Bastille

I was very excited when I found out that the Centuria (bad almost-Italian food with rude staff) had changed to the Bastille as I live within 200 metres of it.

However, my suspicions where aroused when I noticed that half of the new menu is still from the Centuria days, with frogs legs and a few 'French' bits added.

Nothing has changed!! The music still ranges from just bad to earsplittingly loud for a relaxed gastro-pub. The food is the same - big portions but zero flavour - and the restaurant staff are still unattentive and sloppy.

The Bastille is in a unique position in Canonbury, has a great space and should be amazing - but it just goes to show how important a decent chef and caring management are to a place, as this clearly has neither.
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Hopey
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Sunday, April 23, 2006

Last year Centuria changed to Bastille- what a great SHAME! The new management have presumably never worked in the hospitality business before, as they are rude, abrupt and unwelcoming.

Having lived in the neighbourhood for several years, I will no longer be visiting what was my friendly, cheap & cheerful local that offered good food, drinks & service.

On each recent visit there has been horribly bad techno music playing and even on a quiet Friday night when we asked for it to be changed, for something a little more suitable as we tucked into dinner, they refused. The food- you pay for what you get, but the rather long menu and not many customers makes me wonder about how fresh the produce is. The portions are too big- sometimes, less is best. The wine list is OK- not great.

THe service is the real issue- I could easily write an entire rant on how unwelcome we felt, how unaccommodating they are and how I could't recommend anyone going there. When we tried to make a few suggestions to the "manager" she informed us that we were rude because we we ignored her "good evening" on our arrival. Perhaps because we couldn't hear over the music..
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Camilla - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 27, 2006

Nice flowers, but bare tables, cheap cutlery and paper serviettes.

Kitchen open to the dining room was fun (and reassuring!) but made for a noisy room, particularly with the hard floors and furniture.

Service was great, even on a busy Saturday evening - prompt & helpful but not rushed.

Food was fine: big portions but quality-wise only as good as you'd expect for the money (£4-6 for starters, £9-15 for mains).

Wine list short but a good range from house vin du pays (£11) to Dom Perignon (£125)

Venison pate ok but undistinguished; deep fried camembert generous portions but nothing out of the ordinary. Seared pheasant breast was fine - well cooked (just pink inside) and tender and the rum and raisin sauce nicely judged (not too sweet) but the meat was a little tastless: should have been hung for longer? Look for a new butcher! Rabbit stew was generous size-wise (literally half a rabbit), well-cooked and tasty but lacked that little extra. For dessert we both had lemon sorbet with vodka which was very good - just right after a big meal.

You could probably do better for the money, but if you're nearby or everywhere else is booked up you won't be disappointed on this showing. A few little touches on food presentation and a lot more flavour would have made it excellent; as it was we had a nice evening.
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Rowan and Sophie
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Saturday, December 03, 2005

Food is great. Fantastic quality and serious quantity - so rare that these two are combined! Seared tuna with olive and parmesan mash heartily recommended.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, November 25, 2005

Excellent food, absolutely exquisite.

Not too keen on the decor or the beers on tap, but food is utstanding
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Alex Kennedy
Monday, November 07, 2005