Simon Wittenberg becomes immersed in French cuisine at Galvin Bistrot De Luxe, the first restaurant of the Michelin-starred brothers, Chris and Jeff Galvin, in London’s Marylebone.
We’d previously sampled the culinary talents of Galvin at Windows, whilst fellow writer Sabi Phagura has had the pleasure of dining at Galvin at The Athenaeum hotel in Piccadilly. As a team, we, therefore, know that they set the bar high when it comes to what’s on the table.
Opened in 2005 on Baker Street, the award-winning Galvin Bistrot de Luxe is where the Galvin success story started, and there is now a comprehensive portfolio of eateries which stretches as far as Dubai.
Galvin Bistro de Luxe is quite unassuming from the roadside, and after entering the small lobby, you are greeted with very French surroundings made up of globe lighting, colourful artwork, comfortable banquette seating and wooden “Thonet-style” Bentwood chairs. This is all reminiscent of what you would typically find in a contemporary Paris Bistrot.
Galvin Bistrot de Luxe holds around 106 people at a time (including the private dining room – the “Le Salon Prive”), and from what we saw on a Wednesday night, it seems to attract the older generation that you would probably see mixing with Sherlock Holmes if he were around. 
On the important point of food, there is a set menu (called Prix Fixe), and the à la carte, which changes on a regular basis. In addition, there is a good-sized wine list, and the sommelier can happily recommend any suitable pairings.
We were greeted on our arrival by a couple of glasses of Galvin’s in-house champagne and some cheese canapés as we sat down, as well as a couple of slices of crusty white bread (which proceeded to be topped up).
Our host, Sophia, then kindly guided us through the menu and was very obliging about our dietary requirements, doing all she could with the help of the chefs to make sure that we didn’t miss out on Galvin’s exquisite flavours.
To start, I selected the silky smooth Galvin cured smoked salmon (£14.50), which came with some finely grated egg white and yolk, mini capers, pickled onion and a dash of cream cheese.
Although I wasn’t a great fan of the egg, it did work well with the other ingredients on the plate, and it proved to be an impressive opening chapter.
Served at the table from a glass bowl, the waitress carefully placed the endive salad leaves (£9), garnished with finely sliced pieces of poached Williams pear and some crunchy caramelised walnuts, on my wife’s plate.
This was so as not to disturb any elements of the dish that had been meticulously prepared by the kitchen.
There were plenty of these bowls coming out on the night, so it did seem as if it was one of the more popular hors d’oeuvres.
After a half-hour break (to make it a leisurely paced meal), and of course, a bit more bread (it was that nice), it was time for the mains.
Being a regular fish eater, I headed for the delightful Cornish lemon sole (£25.50), which was topped with some crispy croutons, samphire, cucumber cubes and a few morsels of fresh lemon for that added citrus kick.
Fish of this kind is often served with some butter, a few herbs and some lemon, so it is quite plain; therefore, it was nice to see a restaurant break away from the norm and combine it with a generous portion of sauce of jus Parisienne.
This had to be one of the best fish dishes I have ever tasted, and it was devoured at pace.
It was a dish where you could easily have had another. Each priced at an extra £4, there are a few sides on offer, namely sumptuously creamy pomme purée (which I went for), buttered green beans, garden salad, ratte potatoes and braised red cabbage.
For the main course, my guest sampled the tender and beautifully cooked 10oz beef entrecote (£27.50), which arrived on an elegant Galvin-branded plate.
Topped with a subtle layer of caramelised onions, it came with a potato stack and some green beans, so it was more than adequate as a dish on its own. There was nothing left on her plate either, so both choices had been a true success.
Nearing the end of our meal, my stomach was on the verge of being full, but there was a bit of space left to accommodate a third course, even if I was defeated in the end.
I was torn between the apple tarte Tatin and the rum baba (£9) with Chantilly cream, but since it had been a few years since I had savoured the latter, it was the baba that comfortably won.
It was similar in shape and consistency to a soufflé and very soft to the touch with a sponge-like middle. Sophia poured the rum onto the dessert, and there was a very strong kick as the rum baba soaked up the alcohol.
My other half tried the freshly made plum and blueberry sorbet before enjoying some mint tea. As if we hadn’t had enough to eat, we were given some small peach petits fours, which set us up nicely for our journey home.
For those that don’t have a sweet tooth, diners can finish with an “Assiette de Fromage”, a cheese platter with spiced pineapple chutney and oatcakes (costing £12.50). The dome on a trolley containing the different types of cheeses had been staring at me all evening, but I duly resisted temptation.
To sum up, this wonderful eatery, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, is an exquisite eatery with attentive service, and it was a truly excellent meal from start to finish.
The Galvin brothers have pulled off a marvellous feat of culinary excellence, and it would draw compliments far and wide from those who live on the other side of the Channel.
Galvin Bistrot de Luxe – Where and How?
Galvin Bistrot de Luxe is located at 66 Baker Street, London W1U 7DJ, United Kingdom. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.galvinrestaurants.com
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