Unless you've already been through the impossibly elegant, virtually hidden, glass door leading into Le Cercle, sister restaurant of Club Gascon, you're likely to miss it – this is the kind of restaurant you just know about. Inside, the bar area feels like a bizarre cross between a Chicago speak-easy and a Swiss skiing chalet, with warm walnut tables, a vast stone fireplace and wood burning stove, all set to a jazzy soundtrack. A fine gauze curtain separating the bar from the dining room combines with the exceptionally high ceiling to offer a feeling of both space and seclusion. The food here is quite simply, and without any hesitation, breath-takingly good (though almost grotesquely rich - foie gras is the speciality, and it pops up all over the menu). This is what French cooking is all about: flavours simply combined and structured, complementing each other without allowing any one to dominate the palate. It works in an unusual way, rather than ordering starter, main course then dessert, you order several dishes from a tasting menu divided into Vegetal, Marin, Fermier, Terroirs and Plaisirs, almost like you would at a tapas bar. Le Cercle oozes style in addition to some of the best French food in the city.
Best for:
Tapas-style tasting menu, white gauze and wood burners, high ceilings and hidden doors, style and seduction.
Did you know?
A "cercle" was the word used in 19th century France to describe a private members’ club centred around cards and conversation.
Le Cercle
1 Wilbraham Place, SW1X 9AE
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Unless you've already been through the impossibly elegant, virtually hidden, glass door leading into Le Cercle, sister restaurant of Club Gascon, you're likely to miss it – this is the kind of restaurant you just know about. Inside, the bar area feels like a bizarre cross between a Chicago speak-easy and a Swiss skiing chalet, with warm walnut tables, a vast stone fireplace and wood burning stove, all set to a jazzy soundtrack. A fine gauze curtain separating the bar from the dining room combines with the exceptionally high ceiling to offer a feeling of both space and seclusion. The food here is quite simply, and without any hesitation, breath-takingly good (though almost grotesquely rich - foie gras is the speciality, and it pops up all over the menu). This is what French cooking is all about: flavours simply combined and structured, complementing each other without allowing any one to dominate the palate. It works in an unusual way, rather than ordering starter, main course then dessert, you order several dishes from a tasting menu divided into Vegetal, Marin, Fermier, Terroirs and Plaisirs, almost like you would at a tapas bar. Le Cercle oozes style in addition to some of the best French food in the city.
