Le Gavroche

We have been going to Le Gavroche for years now for the occasional treat – when we can afford to spend about £300 for dinner for two. The food and service has always been excellent and the standard never drops so it does feel special. However, I always have the same two small gripes – one is the appearance of the excellent staff. Their uniforms always look so shabby and ill fitting in many cases. I would love to see them all in good quality, smart outfits befitting the quality of the food and the place. The other gripe I have is the same old boring petit fours which don't seem to match the fabulousness of the meal and disappoint me right at the end. I wonder if anyone actually likes or ever liked physallis fruit as a petit four? Lovely to see Michel Roux come out during the dinner service and say hello. Lovely welcoming smile and such a talented chef.

I had wanted to go to le Gavroche for more years than I care to remember so expectations were naturally very high…unfortunately probably a bit too high as it turned out. Yes we had a lovely evening, yes the food, in the main, was great but there was just something… je ne sais quoi… Maybe it was the darkness of a basement after the brightness of an early summer's evening; maybe it was the laminate bound menu, maybe it was the waiting staff just reading the dish description from the menu when I couldn't decide between two dishes (perhaps they thought I was struggling with both the French and English wording), but whatever it was, I was just left with a small degree of sadness and disappointment that my expectations had not been met. I can imagine going again but to be honest, there's many others on my “repeat visit” list first…

One of my all time favourite meals ever, it had the wow factor and some! I will confess to being slightly star struck when Michel Roux Jnr wandered over to see how our meal was going but I soon got over this, he seemed to wander round at regular intervals and was very much ensuring his diners were having a good experience. In the end we were chatting away with him and having a giggle and this really made my experience complete,

Having said that, I am a fierce citic and it does take more than a celebrity chef to ensure my meal was worth it. The food was sublime, it was the type of experience I wouldn't want to repeat too regularly, it would stop being special for one thing and it was rich food -my arteries could certainly tell a tale afterward.

The cheese souffle was beautiful, I recommend this for cheese-aholics.

It was a hugely expensive evening, while we were busy chatting away to Roux Jnr, we may have inadvertently ordered more wine…this hiked the bill to over £500. But it WAS worth it for the life experience and the fantastic memory of a truly great night.

A small word about the restaurant. It's not a funky modern brasserie, it's a proper restaurant and kind of harked back to times of old (80's possibly!!) but I loved it. Male diners have to keep their jackets on, again I love this, it felt special and I was glad I had the new dress on. For a special occasion definitely but perhaps you might want to keep it that way, you wouldn't appreciate it if you could do it every week!

Very elegant, slightly old fashioned (but that is the charm; such a lady gets menu without the price), lovely cutlery, attentive staff.

I always love the transition from entering a restaurant to leaving it with the biggest grin on my face, having experienced food magic somewhere in the middle. Le Gavroche is one door you'll walk in and out of with utter satisfaction. A quick chat with the fantastic Michelle Roux Jnr makes this experience all the more enjoyable, with his passion for good food and even better hospitality evident from the core.

Having heard so much about the kitchen at No. 43 upper Brooke St, we entered with the curious excitement of children on a school trip. The decor struck me as odd and not in keeping with the style Michelle Roux Jnr purveys but that was quickly dismissed away when the real star presented itself; the food. Dishes such as the beautifully cooked fish in red wine sauce, with balsamic salsify and Jerusalem artichoke puree, and venison with dark chocolate sauce stole the show with their decadent presentation, delicious flavours and medley of textures.

As if these did not provide enough comfort, desserts from heaven followed in quick succession with a giant passion fruit souffle with white chocolate ice cream landing on our table with promise that followed through, bite after bite after bite…

Truly a much welcomed assault on all the senses and one you should experience at least once in your lifetime. Le Gavroche has certainly remedied the disappointment of Alain Ducasse.

We had the set menu which I have done for more years that I can remember. However, the food was 1*, which is sort of acceptable for the money (inc a very nice white). However, I think that Michel should concentrate on his own service standards which were rather patchy. The senior staff were as ever on the ball – but not the rest. Standards have slipped – I don't like cool coffee, I don't like plates being taken away before everyone has finished – this is detail!

