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Bouchon Racine

London, Farringdon - French - Restaurant - ££

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Are high-profile restaurants above pubs becoming a thing in London? On the first floor of the Three Compasses pub in Farringdon, this reworking of Henry Hariss’s famed (and much missed) Racine in Knightsbridge revives the chef’s avowed mission to provide resolutely French food and drink after a gap of seven years. Reached via steep stairs, it’s a pleasant, light-filled room, where a lot of effort has gone into creating a mood that is warm and unpretentious. Come here if you want straight-talking Gallic brasserie classics, dishes straight out of Larousse Gastronomique. Escargots à la bourguignonne, perhaps, or Bayonne ham with celeriac rémoulade, then rabbit with mustard sauce or côte de boeuf with sauce béarnaise. All dishes are chosen from a large, densely written blackboard menu, hoisted from table to table – a convincing slice of France if it weren’t for the mainly English accents of the on-the-ball waiting staff. Our meal ope...

Are high-profile restaurants above pubs becoming a thing in London? On the first floor of the Three Compasses pub in Farringdon, this reworking of Henry Hariss’s famed (and much missed) Racine in Knightsbridge revives the chef’s avowed mission to provide resolutely French food and drink after a gap of seven years. Reached via steep stairs, it’s a pleasant, light-filled room, where a lot of effort has gone into creating a mood that is warm and unpretentious. Come here if you want straight-talking Gallic brasserie classics, dishes straight out of Larousse Gastronomique. Escargots à la bourguignonne, perhaps, or Bayonne ham with celeriac rémoulade, then rabbit with mustard sauce or côte de boeuf with sauce béarnaise. All dishes are chosen from a large, densely written blackboard menu, hoisted from table to table – a convincing slice of France if it weren’t for the mainly English accents of the on-the-ball waiting staff. Our meal opened with a gutsy, rich scallop dish (one of the evening specials), served with its coral atop a purée of fennel, lemon and olive oil, ahead of a Racine classic – tête de veau with a punchy sauce ravigote (one of the best-selling items on the menu). To conclude, we enjoyed a hard-to-fault pot de crème aux griottines. The mainly French wine list is a good one, with about 14 by the glass (from £7.50), and bottles from £29.95.

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B Blackwell

29 November 2023

As people who had happy memories of Racine, we have been delighted by Henry Harris's new restaurant in Clerkenwell. Yesterday's early dinner was truly memorable; chevreuil à la cuillère was a triumph, a small dish of slow cooked venison in a rich juniper-y wine sauce that exploded with exciting flavours, followed by a delicious moist roast woodcock, perfectly cooked and served in an unctuous sauce on a crouton incorporating the offal of the bird. All in all it was a perfect meal on a cold even...
As people who had happy memories of Racine, we have been delighted by Henry Harris's new restaurant in Clerkenwell. Yesterday's early dinner was truly memorable; chevreuil à la cuillère was a triumph, a small dish of slow cooked venison in a rich juniper-y wine sauce that exploded with exciting flavours, followed by a delicious moist roast woodcock, perfectly cooked and served in an unctuous sauce on a crouton incorporating the offal of the bird. All in all it was a perfect meal on a cold evening in late November. Service, as always, was knowledgeable, approachable and friendly but professional.
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VENUE DETAILS

Three Compasses, 66 Cowcross Street
Farringdon
EC1M 6BPGB

020 7253 3368

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OTHER INFORMATION

Separate bar

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