Restaurants

Hidden away in a quiet residential street, squeezed into the ground floor of one of the terraces, Les Associés is proudly, perfectly French – from the authentically illegible handwritten menu to the chansons playing in the background. Style purists might baulk at the slightly heavy handed, old-fashioned decor (gilt-framed mirrors and starched tablecloths), but the food is impeccable. So, too, is the wine list: a carefully chosen selection of regional AOC wines, sourced from small producers. Prices are reasonable, and our three-course Sunday lunch was a steal at £15 per head: a dense, garlicky slab of home-made terrine and superb smoked duck salad to start, with bavette of beef and plump, juicy guinea fowl, in a wonderfully subtle plum sauce, to follow. Despite the price, no corners were cut: mains were delivered with side plates of perfectly cooked vegetables, portions were generous, and the artfully-presented trio of desserts was heaven for the sweet-toothed: a scoop of intense lemony mousse, sliver of creamy coffee cake and a sumptuously dark, velvety chocolate mousse.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009