

As a testimony to my love of the Bistros du Vin, you can see my earlier reviews of the Clerkenwell and Cheltenham branches here. Food is impeccably sourced and cooked with skill. The staff are friendly and knowledgable about the food and wine, and they share a interest and passion in their product and service which makes you feel good about eating there. Surrounds are relaxed and lively.

When I visited the Soho branch recently, service was still a bit green - while some of the waiters that we knew from the Clerkenwell branch were as professional as ever, some of the newbies were not so personable (for instance, the cheese platter was left at our table without any explanation of what cheeses they were - they all turned out to be fabulous in any event, and we got the low down on them on request when we flagged someone down). I hope it's not a sign of some chainlike indifference creeping into the fold. I'm keeping my faith for now and putting it down to teething.

Sea bass

Our food and wine were a class act, as ever - lobster bisque, gorgeous, pink lamb in a rich stew of firm lentils and bacon, and salty, crisp seabass with fennel and lime. Buttery sweet carrots were a terrific side, although fries were disappointingly limp. At the launch party a few days earlier, we'd been wowed by a fabulous array of seafood and Josper grilled steaks (what the Bistros du Vin do best, in my opinion) and heaving tables of cheeses and sweets.

Of the desserts, a warm creamy chocolate tart with Chantilly cream and rapsberries was the pick of the night.

The wine list is excellent and reasonable value, and the house summer cocktail of Pimms with Chase Vodka and raspberry is also one to try.

One for a long, easy meal, or stop by for a burger at the bar. Don't miss the cheese and charcuterie.

Bistro du Vin, 36 Dean Street Soho, W1D 4PS, Tel: 020 7432 4800

Greedy Diva was a guest of Bistro Du Vin.

Eastside Inn: Bistro fare in Farringdon

Eastside Inn has enjoyed rave reviews in the blogosphere since it opened last year, and so it was with much anticipation that we looked forward to our reservation for four hungry food enthusiasts on the verge of celebrating the Easter break last week.

Bjorn and Justine van der Horst have put the open kitchen in the heart of the restaurant - a feature which I adore, as much as anything because it reminds me of sitting up at the bench top "chewing the fat" about the day's events at school, while diving in for the spoils as Mum toiled away at dinner. That's not quite how it works at Eastside Inn, but the chefs all seem so friendly you can imagine it would be a nice place to sit (and beg for a scrap or two).

However, our party was seated in a small enclave off the main bistro-style dining room. It was, unfortunately, completely lacking in atmosphere, and held all the charm of a bland hotel foyer - we were facing the main entrance as though waiting for something to happen. We could have been virtually alone in the restaurant for all we knew. It was only later in the evening that I took a stroll through the main dining room with its French bistro decor and mirrored walls, and was stunned to witness the chatter, buzz and charm that was completely devoid from our corner of the world. My first tip is to request the main bistro room when you book. Our enclave appears to have been a hangover from the days when the kitchen divided the bistro from a more formal restaurant - the latter has now been converted into rather unwelcoming looking lounge bar (again, with some stilted, hotel foyer type qualities). The bistro was not full, so perhaps they just don't realise how off-putting this room is for anyone who likes a bit of atmosphere (don't we all)?

Bjorn and Justine were not in the house on the night of our visit (a rarity, I believe, owing to the Easter break), and perhaps that is why, as much as I liked the food (and, generally, it was undeniably good), it did not soar to the dizzying heights that others have experienced. From his previous roles at the Greenhouse and La Noisette, to his current work at Eastside Inn, Bjorn has developed a reputation for his innovative, skilfully prepared gastronomic delights. The new bistro menu balances elegance and rustic charm well. On this occasion, the food was lovely, but it was outshone by the excellent service we received from all. And, to some extent, the lack of buzz must have shaded my impressions of the experience as a whole.

We started with some hors d'ouevres - French radishes (a current favourite - £3.50), Nicoise olive tapenade on toast with pickled anchovies (absolutely delicious - £2.95) and little clams (also lovely - £4.95).

My starter let me down. Why, oh why, did I order the classic prawn cocktail "Las Vegas" (£8.95) when I was bound to love "Justine's favourite onion soup" with Beaufort cheese (£6.95)? The medium sized prawns were crumbed and fried, then perched on the side of a dish of lettuce leaves, with a tangy-sweet dipping sauce. All was executed well enough, but no taste sensations here.

TPG's starter was a winner - a fricassee of morels on toast with a perfect, gooey egg yolk (£9.95). Good eggs are just so nourishing, and this was a beautiful combination of rich and moreish flavours.

Our friends Fiona and Robert enjoyed the soup of the day (white onion with chestnut - it looked scrumptious (£4.50)) and chargrilled baby squid with spring onions, lime and paprika vinaigrette (£9.95).

Feeling seasonal, I opted for some Easter Bunny - a main portion of braised leg of Lincolnshire rabbit served atop some silky tagliatelle and a light mustard sauce (£14.95). The generous serve of rabbit was moist and tender, falling into the delicately creamy sauce. It was good, although it seemed to be missing some kind of X factor.

