Le Cercle

Frommer's Review

The owners of Club Gascon have come up with another winner in this chic subterranean dining room, a sort of Chelsea speak-easy. At last Sloane Street has a restaurant that is to food what the boulevard has long been to fashion. Service may not be the most efficient, and the noise level is at times deafening, but the food is absolutely amazing. Plus, you make your menu selection among an occasional famous face and a lot of lesser mortals.

For us, the best dish was tuna carpaccio with crispy pork cubes. The French-styled dishes are served as tapas-sized portions -- eating a series of small plates is known as "grazing" on both sides of the Atlantic. Le Cercle introduced the concept of tapas-style dining to London. The menu is divided into seven sections according to principal ingredients. The waitstaff suggests three portions of these small plates before choosing one of the delectable desserts. The milk-fed Pyrenean lamb is meltingly tender. The chefs turn out one of the most succulent cuts of beef in London -- it appears as onglet on the menu. Particularly memorable was the duck and fig combo and the chestnut risotto. For dessert, the chocolate fondant may arguably be the best in London. It's served with vanilla and pepper (you heard right) ice cream. Or you can opt for the divine sugar tart with a white peach sorbet. As for the cheese selection, one habitué described it to us as "top dog."

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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