Eliza Frost visits the new restaurant for a taste of France in SE1
Romantic low lighting, a walk by the river, frites and petit fours. A trip to Paris? No, this is Café François in the heart of SE1.
Pairs leant over tables, couples caught drinks in the bar before heading to dinner and groups topped up each other’s glasses; it seemed everyone was enjoying stepping inside the all-day French restaurant – as well as brasserie, deli, patisserie and bakery – on this Tuesday evening.
Sliding into a booth, the wine list open in front of my friend and me, we settled on a chilled red to mark the sweet spot between autumn and winter – before warming red season gets into full swing. It was Café François’ own bottle, nonetheless.
The Café François (£35) is a Clairet from Bordeaux, made from grapes of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was dark pink and bursting with a ripe berry character.
In stout little glasses, sipping away at this blushing red came with an ease as if we actually were by the Seine, sitting on those seats in pairs that are always facing out from cafes.
Scanning our eyes over the food menu now, within minutes we had decided on the dishes we’d share.
To start, it was a taster of the moules marinière flatbread (£10). Large mussels sat in garlic and wine sauce, which then soaked into the fluffy flatbread, creating that feeling of mopping up the leftover sauce of the classic dish.
The comté gougères (£7) saw pastry stuffed with a sumptuous cheese, melting in your mouth like small choux balls of magic.
Slivers of anchovies sat atop a slice of fried brioche with Café de Paris (£15), a buttery sauce combining herbs and spices. The richness of the butter was cut through deliciously in this balanced and moreish dish.
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And lastly, slices of saucisson sec (£8) were served with a mustardy dipping sauce that I never wanted to end.
Topping up our glasses of vino, the main dishes arrived. The Café François Caesar salad (£14) saw huge leaves of gem lettuce, with dressing, croutons and caper berries. It was everything you want from Caesar, too. Rich and crunchy and the perfect accompaniment to a frites.
And the frites that were found on the plate of steak frites with sauce au poivre (£19). A full bite of steak, medium-rare, a French fry and dipped in the peppery sauce was one that I wish could last forever. Steak frites is one of those dishes that is a staple for a reason – and Café François does it very well.
Dessert saw a selection of petit fours and sweet treats to the table. Macarons of pistachio and blackcurrant (£3 each) were sugary sweet with meringue and paired perfectly with the nutty taste of pistachio or the tart berry.
Following this in the fours was a dark chocolate mendiant (£3) that was rich and decadent and a pistachio madeleine (£3.50) that was light and buttery.
The day-to-night Café François menu is excellent. From extravagant dinner dishes of steak tartare to breakfast pastries baked fresh every morning, the location is a must-try, at any time of day.
14-16 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Images by Steven Joyce
