Le Colombier

We met up with friends at Le Colombier and had a lovely evening. This isn't our side of town so we relied on their choice, it's old-school French with brisk waiters and a menu including fish soup, snails and foie gras for starters and a good selection of shellfish, and meat for main course including veal kidneys and sweetbreads.

It was a summer evening although cold so we all went for fish. The crab salad with avocado was popular to start, and the chilled asparagus simply served. Main courses of fish were plentiful – the special of the day was lemon sole in almond butter – something I haven't seen for years, so how could I resist? The others had monkfish and said it was very good. The food was accompanied by a lovely Puligny Montrachet at a relatively modest price so all in all it was delightful.

The restaurant was busy with a mix of mature people, business types, and family groups. Tables are quite close together but it wasn't a problem, we could chat and still hear each other. Didn't really notice the decor, we were too busy catching up with friends, but it all seemed pretty traditional for a French restaurant in Chelsea.

A recent visit confirmed Le Colombier's position close to the top of the Kensington & Chelsea list of places. Wonderful and reassuringly confident cooking, charming staff, even the occaisonal modern twist on the classic menu – and there there's the sun filled dining room – brilliant! Continuez comme ça!

This is a much-hyped restaurant with a reputation which based on my recent visit is undeserved. I found it be over-crowded and vastly over-priced. The service was not just poor but awful. I asked for a bottle of wine from a wine list which was exclusively French, unacceptable these days when excellent wine is cultivated all over the world, which was simply left on the table and I had to ask them to offer it to me to taste. The sardines we were informed came in a tin and it was debatable if they had indeed been bought locally rather than fished fresh. The waiters were even by French standards surly. The plates were plonked down in front of us and removed with the same lack of grace. The fare was average ; the portions were small, the dessert no more than ice cream with a chocolate sauce and the crepes suzette cold. The special which was venison was good but at almost £30 too pricey. This was a bad experience and had I not been one of a party I would have walked out. This restaurant was recommended to me. I will not repeat that compliment to anyone.

This is one of the best little places in Chelsea and extremely under rated. I always arrive five minutes early to look through the extensive wine list which is very good value for money. The food is simple but always excellent. Fellow diners can be a little old but don't let that put you off and rather suprisingly you can always get a table at the last minute.

I was generally disappointed, mainly when my plate was taken away with most of the starter untouched i.e. unripe and bitter tasted avocado still on it, no question was asked. The glass of gin & tonic which I was finishing, was in error re-filled with mineral water and the waiter offered to replace the bottle of water not the drink!… The atmosphere was good as the restaurant got busy, surprisingly, considering the average food & poor service…

This place is perfect for trysts with old friends. Truly French, yet with the atmosphere of a smart Chelsea ‘local’ – which is actually is. The only drawback is that you might well run into your youngest aunt lunching with someone more interesting than your uncle. The food is reliable French classics and although easy to categorise as unadventurous, why spend time puzzling out what you are going to eat instead of catching up on the latest gossip? The cooking delivers a fine punch. Last time I had a superb Dover Sole and a glass of Chablis from the exceedingly well-chosen the wine list. The conservatory at the front catches the sun and is perfectly tolerable as the road is a quiet one (and it's even fairly easy to park on the street), but I prefer the the main room as it's pleasantly light, even on a dull day, and warm and intimate at night. The service is experienced and exemplary. Indeed, it's a restaurant that gets nothing wrong.

A wonderful place for relaxed but beautiful food. Limited main course choices for fish eaters, but plenty of delicious options for meat eaters – I would rate the lamb chops as my most favourite dish in town, for what it's worth to you fellow London diner!
It has all the charm and feel of an independent restaurant and there is a palpable sense of the dining room being managed expertly throughout service by the two front of house gentlemen.
A professional yet relaxed wonderful place.