There is nothing like a touch of French flair to add a
flavour of romance to a night out and transform it into something
special. At The Balcon, the superb restaurant at the Sofitel London St
James, this is exactly what you will get. It is the perfect fusion of elegance
and refined dining.
Full of soul, the interior, inspired by a typical French
brasserie is warm and enticing. The atmosphere is not too formal and is
laid-back enough so you can relax.
As soon as we arrived we were greeted warmly and shown to
our table. Service was excellent throughout the evening. But, then this
is what I have come
to expect from Sofitel hotels.
We were offered an aperitif while we decided what to eat.
The menu, a melange of classic French and British cuisine is full of innovative
dishes. Whether you have a huge appetite or just want a light bite, the
choice is excellent.
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| The Balcon |
The selection of small plates is perfect if you fancy
sharing with your date or if, like me, you simply can’t make up your mind which
starter to have, try a couple of dishes. I went for the grilled squid and
Jersey Royal potato salad, with parsley and lemon pesto and gin marinated
organic salmon with vegetables à la Grecque. They were both scrumptious.
My companion opted for the Thermidor twice -baked cheese
soufflé with native lobster and crème fraîche sauce. I could not resist a
mouthful. So light, it melted in my mouth. It would be hard to imagine a better
soufflé.
For the mains, both myself and my friend fancied fish so
plumped for the North Sea cod, Provençal ratatouille and Niçoise black olives,
which was really moist and succulent.
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| The Balcon, Sofitel London St James |
If you are on a diet or health-conscious, there is a
De-Light menu which has some lovely fish dishes as well as other options
that may be low in
calories but don’t compromise on flavour.
It is the attention to detail that is impressive. Plenty of
effort has gone into sourcing the best ingredients and the presentation is
immaculate. This is a restaurant that surely goes that extra mile.
The wine list has plenty of interesting numbers. We opted
for a sauvignon blanc, French, bien sûr, which was classy and crisp and went
down a treat.
You can’t be in a French restaurant and not have
dessert. Although we were both full, the blackberry financier with green
apple sorbet and raspberry coulis produced a wonderful combination of flavours
to round off the meal
beautifully.
The head waiter had
discovered it was my
friend’s birthday. Out came a gorgeous tray of the most delicious little cakes
complete with candle accompanied by a rendering of “Happy Birthday”.
Whether you are going for a special occasion or pushed for
time and want a quick croque-monsieur
or want to try Tray Rapide (a 3- course meal served on one plate
consisting of a small plate, a market special and one dessert) you will leave
The Balcon full of wonderful memories.
By Daralyn Danns
For more information about the Sofitel St James visit www.sofitelstjames.com
