Le P'tit Normand

This place was really disappointing, both in terms of service and quality of food. My "courgette stuffed with tomato and goat's cheese" was merely a courgette sliced in half lengthways with some tomato and goat's cheese on top that had been stuck under a grill - not what I would call a stuffed courgette and something a 6 year old could make. The two mains and the side of potatoes were all over salted and the "breast of guinea fall (sic)" was actually a leg, but no explanation or apology for this was given at all - it wasn't even mentioned by the waitress when the dishes were brought. When we were asked how the meals were and we told her that everything was really salty she merely turned on her heel and walked off without any word at all, let alone an apologetic one. After asking for the bill we waited so long to get it we gave up and went and paid at the bar on the way out. Not somewhere we will be going back to, which is a shame as we live locally and really wanted this to be our little local gem. Sadly not.
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Paula
4 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Saturday, January 21, 2012

I have become a regular visitor to Le P'tit Normand over the past few years since moving to Southfields. It is really a most remarkable treasure in this little corner of London. A bit like stepping through a secret door from an absolutely nondescript suburban shopping parade into a peaceful little bistro somewhere in France several decades ago, with an old Georges Moustaki song quietly playing in the background. Ideal for a reflective lunch as a welcome antidote to the pressures of home based working, or a tete a tete with an old friend who appreciates the finer things in life.

Service is always charming and personal, whether Christine, the French patronne is on hand, or one of her young assistants - the chef is young, French, talented, and has stayed put in the house for some considerable time. I usually have the set lunch menu, which is great value for money at around £15. Starters and mains inventive but unpretentious, but always with classics on the menu too - desserts often inspired - definitely one of the best 'creme brulee chefs' in London - his 'trio' of little dishes of flavoured creme brulees is a must. And then an exceptional cheese board and to cap it all the enticing line up of Calvados of various ages and character which lines one end of the bar.

Cannot recommend highly enough - there's nothing quite like it in London that I've encountered, so it''s great to have on the doorstep here! Apart from a couple of exotic purveyors of Indian and Chinese food, this is for me simply the best restaurant in the whole Putney/ Southfields area, and one of the most consistently pleasurable dining experiences over the years anywhere in the capital.
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David Armstrong
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, August 05, 2011

The Normand is a great neighbourhood eatery, beautifully presented food, of great taste and value, hosted by the wonderful Christine. It's a regular destination for me, with articulate and finely presented twists on classic regional French cuisine, and a must do cheese board!
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Stephen
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Sunday, May 22, 2011

I have been to Le P'tit Normand for a sunday lunch many times, the portions are beautilfully balanced with many choices of desserts and a beautiful selection of cheese with a complementary glass of kir royale. Atmosphere and service are great. I highly recommend this restaurant and we will be back very soon.
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Kate Mcnally
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Saturday, February 05, 2011

Lovely atmosphere and hostess, but shocking food - avoid the sunday lunch at all cost - unless you like a stale muffin in red wine with a boiled egg on top for starters. I kid you not. Followed by a miniscule portion of rosbeef. Pudding was great though - except for only one portion of Creme Brulee left and everyone wanted one.

I've eaten there before and it was great.
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Steve
3 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

We went in Mid Jan this year to celebrate 3 of us being January Babes, we were met with a complimentary glass of Kir Royale, our orders were taken efficiently and all meals arrived on time and in order. We drank lots or wine (well we were celebrating!) and finished with Irish coffees or liquers. All in all a great evening with attentive service and great food. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting a lovely evening out
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Denise Lord (Wordsworth)
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 08, 2010

Ah, Le P'tit Normand by far my favourite worst night out in a long time...where shall i start?

We had booked a table on a Saturday night to celebrate my girlfriend’s parent’s 56th wedding anniversary im sure one the oldies won’t forget in a while.

Starters were ordered , and as they arrived the evening quickly went downhill, Two of us had ordered a game pie which we had been told was a mixture of game in a rich gravy topped with pastry as you would expect , as I lifted the lid of the little casserole pot it was served in I was a bit surprised to find that it had no pastry on the top neither did the other one , I asked the waitress why we had been served a pie filling with no pastry on top to which she replied eet az been changed now . oh well that’s alright then thanks for clearing that one up , it would of been nice to be informed of this slight change in the menu.

At the other end of the table it was kicking off , my friend had ordered the foie gras crème brulee and was given the goats cheese starter instead , when he tried to tell the waitress they had not brought out the correct order the waitress instead of apologising and getting the right order started arguing with him that this is what he ordered , not only was this embarrassing and rude but also very unprofessional , However im glad to report that all other starters were served with all ingredients present and without menace.

Next up was a round of drinks, even this wasn’t without incident as the waitress dropped a bottle of beer on my girlfriends head causing the beer in the bottle to fizz up all over her hair and back, in her defence she was however very apologetic, the Mrs went off for a quick blow dry in the loo and then came back and sat in the beer puddle on her seat as nobody had bothered to clean up the spillage or change her chair.

All this and we have not even had our mains yet , well they didn’t disappoint us in this department either , as they came out and were served we swapped the plates around amongst ourselves to ensure everybody got what they wanted as the staff were unable to remember.

The bill came and we were told there was no service charge on the bill after having one of the worst dining experiences ever we were expecting a little more than this, all in all a night to remember for all the wrong reasons, stepping out into the cool night air I had to remember I was in Southfields and not Torquay.
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watler - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 5
Saturday, April 03, 2010

I've lived near this restaurant for ages, but finally decided to go last night.

I have to say I wish I'd found this place earlier! The atmosphere, food and service are excellent. The menu was great and the service was exactly how I like it, attentive and helpful without being pushy. As my french isn't really up to scratch, the menu was explained very well to us, and when the food came, every course was a delight.

I'd thoroughly recommend this place, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.
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James White
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, January 15, 2010