THis is the first time i have been here. I was expecting great things and we were not dissapointed, crispy duck pancakes with fois gras was a delight and good size portion to, unlike some michelin eateries where u get a mouthful ! Veal with morrel sauce was soooo yummy, had to order more bread after to soak up the sauce!! This is by far the french cuisine restuarant i have eaten at, and i have very high standards.Tarte tatin for dessert was just as yummy and the vailla icecream was the best i have had anywhere…ever!! had to ask for more!

Staff were really friendly and not in your face unlike some places..gordon ramsey hospital road where they almost stand over you!! The restuarant was buzzy with plenty of life unlike others where u have to whisper!!

would love to go back if i can get a table!!

This review may seem as matter of fact as (in the way) Mr. Roux evaluates candidates on Master Chef.
We dined at Le Gavroche this week. On arrival, I was warmly greeted by the hostess and one of the Twin sisters on the staff. We were given the option to go the table or sit and wait at the bar. The bar attendant asked me if I would like some drinks. I asked if she had a bar drinks menu. She replied, “We only do classic cocktails.” I asked her again if she could give me a cocktails menu. She said she did not have any and she could make me a cocktail based on the alcohol of my choice!! Anyone who knows the history of cocktails would know there are multiple options available based on definitions of classic cocktails pre or post 1887 and then post 1930s. It was s strange beginning for a two star Michelin restaurant.
Without further ado, I chose the house Champagne cocktail as I had to wait for someone. The champagne after the concoction was totally flat. The drink had no fizz and the flute had no bubble. Unlike other bars though, the accompaniment was dry roasted almonds, which was a nice change.
After my drink and my companion's arrival, we were shown to our table. The attendants took care for us to pull the table to the side for us to get into the sofa comfortably. A little later one attendant asked for our drinks order. The menu arrived soon. It was interesting to note that the menu to given my partner did not have the price of each item, while mine did. The gender distinction could not missed here. The menu did have a fair number of inviting options to choose starters and main courses from.The attendants brought small French baguette and rye bread. The French baguette was surprisingly soft (thus did not scrape my palate).
By the time we had made up our choice of wine, the sommelier came to take the order himself. We were pleasantly surprised when I asked him if our choice of Petit Chablis would go with what we chose for food, he knew exactly what our orders were. Either that was a Gavroche Lotto special or the attendants and the sommelier have good communication among them.
I chose to have the Foie Gras, Duck pancakes for starters and my partner the Langoustine and escargot. For mains I chose the Homard Roti and my partner the Galinette Rotie.
We were quite struck by the swift pace with which the starters arrived. Altough there were few guests at the time, still many gourmet restaurants take a lot of time for each dish. The foie gras was fried to perfection. The duck pancakes were the Gavroche twist of the classic (Han) duck springroll. It was well fried. My partner's langoustine was tender and lightly salted. Without the sauce though the langoustine was very bland.
The Petit Chablis arrived with the starters. There was another surprise. The attendant who brought and showed me the bottle first poured a taster for himself to make sure he was happy with the freshness before offering me the taster.
There was a decent interval between the starters and the mains. In fact, while the starters almost flew out of the kitchen, we could not help noticing the delay in the arrival of the mains.
My Homard roti came with sides of five rectangular chips and a small helping of streamed and lightly buttered (creamed) spinach. The Homard was presented (split beautifully into two of its bright red shells) complete with the legs but without the claws. The cephalothorax was left in in the shell. [It should have been cleaned out to make the presentation more artistic.] The tender flesh was very lightly seasoned but had a fair amount of salt. If my palate served me right, I could gather the whiffs of celery, mushrooms, lemon juice, perhaps some mustard, tomato paste, cream and a dash of brandy too. The sauce went really well with the tender flesh but the flesh was cold by the time it arrived. In that it was a disappoint. The spinach's cream base added to the lobster's sauce's smoothness. The chips were very soft making them seem like they had too much moisture in them (the pulpy taste that happens when hydrated potato is cooked straight from the freezer) but very warm. The temperature of these should have been the other way around. To enjoy roast lobster as a main item, it must at least be warm.
My partner's galinette was deep-fried (well). It had, however, way too much salt on it. I could try a second morsel of it because of the salt. The mushroom base was supposed to be nice but the salt from the fish spoilt its natural aromatic fluffiness and overpowered any other seasoning on them.
While were dining, Michel Roux Jr. came to greet the diner at the next table. He did not approach our table. He must only oblige celebrity.
The best part of the meal was the plateau de fromage. One of the famed twins carved up appropriate slices of six different kinds of cheese. It was a good compliment to the clod homard and the petit chablis and also absorbed the over salinity of the galinette. Instead the standard grapes (which I like though) with cheese we served raisins (a lovely combination) and silces of fruit bread and compote.
The nicely tidy, and clean interiors of the dining room made the dated decor less heavy, the unventilated lower ground floor less stodgy and quite suited for a quiet and contented meal at one's leisure. The heavy carpet provided great acoustic buffer as the clamour from other tables got absorbed in the clammer of their plates.
On exiting we were greeted with equal warmth on a cold London evening. The Maitre D' even asked if she would haul us a taxi or car.
The food that we tasted certainly needs more improvement particularly for basic things like temperature or amount of salt or other seasoning. Given Michel Roux jr.'s methodical dismantling of aspiring chefs' creations, the product of his own restaurant was unexpectedly discouraging. Mr. Roux may rest on his (numerous) laurels, but he or his staff would do well to review what their staff know or do and what quality of food is actually reaching the diners. It is also clear that while Michel roux Jr. has definitely earned a lot of respect and financial success for his creations, Michelin stars mean little if the consistency lacks. It is also true that like the Michelin reviewers most diners do not care about what they eat, particularly when they would like to be seen the “happening places”. If a gourmet chef were to serve charcoal them on coattails with mayonnaise sauce, they would marvel at this new “culinary couture”.
The service at Le Gavroche dining room was of a distinction that is sadly missing at many other Michelin starred restaurants. In London that is rare and exceptional.

