When you walk up to the door of Galvin Bistrot De Luxe the word “poussez” instead of “push” greets you, and that lets you know what’s on the other side of the door. It’s a traditional French bistro, like someone has scooped it up in Saint-Germain des Pres and dropped it into Baker Street. That means you get simple dark wooden furniture, white table cloths, mirrors and a small well stocked bar. It’s not plush nor is it quiet - it’s a busy, slightly cramped affair with food flying out of the kitchen with a hustle and bustle that makes you feel confident because their focus is getting a meal on the table rather than being stylish.
The food is excellent. It’s not trying to be original or clever, there’s just good quality ingredients cooked very well. Fois gras, snails, fish soup are typical starters with lamb, kidneys, sea bass and the like taking up the main courses. There are some unusual things… I ordered the Veal Brain which was a brain in a dish covered in brown butter with very creamy mash potatoes, my nerve nearly failed me looking at it but it was delicious. The wine list was even better, great value, a good regional selection and some things that are hard to find in English restaurants and not too pricey either – the Morgon, Cahors, Bourgeiul were excellent (yes we got pissed) and the Monbazillac desert wine were all coming in around the £25 - £35 mark and well worth it.
With the noise it’s an ideal place to get pissed-up and have a laugh with really good food. It’s a bad spot for a romantic candlelit dinner for two, but a great one for a business lunch blow-out or a quality night out with some mates - and if (like the couple next to us) you want to have a drunken row, cry a bit and then make-up with a snog, no-one will bat an eyelid. It’s not so expensive you’ll wake-up with a hangover and an empty wallet either, and in the heart of tourist-trap central London that’s quite an achievement.