Gazette

Here's a surprise. As the second branch in a growing chain (the first at Battersea Reach), we'd expected simple wines and modest food at this little French brasserie. Instead, the wine list shows enthusiasm and daring from the two French owners. The list is nearly all French, but with good producers and a range of styles across prices (with plenty of interest for under £20 per bottle, and more than a dozen choices by the
glass). They also have a great selection of beers, proper French ciders and dessert wines. And the menu might be short, but they do it well.

All the staff are French, which may explain why they got so many things right - avoiding the clichés of French decor, but revealing a French approach to the dishes. The cut of beef called bavette (skirt steak) was surprisingly lean, beautifully seared on the outside and correctly rare (as requested) on the inside, topped with a sauce of shallots slow-cooked with red wine and jus. A fillet of cod had a perfectly crisp skin and was served with chervil root, an esoteric 'new' vegetable now cultivated in the Loire valley and Brittany (the tiny tubers have a texture and flavour between yam and parsnip). These tubers arrived via Rungis market in Paris.

Desserts are more classic, from creme brûlée to apple tart. Our île flottante was ethereally light, the egg whites and sugar gently cooked in a bain-marie to set the delicate foam; the accompanying light custard had visible fragments of real vanilla in it.

Gazette's a great little place to while away the time staring out of the French windows towards Balham High Road, or to doodle in chalk (provided) on the slate-topped tables. Most of all, it captures the feel of France better than the many faux-French brasseries in central London.
Guy Dimond. Photography Veronique Leplat

Time Out Issue 1965: April 17-23

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Latest user reviews

On a very dull Bank Holiday weekend I was very excited to read on Time Out that we had a new local open in Balham. Overall the experience, unofrtuatly was quite a disappointment. The service was very, very slow and quite incompetent (We asked for sparkling water...when reminded about... [More]
Anonymous  May 4 2008

An altogether disappointing experience. A menu that looked classic French proved a huge disappointment that even the pleasant venue and well meaning staff could not overcome. Food turned up lukewarm and took a long time. Side orders were forgotten or arrived after the main courses were already... [More]
Anonymous  May 2 2008

I was really annoyed to arrive at Gazette and find that the special offer that I had booked through the Time Out website was not valid and that despite having the confirmation email and text the manger felt no inclination to honour this. I understand that opening a restaurant is expensive... [More]
Anonymous  May 2 2008

Walked in at 8.30pm having booked a table. The staff seated us and then proceeded to ignore us for 15 minutes while handing menus to other people who arrived after us. We asked why the four of us were being ignored and the sniffy staff just shrugged. We walked. There are plenty of places in... [More]
Ian Freeman  May 2 2008

This new addition to Balham is still finding it's feet, but as it's gets steadier it gets better and I can see it turning into a popular place for brunch on the weekend. On first appearance it feels as if it hasn't quite worked out what look it is going for. The heavy tables with slate tops, and... [More]
Anonymous  Apr 29 2008

Very disappointed with this new Balham local that has the right vibe and what potentially could be a fantastic menu but failed to deliver on the food front. Our party of five had starters & mains, and between 10 dishes not one person had a good thing to say about their meal (lacklustre chicken... [More]
Anonymous  Apr 27 2008