I took my partner there who is a Chef for his 40th Birthday and we went for the Menu Exceptionelle, the tasting menu, with the wines. Well what can I say – what an amazing meal. The food, wines, atmosphere and service were faultless. Michel Roux Jr even came round to each table during service to say hello and ask how people were enjoying their meal. We went in at 1.00 and left at almost 5 and there was no sense that we were being rushed out at all. If you want a special meal that is exceptional then this is the place to go – I have yet to experience anything like it since.

I was in HEAVEN!!

Im surprised by the last couple of reviews for Le Gavroche. I was taken here for a surprise birthday meal and i found it to be really stunning and a great experience.

The place itself is very old school inside (the woman gets the menu without the prices and also men must wear jackets). The general atmosphere seems to be that of real wealth – we were the poor cousins! I started with the cheese souffle which was quite huge but actually every mouthful was perfectly light and airy so i didnt feel in any way stuffed. My partner had veal to start which he enjoyed. Our main was black leg chicken which was cooked in a sealed pot and quite huge but again, beautiful flavours which worked very well together. We ended up sharing an assiette of puddings which allowed for two helpings of each of the delicious puddings on the menu (rum baba, chocolate, tiramisu etc etc…).

Overall, my partner had agreed that though no course was particularly wow, they were all very good – however the service was outstanding. We were never made to feel out of place despite obviously being the poor people out for a treat! All were incredibly friendly and attentive which is why i gave them a 10!

Its the most expensive place ive been to – £180 for two people without alcohol!! However its such a lovely experience for a real foodie that id recommend at least going once in your life.

My daughter is studing French cuisine at Leith's so we thought that we would bring her here for her 17th birthday to taste great french cooking. My husband and I ate here last June for our anniversary and had a fabulous meal. We couldn't wait to return. Well what a difference a year makes. It was so bad we walked out after 2 courses.
For the first course my husband and daughter had the cheese souffle and I had asparagus with parmesian shavings. The souffle which my husband talked about constantly over the last 12 months and couldn't wait to order again was served on a plate (we thought the year before it came in a ramekin but the waitress said that it hadn't) was a runny watery mess. My starter consisted of 3 tiny skinny aspargus hidden under a blanket of parmesian as if they were trying to hide the meagre vegetable so that I wouldn't notice how thin and striingy it was. Heck the ones at M&S taste better and they cost £3 not £28 !!! Okay we thought , the next course will be better.
Wrong!!!.
My daughter's lobster was rubbery and overcooked . My salmon was the size of a small matchbox and was also overcooked. The vegetables were burnt.- not black at the edges -totally burnt. My husband's beef was ok.
At this point we asked if Mr Roux was cooking. He wasn't. We asked for the bill ,paid the service and wine then sped over to the Square where we concluded the meal with a fabulous dessert and rescued my daughter's 17th birthday.
Mr Roux must be temporarily occupied with his new restaurant but we will never return to see if that was the case.. I have never ever walked out of a restaurant before and am angry that they feel that they can charge 3 star prices for no star cooking. Very poor. very very poor.

