If you’re a fan of classic, simple cooking, prepared with care in a cosy space, then hotfoot it over to this friendly French-cum-American bistro on Camberwell’s main drag. In the open kitchen at the back, classically trained chef Phil Cooper (previously of Mirabelle and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir) serves up unfussy food with French and American influences.
Starters of pâté de campagne, English mustard and toast, and Burford brown egg with Cromer crab were both well executed, yolk perfectly cooked and the freshly picked crab deftly seasoned. The classic cheeseburger is just that: a tasty beef patty confidently grilled to medium, served in a soft white bun with no-frills garnish and fries.
A sublime main of flaky cod, new potatoes and green beans with a rich caper butter sauce shows off the chef’s high-profile pedigree, while the dessert list is short and perfectly formed, a crisp pear tarte Tatin with syrupy, caramelised fruit the star of the show.
Classic cocktails and a pared-down wine list complete the offering in this welcome new addition to Camberwell’s burgeoning food scene.