On a cold winter’s evening, there's nothing I want more than robust rib-sticking French cooking.
With a dinner out to plan in north London, and a craving for confit de canard to quell, Bistro Sable was our destination of choice.
Located in the former home of Islington’s Smokehouse, my attention had been drawn towards it thanks to a glowing review in the Evening Standard and a write-up from fellow blogger Professional Lunch.
Despite being situated in a former pub, they've managed to conjure a remarkably cosy bistro vibe thanks to some moody lighting, the tactical use of empty wine bottles and an eclectic artwork selection.
All the classics are present and correct on Bistro Sable’s menu, including moules marinière, snails with garlic butter, bouillabaisse, and sole meunière.
When it comes to booze, Bistro Sable has a decent looking wine list, with house wine kicking off at around 30 quid. However, they also offer corkage (£30 for still and £35 for sparkling) and as my friends had just come into possession of a few bottles of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups sparkling Chenin Blanc, we kicked off with that and followed it up with a Louis Latour Gamay.
As we popped the cork, complimentary nibbles arrived - an excellent soft crumbed farmhouse loaf served with light whipped butter and a bowl of assorted crudites and slices of saucisson.
Starters very much set the tone for the rest of the meal; they were generous and decadent.
A bowl of French onion soup (£8) was equal parts melted cheese, soft caramelised onions, well-soaked crouton and sweet meaty broth with a balancing touch of bright acidity. I felt like I’d consumed a week’s worth of cheese in one bowlful.
A cheese souffle (£12) was excellent too - light in texture and golden crusted, it sat in a pool of rich cheese sauce.
Onto mains, and a beef bourguignon (£24) was served in a heavyweight Staub cast iron skillet. I'm not sure what weighed more, the gargantuan piece of meat or its metal serving dish. Nudgingly tender, the meat was coated in a rich glossy red wine sauce and served alongside soft sweet carrots, mushrooms and onions.
A monster portion of silky smooth pomme puree, which was included in the price, was one of those equal parts butter equal parts potato jobbies. Dolloped alongside the beef, it was a corker of an accompaniment.
Sprightly green beans (£6) in a honkingly potent garlic butter provided some token greenery to go with our meat and potatoes.
Gorgeously juicy rotisserie chicken (£25) with golden skin and a buttery girolle mushroom sauce was equally well received. A generous sized half bird defeated both of my mates and, surprisingly, I struggled to assist.
A generous platter of crisp skin on frites was one of the two included sides. It was the strongest of the pair. Green salad, which was slightly lacking in dressing and flavour, was more average.
We were all properly stuffed after all that heavyweight cooking so we ordered a plate of madeleines (£9) to share. Warm, light and soft crumbed they were a beautifully comforting end to the meal.
My only dining companion with enough stamina to order their own dessert chose a silky crème caramel (£9).
We had an excellent dinner of French classics at Bistro Sable and if you'd told me this was a highly regarded Parisian bistro then I would have believed you. It just shows how high the high standard of cooking is in London nowadays.
I also applaud Bistro Sable’s generosity. We all had a massive feed with leftovers to take home, which meant that I got to enjoy some rotisserie chicken for my breakfast the next day.
The Details:
Address - Bistro Sable, 63-69 Canonbury Road, London N1 2DG
Web - https://bistrosable.co.uk/
Telephone - 020 7354 1144
