Le Cafe Anglais

Went there recently as part of a large group and wasn't impressed. We all ordered from the set menu, so maybe the main menu is better.

The starters were nothing at all special. Several people didn't like their pate and we ended up sharing around the tomato salads instead.

Mains were so tiny that people looked horrified as it arrived, except for the vegetarian option, which was a good size. To make up for that, vegetarians got the completely uninspiring dish of pasta with mushrooms (and I'm not talking truffles here!), which I think made it pretty clear how much they valued my custom. Mine arrived with a non-vegetarian topping which hadn't been mentioned on the menu. The waiter was completely unapologetic and borderline rude - he said I should have asked for it without, even though I couldn't have known!

Dessert/cheese was on the mean side too. My dessert was 2 apricots cut in half, with a teaspoon of creme fraiche, but it was the cheese that was a real joke. 1 single water biscuit each, with 3 very thin slices of cheese next to it.

In short, this place sums up everything I dislike about French restaurants in London. Bad service, overpriced, you leave still hungry, and still can't cater for vegetarians.
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2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Thursday, September 01, 2011

The service is very poor, waited to get initially served, had to wait to get a drink, and not ask whether I wish to have a dessert. at the end of the meal.

On another customer's table service is being served over other people, and on top of that they gave me a wrong invoice of charges never consumed.

Such a high class restaurant and with such a good name, the service get's clearly turnished with such atrocious services. I wonder how many people are paying over the odds of none consumption.

This is my last visit as a local resident. They should teach the serving staff a proper high class table service.

Very poor and very disappointed.
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2 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, August 01, 2011

Great atmosphere, great decor, but poor service, burnt Sunday roast and nothing for vegetarians. So a bit of a mix.
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6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 5
Sunday, November 21, 2010

I came in to eat in the restaurant before and was never disappointed. But on that occasion I dined in their new Cafe & Oyster Bar. What a fabulous choice, a dazzling chandelier above the bar greats you first. and then the raw tuna made my evening, followed by skirt steak equally good.

The service was charming and relaxed, very good venue to chat with friend and relax. We really enjoyed our time.Will be back soon.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Are you freaking kidding me? If you do not love this restaurant your taste is in your backside. I cannot believe the bad reviews I have read here, but then again, judging by the standards of literacy in the other reviews...

The menu is a veritable cornucopia of old favourites (oysters, crab linguine, artichoke vinaigrette) combined with more interesting off-the-beaten-path choices (e.g. the signature parmesan custard with anchovy toast). Everything we tried was perfectly executed.

I went this evening. Greeted with warmth, jackets whisked away, bread, water and a little dish of whole fresh radishes plonked on the table immediately. Could there be a better start to a meal than a pile of fresh, peppery, crunchy little veg there for delectation? Kicks a little bowl of nuts or crisps out of the ball park.

Hors d'oeuvre: parmesan custard. Beautiful, smooth, cheesy, perfect little amusement to start off with. Asked for the recipe. Was provided on a card without batting an eyelid.

Starter: fish soup. Perfect, although I suspect he left the guts in the fish - this is the traditional way but I prefer it left out. That is simply a point of taste though - the dish was nevertheless delicious and authentic. More importantly - the rouille was perfect too; thick and decently spicy, not just some pathetic mayonnaise out of a jar with saffron through it. The real stuff. Friend had tomato and rosemary soup with potato and I'm told it was delish.

Main: Grouse with all the proper trimmings - bread sauce that was decently chunky and viscous, stuffing, lovely natural jus, and properly rare too, with just enough gamy "pong" on the right side of whiffy. Crunchy lettuce heart salad with just enough vinaigrette clinging to it.

No room for pudding. Plenty of wines offered by the glass and carafe, and well priced.

Absolutely to be recommended. You would have to be a seriously miserable git not to take joy in eating here.
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Gareth Tilley
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, September 17, 2010

I've been going to Le Cafe Anglais since it opened it. I've always loved the food, the atmosfere and the great service. And for all of those reasons I've chose Le Cafe Anglais to celebrate by husband's 40th birthday.

Unfortunately this time, the service and the atmosphere were great but the food not so much.

The Menu served at the dinner was completely different from the one I had chosen the food from. The one that was served at the dinner, was full of HAM... and I'm jewish... So, I have to say, not good.

The canapes were not what I expected, they looked cheap and not tasty at all. The hors d'oeuvers were not enough. Tiny portions... My guests were saying :"do you mind if I have the artichokes, you can have the chicken liver".... When I throw a dinner party, I expected that my guests would be able to eat without feeling guilty. There were only 4 choices instead of 5. There was the salmon, the artichokes, rabbit and chicken liver... But no sign of the oysters!!!!

The main course was OK, but nothing special....The dessert was OK as well. The chocolate cake was the only thing wonderful.

Overall, if that was my first time at Le Cafe Anglais, I wouldn't be coming back. For sure, I'll never be hosting a party there again, because it was extremely disappointing...

And the last thing, on the web site it is written that the host would have a complementary parking; each I was informed that "you do not do that anymore". So, it would be a great idea to remove it from your website.

I'm at the restaurant business as well, so I know a lot about food cost, and I feel that 38.50 (chef's choice) + 4.50 (canapes) = £43 a head for what I got was soooooooooooo over the top !!!!!

I wrote an email to the manager, and she didn't even bothered to get back to me.
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4 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Shocking restaurant. I don't think I have been to such a bad restaurant in London for a while. Service was completely terrible - one starter coming 10 minutes late, having to ask for water three times and the waiter was abnoxious to the point that I nearly belted him. Whilst some people might like the atmosphere, it was so loud that I had trouble relaxing and it felt like a school canteen. Food isn't great either in my opinion or at least should be cheaper for what you get.

Really disappointing. Go somewhere else. Angelus down the road by Lancaster Gate tube is far, far superior for a start.

I am never going back.
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John Stone
3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Monday, March 15, 2010

This seems a very overpriced restaurant . One of our group ordered a 240g steak priced at £27 (without and extras) , and the thing was tiny. We asked whether this was the correct size and they took it away only to return with the same again, apparently the chef said they are all cut to 200g , after haggling for a 20% cost reduction they did take it off the bill . The rest of the meal was very average for the cost. Service was slow and the staff seemed inexperienced, and the dining area made you think you were in a John Lewis.
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jeff lovelock
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 15, 2010

Loved Kensington Place under the leadership of Rowley Leigh and so was keen to try this place. The first experience was bad but it seemed they had a staffing problem so we were willing to give it a seond go because we had so many positive experiences at KP. Unfortunately they were unable to redeem themselves. This time the food was cold on arrival and so we sent it back. A good ten to fifteen minutes passed and given that the restaurant was not remotely busy, we assumed that the chef had decided to start from scratch. This was not the case, the food came back hot but totally inedible. My husband's chicken was so tough that he could barely cut into it, let alone chew it (and he is not a weed!) and the side dishes, which they had taken away to keep warm, were now spoiled. We could not understand how anyone would let food leave the kitchen for service in that condition. Very disappointed.
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3 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Thursday, February 25, 2010

Total bad experience. Not impressed . Will not go here again.
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Teresa daum - View all reviews by this user
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, December 06, 2009