SET LUNCH A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

All looks the same but no Silvano, it really shows.
The new maitre d' clearly needs a few more years of schmoozing practice as well as getting a grip on the service which lacked grace and was spikey. Until very recently the service could only be described as seamless perfection.
The set luch menu was clever in as much as there was nothing on it that I particularly wanted to eat, now there is a first at Le Gavroche
It was as if the menu was devoid of imagination and worst of all generosity, my abiding memory is that the main courses were all constructed from cheaper ingredients, another first.
The included half bottle of red wine that each of us were given simply did not suit the food.
At the end of the meal Michel Roux Jr passed by and I asked him why he was serving a red wine that did not compliment the food.
In reply I got a lot of stuff about various restaurants in France where this wine is considered wonderful and so on, he then asked why I did not change it, I told him that we had all tasted the wine and it fine it was not corked so there was no justification in sending it back.
Following this exchange and not wishing to upset those who were with me, I had not got the heart to totally upset him by saying that the set menu had, in our opinion, was somewhat dismal, I was sorely tempted though.
Since that time I have discovered others who agree with me and they have started going to other places for lunch and dinner, this must mean that the word is out on the street, though, to be fair, the dinner is probably still very good. However I myself am not prepared to take the chance, that is unless someone else is picking up the tab.
This is a truly great restaurant, to be utterly charitable it is probably best to think that it was having a bit of a rough patch following the arrival of a new maitre d'.
All that needs to happen is for the owner to get off television and get his eye back on the ball so that it is once again possible to go to the restaurant secure in the knowledge that every occasion will be a total pleasure and that no matter what the cost it is cheap.

In a nutshell – plain stunning (as of early March 2010).
The moment they grace the starched tablecloth with the food you become totally oblivious to the fact that the place is cramped with little daylight and clearly challenged heating system. You almost feel sorry destroying the beautiful presentation with your fork and knife, but the temptation is too powerful. I would highly recommend Scotch Fillet of Beef and Foie Gras with port sauce and truffled macaroni cheese – the texture and flavour combination is second to none, a symphony of subtle tones blending together yet fully revealing individual notes. Chocolate dessert is a heavenly delight to every chocoholic, and hugely tempting to others who opted for lovely looking (and, I'm advised, tasting equally good) fruity options.
A cherry on a cake was a cameo appearance of The Chef himself, Roux-Jr, who took time to spend a minute at each table and made the meal totally unforgettable.

I went last night with friends and found the service to be excellent. The Menu Exceptional (95 pounds) was a little rich and heavy for me, but I still ate every last bite. The quality of the food was excellent. 9:30pm sitting meant that we were the last to leave but didn't feel rushed. Excellent romantic atmosphere (read: quite dark).

In all my years of eating in ‘fine dining’ restaurants I only recently discovered Le Gavroche. What a waste, what was I thinking of?. I cannot praise the experience of dining here too highly.

The food was absolutely fantastic. Each course maintining the standard throughout the meal. My scallops in a ginger sauce were amazing and my partners twice baked cheese souffle, although probably dripping in calories, was fantastic and one can understand why it is a signature dish for this fine restaurant.

The main courses were delicious and well presented. My roast veal was wonderful.

I completed my meal with cheese and the choice was exceptional and the waiter clearly knew his product really well and took some pride in having his suggestions accepted by the customer. My partner had Omlette Rothschild and I have seldom seen such satisfaction with a desert as that clearly brought. The somelier kindly suggested a desert wine to accompany it and I gather the blend of the wine and desert reached new heights of enjoyment.