The pasta in TPG's rigatoni with veal ragout, capers, lemon and pecorino (£13.95) was surprisingly undercooked (well short of al dente), and overall this dish lacked flavour despite reading like a terrific combination. Disappointing.

Our companions seemed to choose more wisely - Fiona adored her prawns "Al Cremat" (delivered in a cast iron pan with white wine, chilli, herbs and garlic - £17.95) and Robert's chicken breast with asparagus and morel sauce (£17.95) looked the goods - it was devoured wholeheartedly.

We requested a side serve of the asparagus, which was not on the menu but was gracefully provided. Bursting with flavour, the perfectly cooked spears were among the biggest hits of the evening.

Our cheese selection was lovely (£11), although the cheese trolley is nothing to rival my favourite at Chez Bruce. However, the Laughing Cow clearly on display was surely worth a smile. I enjoyed TPG's classic dessert of the day (a chocolate and coffee number with ice-cream) even more than he did - rich, creamy and chocolatey (£7.95).

A clever and stylish amuse bouche arrived in the form of a large, rectangular ice block, with a hollowed out semi-circle for a dollop of sweet, rich mango sorbet. Another surprise amuse bouche - a coriander sorbet - also arrived later, which was lovely and refreshing.

The wine list is extensive, but expensive - try finding something decent for less than £30.

Despite being shunted into a dreary enclave, we had a super fun evening fuelled by much food, wine and merriment. Eastside Inn has a great menu, and mostly executes things very well. However, it didn't leave me desperate to claim it my new favourite haunt, despite my long-held suspicious that it might. Perhaps I'll give it another chance for lunch in the bistro with the big kids one day.

Eastside Inn will be open on Sundays as of 11 April 2010.

[Postscript, 9 April 2010: Justine van der Horst contacted me in response to this post to confirm that the lounge area is currently in a transition phase and will be revamped shortly - so hold tight. Great news! It's also terrific to see enthusiastic restauranteurs who care enough about this sort of feedback to respond to it positively and quickly. I'll be giving them another go soon.]

Eastside Inn, 38-42 St John Street, Farringdon, London, EC1M 4AY (Ph: 020 7490 9230)


Apologies for the lack of photos - I didn't want to detract from the ambience any further by snapping at everyone's dishes. (Normally, I hold no such qualms!)

Le Chateaubriand, Paris: Meal of the Year

I'm calling it early. Without fear of regret or revision. Set it in stone now. With 10.5 months remaining on the 2010 dining calendar, "Meal of the Year" can be safely declared.

There has been, for some time, much banter about an apparent "crisis" in French cooking and a declining French food culture. However, Le Chateaubriand is rock solid proof that brilliance still flourishes in the kitchens of Paris.

Its non-descript facade, in a part of the 11th arrondissement that I would never otherwise have cause to visit, belies the furtive, bustling, new wave French bistro that is Le Chateaubriand.

Le Chateaubriand opened in 2006, and is regularly featured in food magazines as one of the hippest eateries in Paris. But this is not what had me excited about visiting it. In fact, its down to earth informality and friendliness overrides any sense that this is a hangout for trendies. Le Chateaubriand provides bistro food which draws on old school French traditions, but with a progressive flair and creativity which reveals an exciting new direction for Parisian bistro culture. It draws on chef Inaki Aizpitarte's Basque roots, but sweeps away the tastebuds on a whirlwind, gastronomic adventure. And it's bloody delicious.

There's a changing set menu each evening of 4 courses for 45 Euros. This must be the best value fine fare in Paris. There's no choice about what you eat - you put yourself in the hands of the kitchen and hope to God they don't serve you osso bucco. (Yes, I know that's Italian and this is France, but why must every set menu - even at fine dining establishments - serve you the fattiest, cheapest cut of meat once they've locked you in at a price which you would not pay if you knew you were getting osso bucco?? Yes, I am looking at you Da Noi and Il Vino [review of the latter coming up.] Anyway, I digress).

We started with an amuse bouche of tiny, sweet langoustines and baby radishes settled in a bowl over which a fishy, miso like broth was poured at our table. Simple but lovely. An interesting start, but one that hardly hinted at the culinary delights to come.

Next came the colourful Saint-Jacques (raw scallops), orange, yellow and white carrots, citrus fruits, crushed pistachios and blood orange sorbet. Such an unusual but gorgeous combination of flavours. Taste sensations were exploding in the mouth at the fresh vibrancy of the citrus and vegetables cutting across the mellow, lush flavour of the scallops. And did I mention the pistachios? Yyyyeeah baby.

Our sea bass was mouthwatering - succulent, perfectly cooked, and accompanied by an alluring combination of red chicory, and lemon creme fraiche. Worthy of a mug shot from 2 angles. I am in quite a lather.

The "Pigeon Paul Renault" apparently claims its name from the pigeon farmer who provided it. Paul Renault, whoever you are, I love you. This little birdie was melt in the mouth good. It came almost rare, with salisify (how in the hell have I never had salsify before? - new addiction to add to the list), crushed hazelnuts and (the only trace I left behind) kidney. By now, I am melting lustfully onto the floor.

