Restaurants

A more French-looking restaurant it’s hard to imagine: outside, a whopping tricolour; inside, four snug little niches of Gaulish glory decked with Gauloise ads, an old Métro map, bric-a-brac by the cartload and a honeyed glow straight out of Montmartre. Claiming to be London’s oldest French restaurant, Mon Plaisir is powerfully evocative – and still disappointing. Though the staff are many, there’s a distinct fluster in the service: cutlery shoved aside with the plate and an artful doodle of sauce unapologetically smudged before our eyes; a waitress who wouldn’t give us her undivided attention; the bill that listed a dish at a higher price than the menu. The food, bistro fare, is so-so. Ravioles de royan were tasty, and entrecôte well cooked; from the specials menu, lamb with a herb ‘crust’ (soggy) came with good broad beans in a thyme sauce; lobster feuilleté was startlingly bland. Not a word of French did we hear among the diners, and there’s your clue; this could be a great place, but at present it simply isn’t making enough of an effort.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008