“Never so say no to pleasure,” Thierry Tomasin, Owner and Director of ‘Brasserie de Luxe’ Angelus said as he welcomed us to his French corner of London. Mrs TLE rarely does, so no problem there.
Angelus, named after the family bell which Tomasin’s mother used to signal mealtimes where he grew up in South West France, feels special from the moment you walk in.
We started the evening with a glass of champagne in the lounge at the back of the restaurant. This is where the fun starts, with low lighting, sumptuous sofas and a decadent private club feel; think after dinner cocktails for those evenings you don’t want to end or an upmarket hangover recovery venue where you can put your feet up and eat yourself better.
And that is exactly what Tomasin intended. Angelus, he explains, is the sort of establishment where people come throughout the day, a true lifestyle venue open seven days a week from 10am each day and serving brunch until 11pm. The mix of high-end French dining with an informal feel and a focus on pleasure is what makes Angelus so special.
Tomasin personally recommends the seven deadly sins menu, a ten course birthday taster menu in celebration of Angelus’ seventh year. The menu is expertly constructed by head chef Pierre Needham and tastes as exciting as it looks.
The service starts with Lust, a perfectly fresh and salty champagne dressed oyster, a great start! The preceding Sloth course was probably the most exquisite dish on the menu, a foie gras creme brûlée; there are really no words that do this starter justice. Monsieur T tried, “It’s orgasmic,” he cooed. Mrs TLE wholeheartedly agreed.
And on it goes with dish after perfectly executed dish of starters, palate cleansers and main courses. High-end French cuisine meets Blumenthal esque lab style experimentation. Do not miss out Wrath, caviar sea urchin and yoghurt with a cucumber consommé.
The sommelier recommended amazing wines to complement the food. We quaffed a delicious Domaine Coste, Viognier Grenache, 2013 which had delicate flavours of nuts and citrus and a Domaine du Barres, Saint Chinian, 2013 which displayed ripe mulberry tones on the nose and palate. Both French; both fabulous.
You can also opt for the taster menu with wine included, with this option you are served half a glass of perfectly matched wine from Tomasin’s enviable cellar with every course.
The evening ends on a high with an extra special chocolate dessert with a twist, and if that wasn’t enough Tomasin presented us with cannelle’s to take home! Over all we adhered to Thierry’s advice and didn’t say no to pleasure. Of the seven deadly sins we gave into gluttony. I suggest you do too.
Angelus can be found at 4 Bathhurst Street, London, W2 2SD.