It is one of those warm Friday evenings and we are heading to the Lounge at Bar des Prés, the new downstairs cocktail spot – you can also sample the food menu – by chef and internet sensation Cyril Lignac.
As often on a Friday night, I have mixed feelings about going out, happy to start the weekend yet exhausted from the week. But as we arrive, I am immediately reminded of the 70s atmosphere of the Drugstore Saint-Germain, where I used to buy cigarettes when living in Paris. The mirrors, the soft light, the music and the cosy velvet sofas are straight out of a French movie and one could almost expect Romy Schneider to walk in.
We bump into people we know and soon start sipping some delicious signature cocktails. My Margarithai is perfect.
We order the crunchy crab and avocado galette, one of BdP’s signature dishes, and it doesn’t disappoint. Less impressive are the crispy prawns Thai mayonnaise – perhaps we are used to more delicious versions in London. The beef fillet with vanilla mashed potatoes is a highlight and the perfectly layered millefeuille is a winner.
There is something incredibly nostalgic, almost post-modern, about the Lounge at Bar des Prés. Like the Saint-Germain Drugstore – which closed in the late 90s – it offers a creative French interpretation of beloved Asian food. The decor is plush, the wine list first-rate and the service friendly and professional. A perfect spot to have a casual bite on a Friday night.
| What | The new Lounge at Bar des Prés |
| Where | Bar des Prés, 16 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4HW | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Green Park (underground) |
| Price | £N/A |
| Website |