Chez Bruno — Review by Eating With Tod
London, United Kingdom — French Bistro
Chez Bruno is London's newest French Bistro opened by Spencer, a two-Michelin-star chef, offering exceptional French cuisine at accessible prices. The standout dishes include buttery scallops, a superior steak au poivre that outshone a Parisian version, and an impressive sharing chocolate souffle. This restaurant easily ranks among London's elite dining establishments.
What was great: Hand-dived scallops with Cafe de Paris butter, steak au poivre with exceptional peppercorn sauce, triple-cooked Hasselback potatoes, perfectly prepared chicken with morel mushrooms, and the sharing chocolate souffle with hot chocolate sauce
What could improve: Nothing mentioned
The Dishes
Chez Bruno opens with hand-dived scallops finished with Cafe de Paris butter, a dish that exemplifies what a two-Michelin-star chef brings to casual French bistro fare. The scallop dissolves on the palate, with the herb and spice-infused butter so remarkable the reviewer jokes about drinking it by the pint. The steak au poivre emerges as the true standout, featuring a perfectly cooked fillet basted in a peppercorn sauce that is flambeed tableside and poured over the meat. The fillet melts in the mouth, but the magic undeniably lies in the sauce itself. This dish impressed enough to surpass a similar version tried in Paris just two weeks prior, and it costs twenty pounds less. Triple-cooked Hasselback potatoes provide the ideal accompaniment. The chicken showcases Spencer's decade-long training at the Ritz, arriving with golden skin, morel mushrooms, and a creamy sauce that exemplifies French culinary mastery. The meal concludes with the sharing chocolate souffle, where hot chocolate sauce is poured dramatically into the top, creating a memorable final impression that the reviewer claims warrants a visit to the restaurant by itself.
The Experience
As one of London's hottest restaurant openings of the year, Chez Bruno represents a chef's deliberate pivot from Michelin-starred fine dining to approachable French bistro cooking. The atmosphere and service details remain implicit in the transcript, though the theatrical presentation of the steak au poivre and souffle suggests careful attention to dining experience and presentation.
Value and Pricing
Pricing proves exceptional for the caliber of cooking. The steak au poivre, a standout dish, costs twenty pounds less than a comparable version in Paris, making this a remarkable value for two-Michelin-star trained cuisine in a bistro setting. The overall price point positions Chez Bruno as accessible fine dining rather than luxury pricing.
Notable Moments
I've got to say this is better, and it was 20 pounds cheaper.
This restaurant easily goes into the elites of London restaurants. Honestly, I would just come here for this dessert alone.
The Verdict
Chez Bruno represents an exciting addition to London's dining scene, offering the technical expertise of a celebrated chef applied to unpretentious French bistro cooking. This restaurant belongs among London's elite establishments and appeals to anyone seeking exceptional French cuisine at reasonable prices. The chocolate souffle alone justifies a dedicated visit.