Big Bruno’s back
Big Bruno Loubet is back with a new London bistro
WITH THE RECENT RETURN of the Michelin-starred chef Bruno Loubet from an eight-year sojourn in Australia, London’s Zetter Hotel struck lucky. Almost overnight their ground floor restaurant, which used to have an atmosphere flatter than an unsuccessful soufflé, started buzzing – and a few months on the fun atmosphere has stayed.
Given that the tall and handsome Loubet was a big hitter of the 1990s London restaurant scene, his fans and critics weren’t sure what to expect this time round. “People were asking if I was going to do Australian-influenced fusion food,” Loubet tells Voyager from the kitchen. “But I wanted to go back to what I do best: some classic French bistro dishes which will appeal as much to customers coming in for a special occasion like their 70th birthday or a young couple who just want to enjoy one main dish as the prices are so reasonable.”
So starters (between £6.50-£8.50) include seared tuna with Lardo di Colonnata with green apple purée, and a crunchy beetroot ravioli with breadcrumbs and sage. Among the mains, the hugely rich hare royale (£18) already has a cult following among businessmen (who are obviously going against the ‘lunch is for wimps’ mantra) but lighter options such as Cornish fish don’t feel like an after thought. The baked pollock with vegetable cannelloni and artichoke purée (£17) was substantial; our waiter advised against side orders but for sheer comfort go for the pommes dauphinois. There’s a lot of comfort overall at Bistrot Bruno Loubet. Robina Dam
St John’s Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1,+44 (0)20 7324 4455; www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com
