La Bouchee

Awful service and mediocre food. The waitress could not understand our dinner order in english nor in french. Two of us ordered wine by the glass but only one of us received it. The other had to ask several times for it. We asked for the children's meal to come at same time as adult appetizer, that did not happen. One of the mains arrived 20 minutes after we had all been served. When we asked to have a fish (which was served on the bone) to be removed from the bone, we were told "too late" and the plate shoved back to us. We won't be going back - no reason to!
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2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Found this tiny restaurant by chance while looking for a place to have lunch... what a great find!! We had a delicious 2 course meal for £11.50 (moules / frites - mussels / chip highly recommended!!!). Very friendly French waiters. We'll definitely go back!
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 27, 2011

What a delicious little restaurant, good French food, attentive service and so romantic! Will come back.
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Anthony Gallou - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, April 03, 2011

We were overwhelmed by the fact that almost all tables were taken (all other restaurants in south kensington where not even half full). The staff being French was very welcoming and the food was absolutely delicious. We will come back very soon! I cannot estimate whether this was value for money as I have been invited by my sweetheart :-)

Merci beaucoup pour cette superbe soirée et à très bientôt!
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, March 29, 2011

this place is much better than it used to be. the food is excellent and the staff very welcoming. a little bistro in south kensington. very nice!
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martin antoniri - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, February 06, 2011

We have had very mixed experiences of this place. We first went about six motnhs ago and ate downstairs. Very French atmosphere, attentive service from some very sexy french waiters and the food was superb (possible marks lost for bits of shell in the fish soup, but at least it evidenced a genuine home made fish stock). Best French meal we have had in the UK. We went again this month (October 2010), and instead of just turning up like last time we booked ahead. Terrible table by the door, and the front of house was rude saying we needed to be out by 9:30 as he had over booked, and a waitress who was obviously in training. Good wine list although you will pay for it, and sin of all sins having asked for my steak bleu they served it bien cuit! They also stuffed up the order twice. No apology, and all in all a bit rich considering we spent £200 on a meal for two. We won't be going back in a hurry, and the Boudin Blanc (their other branch) won't be getting a visit either. Shame really, as they were something really special on our first visit.
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Geraint Lloyd
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Last week, we discovered this bistro and booked at the last minute for four of us for 7.30pm that evening.

We enjoyed an excellent meal, mostly from the specials for the day menu. The food was all freshly prepared (we could see through the hatch), we chose the house red and white wines which were both good. The staff were pleasant, knowledgeable and efficient and altogether, we had a very good time. The tables are close together but, as bistro, this is part of it's charm and it had bags of atmosphere. There were several French people eating there, which is also a good sign. (I always look for Chinese people eating in a Chinese restaurant, for example.)

I was therefore surprised to see some negative reviews when I was idlly checking on the web and am submitting my review to, I hope, restore the balance a bit!
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Susan
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 02, 2010

We had been meaning to try this restaurant for some time and dropped in at sunday lunchtime. We were expecting slightly better than brasserie fare for the prices and the look of the place but it came up very short. Anyone who thinks this is an authentic french experience is very wrong! Bread was cooked from frozen and charged £1 a head for. Mussels in the moules mariniere were cooked from frozen and therefore lacking in colour. The wine selection was extremely overpriced and the sommelier seems to be lacking in knowledge (shiraz from clare valley, at 15% alcohol level? I don't know a single french person who would drink that!). On the upside my special of pork belly was nicely cooked and tasty. A couple of burnt roast potatoes that I can forgive but at £17 for the dish should I have to?
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5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Monday, October 12, 2009

Went to La Bouchee yesterday early evening around 5.30pm for a pre-show. I took my parents who are keen on the French stuff and we were not disappointed. The service was personable, the head waitress recommended the house merlot which was easily the cheapest bottle on the menu (and it was also excellent), the food was simple, rustic, well-presented and very tasty. I had grilled scallops with chorizo as a starter, followed by a special of duck breast on spinach with a red wine jus. My father had what looked like a very authentic cassoulet and my mother ate a wonderful coq au vin. The side dishes were also very good - including some very tasty courgettes fried in parmesan (unusual but very tasty), and a lovely Lyonnaise potato dish. it's not the cheapest place in London, but then as Floyd once said "you can always go to MacDonalds" if you want that!
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Whingeingpom
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, September 23, 2009

I see below that not many people have reviewed since my last one of 19th December.

Here's an update from Sunday 20th September 2009

No change. I still like the place and love the food. Thoroughly recommend the place
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Kevin McG
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, September 22, 2009