Wimbledon is upon us… tennis, Pimms, strawberries and all the other jolly English summer traditions. Those enjoying a day of sport (or escaping from rain showers for a snack) will be pleased to hear of Lawn Bistro, a sophisticated restaurant in Wimbledon Village serving French inspired dishes.
The cool grey exterior stands out amongst the boutiques and pubs and the modern, stylish interior is instantly welcoming. Décor is simple and classic, not detracting from the quality and creativity of the food. Staff are professional and clearly proud of their workplace, greeting us warmly. For dinner, Head chef Neal Cooper serves two seasonal menus, the A la carte and the Taster’s (which gives guests the chance to try 3 starters, 2 mains and 1 dessert) perfect for those who experience food envy! We tried both menus between us, evaluating the difference in size and layout. Many of the recipes overlap, illustrating which creations are most popular.
To combat the summer heat, we cracked open a bottle of thirst-quenching South African Chenin Blanc, a lovely accompaniment to the light tapas style taster dishes. Before tackling the menu, ask for a portion of the Chorizo of Catalunya cooked in rich tomato sauce to devour with the freshly baked rosemary bread.
To start we shared an array of indulgent treats, a superior charcuterie platter with smoked bacon rillettes and cornichons, comforting roast tomato and red pepper soup, grilled tiger prawn and crispy leg of lamb with aioli. It was lovely to try such an assortment, each mouthful is different showcasing a new combination of flavours and textures. For main course, the Braised Belly of Pork with glazed potatoes, pickled carrots and spring pea mousse was exemplary – it was sweet and salty, the soft meat cooked perfectly with no excess fat and the crackling with a good bite. The Tagliatta of lamb was exquisite too, thin lean slices of fleshy meat topped with shaved parmesan, rocket and vibrant sundried tomatoes. The gnocchi cooked in French barigoule style with fennel and saffron sounded better than it tasted, rather bland and starchy in a nondescript sauce.
Desserts were the highlight, and I considered ordering every option, but we decided on three between the two of us. The lovely Strawberries with pistachio sponge and clotted cream ice-cream is a tribute to Wimbledon’s famous sweet and is the ideal summer pudding, light and sweet. Chocolate financier cake was dense and really benefitted from the sweetcorn ice-cream; salted caramel popcorn was a tad lacklustre sprinkled on top. Decadent White chocolate and coconut mousse with passionfruit sorbet was an innovative and exotic idea for a girly diner.
Lawn Bistro excelled in every department and really impressed me. The Taster’s menu is especially worth trying, a beautiful selection of six smaller portions, all for just £25. By the end of the meal you’ll be so smitten by the food, that you will have forgotten why you came all the way to Wimbledon in the first place and tennis will be an afterthought.
More information and book a table at Lawn Bistro here.
