In London this weekend I managed to find a little slice of heaven in the hell that is Saturday afternoon shopping in Covent Garden. I was meeting my best London girl to seek out a specific dress at a particular shop so we were forced to brave the hoards of tourists and die-hard weekend shoppers. Our afternoon out led us to wander around Covent Garden market after lunch and we stopped off at Brasserie Blanc, the chain of French brasseries from chef Raymond Blanc, for fortifying crêpes and wine.
The Covent Garden brasserie overlooks the Opera Terrace, with two outdoor seating areas to enjoy drinks and snacks and an indoor restaurant for those sampling the brasserie menu. I liked the simple red tablecloths, BLANC emblazoned wooden crates and crêpe-shaped menus. We enjoyed glasses of chilled Sauvignon Blanc, served in small glass tumblers, and a delicious crêpe generously filled with chestnut purée. The sweet, nutty filling reminded me of my favourite French liquor, crème de châtaignes, and the dusting of sugar and delicate flaked almonds made me yearn for the best freshly baked croissants only found in French bakeries and markets. Parfait!
I'm looking forward to sampling the brasserie menu on my next visit...
Enjoy! :-)
Brasserie Blanc Covent Garden
35 The Market
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 8RF
Tel: 0207 379 0666
www.brasserieblanc.com