I was out on the streets, it was dinner time and I had a hankering for something French. Perhaps it was the torrential rain pelting down on me, flattening my painstakingly straightened hair, perhaps it was the stream of abuse that had just been hurled on me by some plump-40something-balding-cleric, perhaps it was the particular propensity of Clapham drivers that evening towards arseholery – for all these things remind me of Paris. Whatever the reason, French was what I wanted and French was what I must have!
Bellevue Rendez-Vous provided the venue, an unpretentious little bistro towards the Earlsfield/Wandsworth/Tooting boroughs in South West London. Its minimal presence on the internet, but nevertheless fearsomely positive repute, warmed me to it strangely – tres authentique!
Sporting a concise wine list of solely French wines and a small menu a la carte and set, it suggested a management and kitchen confident, aware and operating with full concentration on what they do best – simple, French bistro-fare. Its atmosphere on a Tuesday night was fairly slow, but a glasshouse front throwing golden light out onto the main high street of Trinity Road hinted that its weekends might tell a vastly different story.
To eat? Snails in a garlic butter, a Foie Gras Terrine with caramelised onions and a glazed goats cheese, beetroot salad to start. The snails were average – not particularly plump, but fragrant with garlic and transcending to fabulousness upon a slice of warm French baguette.
The terrine; bliss. Fatty, ice cold, salty and moreish. Goats cheese salad with beetroot: what it said on the tin; uninspired, nothing new but tasty.
For main: medium rare lamb rump with wild mushrooms and mashed potato. The menu had specified spring vegetables, no mention of mash – these remained nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the October winter had banished them back to June, unbeknownst to the printed menu. Tasty lamb, cooked well. Mushrooms; bitter and not so nice.
What else? Guinea Fowl with carrot mash. The carrot mash was the star of this particular plate. Achingly sweet and with enough texture to be enjoyable to chew. Strange how things can be enjoyable to chew, isn’t it? I think so.
An average bavette steak joined us too, flank steak in British terms. Cooked perfectly but a little stringy – probably not by the fault of the chef, it is a tricky cut to perfect.
Bellevue Rendez-Vous is an excellent place to go and dine if you fancy a venue that is extremely affordable and pretty good. It wasn’t blow your mind stuff but it resided happily in the ‘acceptable Friday night date/bottle of wine with the girls’ zone.
Cost – Approx. £30 a head a la carte including wine.
218 Trinity Road London, Greater London SW17 7HP
020 8767 5810
Rating: Overall: 3/5
Food: 3/5
Wine List: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Atmosphere: 2/5
