Le Comptoir Gascon

Club Gascon’s younger sibling is a great-value bistro that manages to achieve a mood of rustic sophistication; it feels youthful, yet the cooking is truer to the classic Gascon tradition. When it’s fully booked, there isn’t an inch of room in the angular, clamorous space that’s adorned with a wall library of south-west French wines. One taste of the piggy treats, the Gascony pie filled with a duck mousse & the French fries bronzed in duck fat should ensure a return visit. Seasonal specials such as tender white asparagus in a foamy truffle vinaigrette also entice & cassoulet Toulousain is at its fatty, sticky best. Cheese-versus-dessert poses no real dilemma: the fromage wins. Saturday brunch either stays close to home with duck breast salad or ventures into Basque country for omelette piperade.