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Review: Veronica Blake
THERE are certain events that remain indelibly implanted in one’s
memory. Like that first school trip abroad. I can still remember
the excitement of arriving at Gare du Nord still queasy from the
overnight crossing on an extremly choppy English Channel and force
9 gale.
There’s something about the smells that hit you as you
step onto a tarmac or station platform which forever remain associated
with that place and transport you back in time.
In Paris, it was the pungent whiff of Gauloises mixed with coffee
and garlic wafting in the air when we arrived in Paris, which
seemed so exciting, so ‘foreign’, to a group of 15-year-old
convent school girls for whom Vesta Beef Curry or Mango flavoured
Angel Delight was about as ‘exotic’ as it got.
For those of us brazen enough to have feigned a bout of sea sickness,
thereby managing to get out of a group trip to the Louvre, we
delighted in slipping off to a nearby Bar in the hope of finding
a leather clad Alain Delon or Johnny Halliday propping up the
bar knocking back a sultry Courvosier.
Sadly, no such luck in the smoky zinc bar carpeted in Gintane
butts.
Our first taste of Pernod was wickedly delicious especially
at the at the thought of our classmates queing in the rain at
the Louvre with a stroppy Sr. Bernadette.
The following day, we were introduced to even greater culinary
delights of Le Grenouis - Frog’s Legs swimming in garlic
and with spiky thin pomme frites. It seemed light years away from
our world of milky Maxwell House Jam roly poly, and tapioca pudding.
Memories of my Paris trip came flooding back as I entered Mon
Plaisir – London’s oldest French restaurant.
A London landmark in the middle of theatreland, just off Drury
Lane, Mon Plaisir has, for over 50 years, been family-owned.
We were greeted by the charming Mr. Lhermitte who runs this
friendly bistro with his son and daughter.
Despite living in London for over 30 years, Mr. Lhermitte’s
accent is still as strong as the Café expres served at
Mon Plaisir which has been attracting as many French diners as
English.
They are assured to find a range of classical French dishes as
rare to find as a zinc bar or a sighting of Johnny Halliday these
days in Paris.
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Our Gratinee a l’Onion was
thick with onions smothered in a coating of Gruyere cheese which
melted into the delicious soup as authentically delicious as you’d
find in Montmartre.
All the classic French dishes are here. Kir Royal Aperitive to
Cynar and Pastis. Foie Gras. Coq au Vin, Entrecote, Steak Tartare,
Cotyes de Boeuf. As French as Claire de La Lune or Charles Aznevour.
Dining at Mon Plaisir is like being transported back in time
to the Paris of the 60’s. The days of mini skirts and Francois
Hardy, The Beatles, Student Riots and Bob Dylan. Long before Nouvelle
Cuisine or Pan Asian had been conceived.
There’s an excellent value set menu for £12 featuring
daily dishes using the freshest of produce.
The bread is out of this world, brown crusty and very moreish.
Fortunately, the soup arrived before we ate too much of it. The
staff could not be more accommodating.
French restaurants do not usually cater to vegetarians. My friend
was served the most creative display of vegetables which looked
as good as it tasted.
The roast monkfish with sage ham and ginger sauce was excellent.
Cooking is treated with care and there’s a real passion
for food at Mon Plaisir.
Mr. Lhermitte had just returned from Dieppe that morning laden
with cheeses, hams and oils. He recalled for us his wonderful
culinary experiences at his favourite restaurants, such as the
Brackenbury.
A greater treat was in store. Both art lovers, we were given
a tour of the restaurant.
The family have been collecting some rare art works, such as
Dali prints and lithographs, for many years.
Cult designer, Biba, and her husband were responsible for much
of the décor including the sofas. Even better, there’s
an original Parisian Zinc bar which brought back memories of my
first trip abroad.
Following the success of Woody Allen’s latest gem, Melinda
& Melinda, in which a charming little Bistro steals the
scene more than once, providing the romantic setting for both
Melindas, I think that Bistros are ready for a comeback.
They will be in vogue once again, and not before time. There’s
a cosy romantic intimacy in Bistros that is hard to find in today’s
fashion for the streamlined blandness of retaurant chains and
soulless ‘concept’ restaurants deemed hip by the likes
of Wallpaper.
Bring back the Bistro and the age of romance is what I say.
Mon Plaisir,
21 Monmouth St.
WC2
Tel: 0207 836 7243
www.monplaisir.co.uk
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