A cheerful exterior, complete with blooming hanging baskets and a prominent French flag, is an excellent indicator for what awaits inside this popular neighbourhood restaurant in Richmond: authentic Breton-based cooking and a relaxed setting in which to enjoy it.
The dining room is homely and bright, thanks to the large windows at the far end and the bi-fold doors at the front. Book for a sunny day, and it might just feel as though you’re in Brittany, especially if you’re sipping wine from the unashamedly Loire-based wine list, or a thick mug of Breton cider.
The precision of the cooking at Chez Lindsay, rather than an innovative menu, is what keeps this all-day bistro buzzing. Head chef Souhil Hachem, who has worked at the restaurant since 2002, has played an important part in maintaining this consistency, which is evident in dishes such as supreme de volaille à la Normande (chicken breast with calvados cream sauce) and boudin noir (black pudding with apple compote).
Seafood also features highly on the menu, with dishes such as brochette de gambas et lotte (prawn and monkfish skewer) and an impressive plateau de fruits de mer, laden with eight different types of shellfish, just two of the many options.
Galettes are Chez Lindsay’s pièce de résistance though. Made in the traditional way from organic buckwheat, these pancakes are cooked to order on a flat griddle and come with just about any savoury filling you can think of. If you’re after the true taste of these nutty-tasting pancakes, the simple ‘au beurre’ galette is a solid choice, but if you’re going full throttle, a combination such as king prawns and leeks is a speciality. Les desserts naturally include sweet crêpes, but there are also ice-creams, sorbets and crème brûlée to choose from.