The staff were all professional and it was a joy to be served by them. To top the evening off, it was our 25th anniversary, M. Roux came into the dining area of the restaurant and took time to greet all of the guests at each table.

A brilliant finish to a positively amazing evening.

I hosted three business guests at a dinner at Le Gavroche in March 2009. The restaurant had not been my choice and I was slightly wary having been disappointed on a previous visit made by my wife and I, many years ago. My recollection from the past was of a rather gloomy business oriented restaurant, which failed to deliver on its (then) 3 star rating. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to see that my fellow diners included several couples and small groups of friends. Conversations were bubbly and the atmosphere was much more relaxed than I had remembered from the past. The tables are laid out closely but without compromising privacy; there are a series of semi-alcoves at the sides of the restaurant for couples. The waiters were courteous, polite and very (very) efficient. The standard of food surprised me, and (despite my trepidation) I was very impressed. My starter was artichoke with a foie gras, which was outstanding. I had T-bone of turbot to follow, which was served with a clam sauce, so light that it almost floated. My guests were equally impressed with their respective choices. The sommelier helped me with a choice of a white Chassagne Montrachet and red Bordeaux (the name eludes me) that impressed by guests, but also my bank manager. Not everyone wanted desert and so I chose the assiette du chef, which consisted of about ten different delicacies. We all tucked in – excellent! The bill, damaged by the wine, was £170 per head and I guess that I was OK (ish) about that. In summary, I left Le Gavroche much more impressed than I had previously. It delivered on the quality of the food and, contrary to many gourmet establishments, served up substantial portions that left me feeling fully satisfied. Would I go back? With a key business client, if the bill could be justified, then definitely yes. Would I take my wife there? No, there are more romantic places, which compare on service and food.

I had the special lunch on the 5th March, excellent value at £48.

I thought that the service was superb. As a business woman eating alone, as my client could not make lunch, I was treated with the upmost courtsey and made to feel very comfortable.

The canapes were a bit so-so, possibly just out of the fridge? However the chicken with the delicate small truffles amuse bouche was superb.

The mackrel was so fresh as to leap out the plate! Not so keen on the lamb, it may be a woman thing but it was ringed with fat and felt more like a canteen stew.

I wanted to throw myself in front of the cheese trolley to stop it going away as it was that good and as I write this review, I am still nibbling on the petit fours which they kindly boxed up for me.

Wonderful buzy atmosphere at lunch time but never felt I was being hurried to leave.

Amazing taste and textures from the tasting menu at Le Gavroche – truly indulgent and every mouthful pure delight.

The food was just exquisite, the cheese souffle was tremendous, not just in taste but calories too, the fois gras and duck pancake was delicious with the most incredible texture, the beef just melted in your mouth joined with a beautifully rich parsnip puree. All eight courses were wonderful with a superb cheese board on top.

Staff attentive, friendly and knowledgeable as always.

Price, expensive but boy its worth spoiling yourself once in a while and this is just the place to do it. We have been to many other so called “top” restaurants where the quality and flavours are nowhere near the standards at Le Gavroche, yet the cost remarkably similar. Worth every penny and my partner agreed too!!!

4th Feb '09

There are 70 staff in this restaurant, and 70 covers. I find it hard to believe that any customer in the history of Le Gav has struggled to catch the eye of a waiter – if there was a masterclass in Service then this is it.
The restaurant feels quite informal in a formal way and it is very easy to forget you are in a windowless basement when surrounded by artwork and flowers and gliding waitrers. There is nothing new I can add about Le Gavroche's cooking only that as a restaurant there is nothing in London with the same sense of occasion and theatre that Le Gavroche has consistently maintained through its life. I hope it never changes.

Set lunch is excellent value for money.

