What's the draw
You may be familiar with Gregory Marchand's cooking already – the original Frenchie, Frenchie Wine Bar and Frenchie To Go on Paris's Rue du Nil are hugely popular, and it's not hard to see why. Marchand, having earned his stripes at the Savoy, Mandarin Oriental and Fifteen before opening his first restaurant, is turning classically rich French cuisine on its head.
What to drink
Cocktails have been masterminded by ex-Artesian bartender Rudie Carraro, so they are, inevitably, going to be excellent. Ocean Drive is one for vodka martini fans – with Konik's Tail vodka, jasmine and Cocchi vermouth – but if whiskey is your poison, try the Apple is the New Orange, a heady concoction of Mitcher's Rye, distilled apple, and rhubarb. We were then taken through the wine list by the (extremely French) sommelier and couldn't resist trying the 2014 chardonnay from Blanc du Grappin, which came in a bagnum – a magnum in a bag. Zut alors.
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What to eat
Order everything. And then order it again, because each bite of these luscious, bijou, sharing-style plates will leave you wanting more. Bacon scones with clotted cream were every bit as delicious as you'd expect; anchovies on toast came in succulent hunks of fish on crunchy, garlicky bread; veal and scallop tartare with miso, endive and parmesan was a pure, tantalising delight. You'll have to eat there to find out about the rest – but trust us, you'll find it hard to make a bad choice. One thing, though: do not, under any circumstances, skip dessert.
Dinner and drinks for two, about £150. 16 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH; frenchiecoventgarden.com
