Haven for Francophiles
It may be located in oh-so-trendy Islington opposite the home base of the Almeida Theatre, and it may be yet another outpost of Sir Terence Conran's sprawling London empire, but spiritually Almeida is stuck in some faintly remembered rural France.
The menu at Almeida manages to be a distillation of all that is good about an old-fashioned, gently familiar kind of French cooking and eating.
On top of which, the large dining room is comfortable and the service is slick without being oppressive.
There is a comprehensive wine list, with a good selection available by the glass.
This is a place to overdose on nostalgia.
Bisque de homard is the genuine article; six or twelve escargots à la Bourguignon provide garlic heaven; there's poireaux vinaigrette, truffes noires; cuisses de grenouilles persillées; and best of all, the trolley of charcuterie.
This chariot is wheeled round to your table and you can pig out on well-made terrines, pâtés and rillettes to your heart's content.
Mains carry the theme forward triumphantly: cassoulet Toulousain; steak au poivre; whole roast sea bass au pastis.
Pukka pommes frÎtes.
For pud there's the tantalisingly named 'trolley of tarts', or petit pot au chocolat.
With such a single-minded menu, Almeida could have ended up as something of a French resto theme park, but the kitchen is passionate about the classic dishes, and the mood ends up affectionate rather than reverential.
No wonder it is busy enough to make booking for dinner a prudent idea.
The Almeida
Almeida Street, London, N1 1AD
