I have to confess, this time a year ago I hadn’t given Crouch End an awful lot of thought. If I did think about it, I chiefly mused about its excellent Festival Chorus, which swelled many a fine concert at the Albert Hall or similar. But it has now punched above its weight in London’s restaurant scene not once but twice.
Firstly there was the excellent Lyon’s, which did some of the nicest things with seafood that I tried all last year, and now there is Les 2 Garçons, which cunningly conceals multi-Michelin starred pedigree under the unassuming appearance of a neighbourhood bistro.
First, some history. Chef Robert Reid and maitre’d Jean-Christophe Slowik both worked at Marco Pierre White’s legendary Harvey’s restaurant in the Nineties, and Reid went on to be head chef at White’s The Oak Room, which held three Michelin stars.
After various adventures in restaurants both in Paris and London, he and Slowik have reunited once again to head up to Crouch End, to bring their mastery to a very receptive clientele. On a cold Wednesday in January, it was already packed by early evening, and over a glass of extremely welcome champagne, it was time to peruse the menu.
What Slowik and Reid – the eponymous two garcons – have done is very intelligent. There is a short, to-the-point a la carte menu, which features brasserie classics like to-die-for escargots in a wonderfully rich, green garlic sauce, and the best steak frites of its kind that I can remember having. But there’s also a long, comprehensive range of daily specials.
The adventurous should mix it up, and so that’s why, in addition to the snails and steak, we end up trying a couple of scallops that are presented with orange butter, and venison in a splendidly complex chocolate sauce that manages to temper a hint of sweetness with the superb meat. This is also a place where decent wine plays a huge part in the enjoyment: a couple of glasses of Macon-Charnay segue nicely into a bottle of a very fine Bordeaux, the Chateau de Ricaud.
None of this is wildly expensive for the quality of food and drink that you have. It would be possible, if you so wished, to dine well for around £50 a head, and to dine exceptionally for less than £100 apiece. For cooking of this calibre, this is a bargain. Reid is a man who, had he craved greater fame, would undoubtedly have received it, but being the guiding supremo behind a restaurant of this excellence is surely reward enough.
We had just time – and space- for a couple of desserts, a special of chocolate mousse that really was special and one of the finest tarte tatins I can ever remember eating, accompanied by a glass of Sauternes, and then it was time to head off into the chilly night replete and delighted. I can barely remember a better, more enjoyable meal, and if 2025 continues like this, it will be an annus mirabilis indeed.
Les 2 Garçons, 14 Middle Lane, London N8 8PL. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.les2garconsbistro.com.
On Tuesday, 25th February, Les 2 Garçons are hosting a special ‘Trapet vs Trapet’ wine dinner featuring wines from biodynamic heavyweights Jean Louis Trapet from Domaine Trapet in Burgundy and Andree Trapet from Domaine Trapet in Alsace. Discover how this self-sustaining method of wine production is now more popular than ever. Tickets are £125 per person, which includes a four-course menu with paired wines.
