Dranatically opulent brasserie near Picadilly Circus

We’d read several reviews of Brasserie Zédel, the new Parisian-style brasserie by Chris Corbin and Jeremy King (of Wolseley fame) by Piccadilly Circus, so we head along for a midweek lunch with friends M and C.   Arriving at the modest entry and small upstairs bar, you have no idea of what waits below, down the Art Deco carpeted, mirrored staircase that must surely have featured in several episodes of Poirot.  Past the Bar Americain cocktail bar (closed lunchtime) and The Crazy Coqs cabaret, you arrive at the huge brasserie, packed full even midweek. Apparently this huge room was once the ballroom of the Regent Hotel, and it has been splendidly restored with marble and lovely original lighting.  It’s a buzzy, fabulously glamorous place, but what we know from the reviews is that it’s also cheap!  Starters from £2.50, most mains between £10 and £15; Prix Fixe from £8.75 for two courses!

We join our friends at the table and settle down to take in the view. There must be around 200 people in here, with “walk-ins” accommodated at the counter.  M spots Harry Enfield at one table, and later, Eleanor Bron arrives – not our usual dining companions.  

The wine list is resolutely French, starting at £16 a bottle, with nearly all available by the glass. We have the Picpoul de Pinet at £22.50, light and fresh.  The menu of course is also entirely French brasserie (assuming you count Alsacian choucroute as French – I don’t think I’ve seen a choice of 3 couchroutes anywhere before).  To start M chooses the Parfait de Foie de Volaille, which she likes immensely but declares rather rich – so we have to help out.  C has the Pâté de Campagne Maison which is good coarse terrine.  B’s tartare saumon is the most expensive of our starters at £6.50, and fairly small, but she thinks it’s very good.  I choose the Pissaladière, because I’d recently cut out the recipe from a paper and was thinking of doing it. It’s a pastry base covered with caramelised onions with anchovies and olives.  Sadly the base was rather stodgy and the onion lukewarm, so I wasn’t impressed, though in all honesty I don’t know whether it was typical of its kind.

M follows with pan-fried plaice, which is also good, while C has the confit de canard, with white beans, which she is less taken with – dryish with dull beans.  By coincidence, B and I have both chosen the couscous with skewers of lamb, lamb’s liver and merguez. This comes served together on one platter, with huge daggers eat it with.  Some of the liver is a little chewy and the couscous a bit watery, but overall an enjoyable dish. 

B and I have desserts: crème brulee for me (excellently creamy and too rich for me – M helps to scoop it up), Chocolate Liegeois for B, while the others have coffee.

With three bottles of wine, we’ve managed to push the bill up to £172, £43 a head. But for such an experience and quality food (if not Wolseley standard), it is certainly to be recommended, and you could get away with far less.