Dessert. A tres important part of any French meal. Ok, so this sounds weird but was utterly marvellous - lychee rice pudding came topped with creme fraiche sprinkled with grated strawberry, and accompanied by a separate dish (yes, 2 desserts!) of pineapple crumble topped with cream. The 2 in 1 dessert notion is to be heartily applauded.

Our accompanying wine and sticky were delicious, and while we went for the bottle, inexpensive carafes are available.

Service was fantastic, particularly in the face of my battling school girl French - those persistent rumours of widespread rude service in Paris has never rung true for me, at least in recent years (and seem quite rich coming from anyone who battles daily with typical London service standards). And they certainly don't apply at Le Chateaubriand.

So there you have it: GD's meal of the year. Given the adventurous and varied combinations adopted, this type of fare may certainly be hit or miss. But, given what I've evidenced of the mind at work here, I trust that there'll be many more hits than misses for me. Bold, classic and contemporary all at once, Le Chateaubriand is one of those places that will likely never get boring - it will certainly have a regular place on the fixture in all my future escapes to Paris. Le Chateaubriand, you have won yourself a loyal friend.

Le Chateaubriand, 129 avenue Parmentier, 75011, Paris

La Petite Maison: Nicoise cuisine in Mayfair, London

The Peanut Gallery and I spent last weekend eating and guffawing our way around Paris, in our own special tres chic style. TPG even grew a fine, curly 'tache for the occasion. Special Greedy Diva highlights are coming soon. However, suffice to say, many gallons of butter, animal fat and lashings of cream later, I'm not sure my body can cope with more French fare. I can still feel the eclairs au chocolat pulsing through my veins.

Fortunately, the menu at La Petite Maison holds promise of fresh, Nicoise cuisine - a bounty of seafood and grilled meats, vegetables, salads and Ligurian oils. A taste of the Mediterranean diet should be just what the doctor ordered.

Set on Brooks Mews in a quiet Mayfair cul-de-sac, La Petite Maison is a bright, buzzy, quintessential French brasserie based on a restaurant of the same name (and holding high regard) in Nice. Classic and classy, it's easy to see how it won Tatler's Best Room Award in 2008. It was brought to London by one of the owners of Roka and Zuma, but despite its position in the heart of the well heeled and sometimes stuffy streets of Mayfair, it's surprisingly relaxed and fun. Plates are meant to be shared (although you can just as easily stick to your own if you're not a sharer - perfectly understandable) which enhances the informality, despite the elegance of the food.

For me, it's love at first sight. The infatuation only increases as the food arrives. Friends Kerry, Ben, Sarah and Tim join The Peanut Gallery and I as we devour plate after plate of truly delightful fare.

As we fawn over the menu, thick slices of crusty bread are continually replenished on the table before us. A large bowl of grassy, green hued Ligurian olive oil takes centre stage on the table along with lemons and tomatoes to be sliced and rubbed into the bread in rustic tradition.

We share delicate starters of carpaccio of scallop and a superb dish of thinly sliced octopus in lemon oil which was truly a taste sensation. We're already working ourselves up into quite a flutter. We pair up these lighter choices with some deep fried courgette flowers, with sage, anchovy and onions, and pots of deep fried baby squid which were both perfectly adequate, although proferring slightly less to get het up about.

We also decide to share our mains - essentially, of course, out of a spirit of curiousity, gluttony and hedging our bets than any mightier principle of generosity. I choose the turbot with artichokes, chorizo, white wine and olive oil. It's delectable. It's been cooked in stock with vegetables, and is meaty, succulent and satisfying.

Tim and TPG each choose the grilled rib eye steak which turns out to be a fantastic piece of Scottish beef, grilled perfectly medium rare and cut into thick, mouthwatering strips to share.

The grilled veal chop is gorgeously creamy, while the grilled lamb chops with smoked aubergine are tender and pink. With all this, we share sides of green beans and crisp fries.

Usually, there's at least one dud in a field of so many. But it was impossible to pick a winner.

There's a clear leader on the dessert front as far as I'm concerned - and thankfully, it's mine. The warm chocolate mousse with malt ice-cream is so good I want to clear the room, find the vessel its stored in, and take a head first dive. Even TPG who has an annoyingly inexplicable aversion to chocolate mousse agrees it rocks.

His thin apple tart with vanilla ice cream looks a little on the light side, although he wolfed it down before I had the chance to try. The pear clafoutis was eggy and scrumptious (according to the eggy dessert lovers among us - such things are not my first choice, but it was lovely even to me).

I'm mentally preparing for a revisit already, even if only to try what must surely be a heavenly black leg whole chicken with foie gras (the aforesaid chook has been much hyped by reviewers in the past, which may or may not be a good sign). La Petite Maison is not cheap - expect Mayfair prices (at around £60 per head for us plus drinks). But every dish was fantastic, as was our wine from the largely French wine list. This is high class, rustic, wholesome fare - set in a chic, flirtateously French ambience. Somewhere for a romantic tete a tete, or a wine guzzling extravaganza with like minded friends, it's got it all. (Except the Nice foreshore.)

La Petite Maison, 53-54 Brook's Mews, Mayfair, W1K 4EG London
Ph: 020 7495 4774