Bistrotheque

For an easy lazy enjoyable Saturday experience:

Five of us went for a jaunt down Vyner street to check out the galleries and enjoy some 'art'. We then headed to the discreet entrance of Bistrotheque around 3.30 pm. Although it was half an hour to their shutting time (open till 4 pm for brunch and then open again from 6.30 pm), the staff were very friendly and welcoming and they let us in and treated us wonderfully.

I have not enjoyed myself so much for ages - we had marvellous starters - oysters, charcuterie and goats cheese - all delicious. A big jug of Bloody Mary's yummiest ever!!), followed by another big yummy jug of Bellinis which really hit the spot.

All our main courses (brunch and lunch menus) were served just right, tasty and satisfying. Of course we couldn't resist the divine desserts and coffee either - and waddled out of the restaurant around 6.30 pm!!!

Bistrotheque was reocmmended by another friend and I can only say that it was the perfect end to a perfect Saturday day. The staff were helpful, intelligent, funny, obliging and since some of them lived locally very informative and interesting.

Magic.
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Lorna Rodericks
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, March 17, 2008

I am a true hackney local and really love to sing the praises of our district. As such I have always dragged friends and foes down the dodgy street to enjoy bistrotheque.

However my last two visits have left me a little dissapointed. I dont know what has happened but it seems to have lost somethig quite special.

My last visit, a friday night, was a total disaster. I will admit it was busy, but surely a restaurant seats the tables it can cope with!!!

we waited 30 mins after our reservation before our table was ready, never a good start when you have already spent an hour filling the tills in the bar. after being seated, we were served our drink almost immediatly and to be fair they were as always, fantastic.

the food however was a shambles. after ordering, we waited 20 mins for our starters, two salads and two crab cake (both of which were cold and the salad was witled (i suspect from being treated very badly!) Our mains were a little faster, but were quickly slowed to a halt when my guests was almost stone cold. it was quickly taken away and fairly quickly replaced, but still!!!

over all, its a great venue, but you just get the feeling that as a regular, you see a steady decline in standards.

however as a closing point the most disturbing point was the almost child like squeeling that the chef who seemed to be trying to control the chaos was creating. i dont mean as i passed the kitchen, i mean we could hear almost every word from our distant table!! not the professional behaviour you would expect from a restaurant which is essentially an established business!

just a thought!
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millie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Saturday, February 23, 2008

I went for Sunday brunch and it was fabulous. A real mix of people and the very talented pianist added to the atmosphere. The food was in good portions and really tasty - the seasoning was faultless and the combinations truly great (scrambled eggs and chorizo, anyone?). And I don't know what people mean by it being expensive - it's not your bog-standard café, it's great quality food and, bearing that in mind, it's good value.

The service was superlative - unobtrusive but efficient and always ready to help and advise when required.

I'd read reviews of this place when it opened and had been wanting to go for a while. I came on this website thinking that there would be glowing reports and was quite surprised at the mixed reviews. We went for brunch and ended up spending the whole afternoon there, it was so good. I can't wait to go back and introduce more people to my local find!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 31, 2007

This was our second visit to Bistrotheque. Our first visit had been very enjoyable but rather cut short due to the bar being reserved for a private party and we were keen to work our way through their cocktail list. Being Easter it was much quieter than before and we definitely did benefit from the additional attention that the waiters were able to give us. Our starters were delicious but my main course was a bit cold. However, as soon as I pointed it out it was whisked away and replaced with a fresh one. It did mean I had to then eat alone but as there were only two of us, it did not matter. I was told immediately I would not be charged and, without asking, I was also given fresh side orders. Our charming waiter hilariously talked us through the cabaret list and we will definitely be back for dinner and cabaret as soon as we can get a spot.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 12, 2007

Definitely a place to go for the whole dining experience - great atmosphere, loud and bustling, fantastic service - the food is OK but nothing extra special. My salad of blue cheese was a good start but both my husband and I struggled with the pork belly in beans. My piece was particularly dry and I had difficulty getting through it - the portions were huge and a little bit overwhelming. The bill was not too bad and we enjoyed the whole experience - especially the fabulous cocktails in the bar downstairs.
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Deborah
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Sunday, January 14, 2007

I have to say the review below stands out alone among many raving customers, and i have a to agree with the majority.

I visited Bistrotheque on saturday night as a party of 7 and we had the best time available regardless of east or west end!

The staff were nothing but exceptional, and nothing we requested seemed to much trouble, despite being a rather "energetic" crowd!

The food too was excellent. Fine bistro food, served delicately and with obvious passion from those behind it. recomendations lean towards the seared salmon with horseraddish or if you are a fan of foie gras as i am, the terrine which is laced with dates to break up what is a generous amout of foie gras is a winner. For mains the pork belly and white beans, and the duck with dauphinoise which is just so creamy it feels sinful.

My only regret is not squeezing in a dessert as i felt well fed indeed, but upon leaving and walking across the front of the kitchen, i spotted a few sweet treats I shall definatly return for a sample of!

An all round excellent experience and I would demand you try it for youerself.

