Next on our list of the best places to take someone on a business lunch, we bring to you an in-depth review of Club Gascon.
Fittingly located in touching distance of Barts Pathology Museum, the innovative Club Gascon invites you to try some sensational south western French food.
As you enter the unassuming building, you are met with an open, clean, simple restaurant floor. The inside embraces clear natural light, providing a calming yet vibrant atmosphere. Perfect for smaller parties, the layout appeared very intimate, with modern leather armchairs and tables set out for twos and fours. Private functions can be booked with the restaurant if more space is required.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted by welcoming waiting staff. Fitting with the style of the decor and atmosphere, the restaurant did not have formal, silver service, but an attentive, more casual team of waiters. Make no mistake, the servers could not do more for their guests, but customers are not made to feel awkward by stuffy traditions. This style of service can sometimes be lost in other top flights restaurants, but certainly not here.
If requested, the waiting staff can run the customers through the menu, with a bounty of knowledge on how the dishes are sourced, prepared and cooked – this is no small feat as Club Gascon has a number of menus, the a la carte menu, lunch set menu and the restaurants unique selling point, the La Marche menu. The latter allows diner to experience five courses, almost like a tour of France on the guest’s plate. The beauty of this is that it changes every three months, this is because Club Gascon’s chefs inspirational passion won’t allow for the menu to feel stale or formulaic.
The restaurant clearly has great confidence in their food, with a short but stunning a la carte menu. The menus offer a fine balance of meaty dishes such as: Gillardeau oysters, seared monk fish with fennel and eel and lamb prepared with mussels and vermouth sauce; vegetarian options include highlights such as tulip flower, quinoa and bitter carrot or the striking white asparagus peanut crunch and lemongrass dish.
Not only is the food authentically French, the vast wine list will make you feel like you’re in the heart of France. The calling card of Club Gascon is the wine cellar, some restaurant’s talk the talk with wine, but this one truly walks the walk. Club Gascon’s wine list is long and varied, offering champagne, sparkling wine, red, white and rose for those long summer afternoons. The restaurant even hosts a monthly wine dinner showcasing four wines alongside four courses of food.
In a capital city that has a real glut of fantastic establishments to visit, London has this little gem for those who know of it. Club Gascon offers a real taste of France, where diners can visit week after week and not break the bank. Generally the average spending per head is between £50 and £100, but can you really put a price on flavorsome, authentic French food when it is done perfectly?
| Address: 57 W Smithfield, London EC1A 9DS |
Transport: Barbican Station (Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan Lines) and St Paul’s Station (Central Line) |
| Phone: 020 7600 6144 |
Opening Hours: Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12pm-2pm Dinner: Monday to Thursday 6.30pm – 10.00pm Friday 6.30pm – 10.30pm Saturday 6pm – 10.30pm |
| Email: info@clubgascon.com |
Website: https://www.clubgascon.com/about.php |
