A is for Angelus: London’s best French bistro

By Julia Florence on February 21, 2013 5:02 pm on Food and Wine, Food and Wine - Europe, Restaurants

Tucked away in an historic corner of Bayswater – Winston Churchill lived down the road – in what used to be a traditional London pub, this charming little French bistro has more pizazz than the archetypal Parisian derivative. This is largely down to the charisma of its founder, Thierry Thomasin, who encourages his guests to leave the habitual hassles of life at the door and spend several hours
enjoying great food, delicious wine and lively conversation. Chief sommelier at Le Gavroche for ten years and then general manager of Aubergine, Angelus is his new stage to have fun with fine dining.

Thierry believes that romance and food are inextricably linked and the intimate, dimly lit dining room with its quietly grand décor certainly facilitates his philosophy. The bar area is a plush tea room by day and by night, a stylish place to enjoy a pre or post dinner cocktail. For a truly special, yet considerably more informal, experience, you can request to be seated in the Angelus kitchens for a casual, improvised meal where you can pretty much order whatever you like! There is also a lovely room downstairs by the cellars available for private functions.

Angelus’ cuisine is a happy marriage between grandmother’s home cooking and the refined compilations of a top dining establishment. It has the genuine heartiness of the former with the more sophisticated flavours of the latter, but with none of the trappings. Thierry is of the culinary camp that advocates a non- fussy approach to good food: portions occupy more than a tenth of the plate and are simple in style and composition.

Their signature starter, the foie gras crème brulée with caramelised almonds and toasted bread, embodies the restaurant’s balance between tradition and innovation. The smooth parfait topped with a crispy shell is a distinctive dish, but if you haven’t brought your appetite it won’t leave you very hungry for a main. For a lighter option, try the seared scallops with a cauliflower puree, confit of tomatoes and black pepper sesame tuile.

The mains menu offers a good assortment of meat and fish dishes. We recommend the roast breast of duck, which comes with salt and pepper gnocchi, caramelised banana shallots and duck leg fritters. The tasty bird is complimented by the surrounding sweet and sour flavours. Baked fillet of cod with sprouting broccoli, caper berries and spiced pipperade is also a delightful dish and again, a lighter alternative to the meats.

Thierry is first and foremost a sommelier and Angelus’ cellar is stocked with an exceptional range of wines. Expect his recommendations to come with a narrative and perhaps even a few anecdotes. There is a good list of affordable options, but even the three-figure bottles are less expensive for the same bottle than at other establishments.

Dessert is a must! With such a fantastic array we urge you to go all out and get the Assiette of Angelus: the full menu in miniature to share. We also recommend blood orange panna cotta, a refreshing end to a rich and flavourful meal.

A meal for two including wine and service comes to just over £100, but Thierry is adamant that Angelus is a place to come at any time of day, whether for a full three courses, a quick lunch, Sunday brunch or even for a glass of wine on a summer’s afternoon.