I always regret taking my boyfriend to restaurants.He is quite good with food and I have made the mistake of taking him to several of my favourite eateries only to have him a) say he could make it better and b) proving that he can.
So when we decided that I would take him to a nice restaurant for his birthday I was undoubtedly nervous. Our orginal plan was to go to the Fat Duck, but when I realised how much it would actually cost (we reckon about £500 for the 2 of us) I had to find a suitable alternative that wouldn't put me out on the street.
My flatmate had just been to Le Gavroche for lunch and she thourghly recommended it and when she told me it was £48 for a 3 course meal with half a bottle of wine, half a bottle of mineral water and coffee I was sold.
We went on what was possibly the wettest day in London for half a century and were quite soggy when we arrived. We were put at ease by the staff and as we descended to the dining room we passed Michel Roux Jr (though I didn't know it at the time) who politiely wished us a good day and hoped we had a nice meal.
The dining room is low, fairly dark and how you would imagine it to be. We are in our mid-20's and felt a little out of place amongst the rest of the high-society types that you would expect to be in a triple Michelin star restaurant on a Monday at lunchtime. The staff are a little cold and aloof as you expect them to be, but extremely professional and worth every part of the 12.5% service charge. The best part of the interior was the table funiture. All the cutlery were made with little statues of Gavroche as their handles and there was an interesting selection of animals on the tables that were made out of old melted cutlery (we had the bull)
So to the food… the menu was in French and after the Maitre'D had explained it to us I had the Consumme with Game, Duck Breast in Raisin Sauce and the Chocolate Tarte. My boyfriend had the buttery shrimp starter, the beef main and the selection of the most delicious ice cream in the whole of london.
The actual consumme was lovely but the game mousse was a bit to rich for my liking and I probably wouldn't recommend it. The shrimp on the other hand was absolutley lovely especially the rich buttery sauce and that I would recommend. Both mains where up to scratch in both cooking and ingenuity and I would recommend either of them (but I did prefer the duck). The chocolate tarte was literally melt-in the-mouth and even though I had a generous portion I could have quite happily have changed into some more comfortable comfortable clothing and polished off the rest of the tarte. It was accompanied by orange ice cream which would have been lovely if I had not tasted the white chocolate ice cream that my boyfiend chose- this is worth going for in its self.
The wine was lovely (wish I could remember the name-it was the less dry white wine) and we were even offered a refill of our coffee at the end. As expected the bill only came to £108 (with service) and so their were no hidden surprises (i.e. bread, amuse bouche which was lobster)- which is what I hate the most about restaurants. I would absolutley reccomend this restaurant and even his nibs said that he would come back and try the menu exceptionel- which from the previous experiences I have had; that that is very high praise indeed.

After much anticipation of returning to Le Gavroche having not been for a few years, I can only say that I was gravely disappointed. On other occassions when Ive been, the food and wine have been out of this world, my taste corpuscles would rush to the front of my mouth desperate to absorb the next exciting flavour in my mouth. There was not one memorable dish out of the menu gourmand, nothing that I would dream about eating again. In fact, a couple of them were hard to stomach especially the chocolate dessert which was totally destroyed by the chemical taste of the rum. The beef looked unappetising, was dry and tough to eat, when we complained, we were told this is how its supposed to be, that has been cooked in wine for several hours. Thats all well and good but surely the aim is for it still to be edible???!!! The service as always was faultless and what I mostly love about Le Gav is that for such a formal restaurant, people seem relaxed and there is a good buzz. But as far as the food goes, your money would be better spent at Pied-a-terre or L'Atelier De Joel Rubichon, or you dont even have to spend as much money and go for the non-Michelin starred places like Galvin, Pearl and Mu for food that is equally good and better value for money. I think after this experience and the disaster and blandness that is Nobu, Ive lost all faith in the Michelin star system.

I went to Le Gavroche last night for my 20th wedding anniversary. I was anticipating a wonderful experience and came away sorely disappointed. 2 rings of the doorbell were not enough but we were eventually spotted by a passing member of staff. An appetiser involving mutton ! Who eats mutton ? Yuk. My starter was £58.20 ! I have had better mousse from Tesco. The John Dory was good but very little in the way of companions in the dish save the odd tiny prawn or clam and stuffed pasta tubes I was so famished when I came home I had to have marmite on toast. The sweet arrived and halfway through they realised that they had forgotten to serve ice cream with it. I could go on but cant be bothered. £380 for 2 people and not an experience I am inclined to repeat. I find it astonishing that 4 waiters are required to serve every dish to 2 people.