Mon Plaisir

Claiming to be the ‘oldest French restaurant in London’, Mon Plaisir continues to flaunt its Gallic charms amid the corporate blandness of so many Covent Garden eateries. Split into four intimate & highly distinctive rooms, it oozes an unpretentious warmth that’s equally suited to group outings & romantic diners à deux. The menu offers much-loved brasserie classics, from onion soup to steak tartare, with the occasional twist along the way. Creamy ravioli with mussels & a tinge of saffron makes a generous starter, ahead of deep-flavoured coq au vin that arrives piping hot en cocotte. Factor in a glorious French cheeseboard, impressive regional wines & helpful service from unsnotty waiters in black bow ties & you can’t help feeling that Mon Plaisir fully lives up to its name. As one happy soul concludes: ‘What better way to spend a Friday afternoon after a hectic week in adland?’