Last Updated on May 28, 2024
Deliciously French
Just minutes from Victoria Station and St James’s Park, Chez Antoinette is a relaxed, friendly Parisian-style bistro offering authentic French food and drinks all day and evening. The restaurant is tucked away in a quiet corner of one of those new developments that have sprung up off Victoria Street and is ideally placed for commuters, office workers and theatre-goers.
Chez Antoinette has recently introduced a French-themed Happy Hour at its Victoria restaurant. Between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday, it is offering a selection of cocktails from £7 and mocktails at £5. The cocktail list features French concoctions like French Negroni and St Germain Spritz, as well as a range of classic cocktails like Cosmos and Margaritas. Regardless, wherever possible Chez Antoinette tries to use French spirits and liqueurs. For beer lovers, there is Vedett on draft too.
When it came to choosing our own cocktails we decided to go all-in with the French specials. My friend had the French 75, a winning combination of G’Vine Floraison (a French gin), Champagne, lemon juice, syrup, angostura bitters and lemon peel. She declared it amazing. I had the long and thirst-quenching St-Germain Spritz, a very bubbly, very long, elderflowery mix of Prosecco, St-Germain and soda water.
Chez Antoinette’s sharing plates make the perfect accompaniment to its aperitifs as well as a good defence against the alcohol. Our waiter suggested the mixed platter of charcuterie and cheese. This really was a taste of France on one plate – goat’s, blue and Comte cheeses alongside saucisson, hams and a particularly delicious rillette, all accompanied by cornichons, grapes, salad leaves, plenty of wholemeal bread served warm and good butter. We were slightly daunted by the size of the platter but we needn’t have worried. It wasn’t long before we’d managed to clean the plate.
The menu is very French indeed. There is no sign of a rogue burger or other “international” dish being snuck onto the menu to please all comers. My main course was a French classic, the Confit Leg of Duck, served with pomme puree, cherry tomatoes and red wine sauce. The duck was pleasingly savoury, with a nice balance of meat, fat and crispy skin. The mash could have been a bit more buttery in the way of the old-fashioned pomme puree that would probably now be considered a heart attack on a plate.
My companion had been fantasising about eating a proper French Croque so was unable to resist trying one at Chez Antoinette. She chose the vegetarian Croque Forestier over the more common Croque Monsieur, which is also on the menu here alongside the Madame. The Forestier came packed with juicy mushrooms and oozing with molten cheese. Served with lots of salad and good pommes frites, this Croque was exactly what my friend had been dreaming about.
The wine list here is extremely long and very French. We had received lots of good advice from Chez Antoinette’s highly knowledgeable sommelier about the cocktail menu so confidently left the choice of wine to him. He suggested pairing the Croque with a Gewurztraminer and the confit duck with a Pinot Noir. Both were excellent matches. I enjoyed a large and delicious glass of the Vallet Frères Bourgogne Pinot Noir, a balanced, elegant red Burgundy while my companion drank a clean, well-poised Gewurztraminer, Sables et Galets from the Alsace.
For dessert, we shared a large and delicious Paris-Brest. Slightly salty choux pastry offset the beautifully piped sweet praline cream while toasted almonds added texture and yet more nutty flavour. I was left wondering why I had never eaten a Paris-Brest before as it is such a staple of classic French patisserie. I will certainly be doing so again.
It is well worth making a detour off Victoria Street to find Chez Antoinette. The restaurant offers all-day dining and is open from breakfast onwards. It’s a relaxed kind of place with excellent service, where you would be just as welcome to drop in for a beer and croque or a coffee and pastry as a full and delicious three-course meal with fine wines. You can prop up the bar or sit at tables with comfortable red leather banquettes. There’s also an upstairs mezzanine level with more tables plus plentiful Parisian-style outdoor seating just waiting for spring to arrive. Best of all, Chez Antoinette feels thoroughly French.
www.chezantoinette.co.uk
64 Buckingham Gate, 22 Palmer St, London SW1H 0PH
Phone 020 3990 5377
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