Lunch in Richmond

We’re in Richmond on a Xmas shopping expedition. I have researched some places for lunch, so we cut off the shopping street down a quiet alley and go towards the St Mary Magdalene church to look at La Buvette.  The menu looks interesting (French obvs), and the place charming. A passer-by says it is really good, but we decide against because there’s an office Xmas party in full flow, complete with speeches!

 

So we head down to the river and stop off for a drink at Jackson & Rye.  It’s an attractive bar/café with lovely views from the window seats, but as we’re only having a drink we are sat further back. We peruse the menu – American accented, with egg and pancake options, New England chowder, Cajun spiced chicken and of course steaks.  It’s unusual but not quite hitting the spot, so we decide to press on to the third option – and to return here if that’s no good.

 

The third option, near the end of Richmond Bridge, is Chez Lindsay, also French.  It doesn’t look very open, but I try the door and we go in.  It’s quite a surprise, because past the small front area and the bar there is a bright open room with picture windows facing down to the river.  Sadly there are also some ugly buildings in the way. We get a seat by the window, although alongside us there is a table laid for 12.

 

From the very reasonably priced wine list we order a bottle of Viognier at £23, then order our food and some very nice bread arrives.  The party of 12 then arrives – senior gentlemen, the eldest of whom claims to be 80, greeting the waitress like long lost friends. It’s not clear what the relationship is.  They apologise for making a noise, and we are offered the chance to move to another table, but in fact they’re not too bad at all.

 

For starters, B has the salad de magret – several excellent slices of lightly smoked duck. My moules “St Malo” are also really good, in a light white wine and cream sauce that begs to be soaked up with bread – though I manage to resist.  For main course B chooses the Galette aux Fruits de Mer, which comes topped with a langoustine – perhaps too much sauce.  My king scallops “St Jacques” comes with lentils and rocket, and is very good indeed.  We also order some frites and a tomato and onion salad.

 

Service has been good throughout, apart from a slight delay for the first course. But just as well we were ahead of the big group.  With a second bottle of Viognier and 12.5% service, the total comes to just over £110, which is pretty reasonable.