Well done to all the people behind this place, it is a gem.
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Mark
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Overrated. I went there recently the other week and thought the food while definitely not unpleasant was simply average - and rather overpriced for what it was. Definitely an east-end restaurant emulating west-end named places and sticking up their prices to match. Steer clear of the foie gras - was truly awful, we had to send it back, yet low and behold was sitting for us on our bill when delivered. In fairness when questioned the waitress did say she would get it taken off immediately. It was very busy for a Wednesday night but the menu is limiting and I would find it difficult to go back there and make another selection off the menu. Just one of those places where nothing grabs your taste buds. Good wine list though considering the size of this place. My recommendation: if you live in the east or nearby take a punt, if you live further away honestly don't bother, there's probably somewhere just as good near you.
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Annabel
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Monday, December 04, 2006

I appreciate they must get this all the time but after I visited bistrotheque for the first time this Sunday afternoon I felt compelled to write.

The serving staff are the most hospitable, un-assuming, non-intrusive but all ways to hand team of waiters that I have ever come across in London. They could not do enough for us, even though half our party were extremely late and we had to move tables each time to increase the party size - all of this was done graciously and with a smile.

The food was fantastic, again some of the best I have had for a long time and I eat out a lot at a wide variety of restaurant of differing standards from cafes to fine dining - I would like everyone I know to experience your restaurant and will make sure I sing your praises whenever possible.

Put it this way I ate at the river cafe for the first time the night before and was looking forward to it so much but ended up choking on both the food and the bill and the service was a joke - it really wasn't a patch on this place!
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Zoe Olsberg
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Went there this morning for brunch. We had never been there before and the entrance was a little confusing as it wasn't clearly pointed out and I ended up on the toilets (the restaurant is upstairs). We there first ones there so we were told we had a choice of where to sit. Tip: don't sit near the window on a sunny day as it will be baking hot. But we were the asked to move to another table.

What's so great about this place is the fact that the outside is nothing like the inside. At one point when we were walking down to the place I started to think 'where the hell have I taken us?'. The food is amazing although I did make the mistake of ordering eggs benedict and a croque monseiur so for someone who isn't such a great fan of dairy products it was a little bit of dairy overload but that was my own fault. My boyfriend ordered mushroom on toast followed by pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Being the dutiful girlfriend that I am I tried his order too and it was just as nice. What other people ordered looked quite tasty also. The drinks too got top marks (should have ordered a cheeky cocktail but I felt it was a little too early and we were going out for afternoon drinks).

The only thing that let it down was the service. When we arrived we were the first one there and there was a tall blonde girl who I assumed was a customer was actually a member of staff. The reason for me thinking this was that she saw us arrive, looked at us and then looked away without letting anyone else know that we were waiting there whilst still standing in the same place (she was standing a few paces away) thus making us feel ingored. Whilst we were the first ones there the service was good but as the place started to fill up it felt as though we were slowly being forgotten about (as there were two of us and everyone was in a party of three or more). It took us just over 15 minutes to get someone's attention to get our bill as everyone, as they walked back to the kitchen area, looked as they were programmed to do so without making eye contact. Another let down was the fact that two of the three girls toilets had no paper in the cubicles. Perhaps the cleaner had a heavy Saturday night and so over slept that Sunday.

It was such a shame that the service we got was bad as I wanted to take by boyfriend out as a treat. At first we joked about how it would be fun to start by having brunch there attempt to try everything on that menu as it was so good and once completed we'd be in time for the dinner menu. But due to the service we were happy to leave (once we managed to get our bill and then to pay for it....that took another 10 minutes to complete).

I would love to take others here as the food is so good (maybe we'd get more attention coming in a bigger party) but because of the service I'd have to think twice about it...
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hp5al
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Sunday, September 24, 2006

Do you mean to say there's a great restaurant in a converted warehouse in Bethnal green, being also considered by some to be a not so reputable area? Ehm, Yes.

It must be different, then?

It sure is, considering you have bizarre shows (when I was there last time a transvestite dressing competition was being hosted??) going on at the ground floor level. Meanwhile, a door and corner or two later there is also a cozy and more 'normal' bar open to the knowing few, mostly sporting infeasible hair styles and flaky clothing, so typical of this east end area bordering Shoreditch and Hoxton. This however, is not the restaurant, so don't be discouraged from going because of the foreword! It really is different and the food is great!

The setting for the food is, of course, the important part. It's based on the upper level of the warehouse style building. When you do finally arrive upon the grey painted glossy floor of the restaurant level, you need to battle your way through waiters, beyond a cream painted plasterboard partition framework that separates the eating community from the cooking one! Tables are lined on the

from end to end, and I remember noting all seats filled, whihc was a good indication.

The warehouse effect is apparent as factory lighting splashes across the venue from on high of the warehouse roof. The decoration in terms of furnishing are equally straightforward. It's the food you're here for clearly.

And on subject of food, I quite easily had the best pan fried foie gras here that I've had since I arrived in London, or possibly even ever. It melted like butter in my mouth, caressing my tongue before I reluctantly allowed it to slip softly downward. It was the best lead up to the a main course one could wish for.

For the mains, I went for the steak. An absolutely divine and hefty chunk of meat, mooing at you from the plate, just begging to be drenched by the jug of pepper sauce that lay steaming close by. And all helped along by thick finger-like cut chips and green beans.

I can't remember the wine I ordered with the food, but I do remember it was damn good and I was impressed. I also remember the list being a little eclectic though.

For dessert I took the reliably classic french dish, creme brulee How good was that? Spiffingly good old chap! Ooh la la. In short, a mix of some fine british cooking with a few french additions make this place a winner in my books. Needless to say I'll be going back again.
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Michael
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Friday, August 18, 2006