Zedel’s – Does it deserve an encore for a wonderful time?

Christmas is around the corner and what better time for a seasonal splurge of traditional French dishes within a grand and refined setting.  So many of London’s much loved dining and night spots have now disappeared – so its with a pang of nostalgia to find a great dining spot within an opulent setting with a menu to match- right in London’s theatre and clubland – without too much of a hefty price tag.

This is how this place is pitched – with its service orientated approach….

The doors are thrown open for you by top hat and tail staff; and you are directed to whether you want to take a seat in the American Bar or to your table in the opulency of the main dining room; with its ornate high ceilings and marble columns typifying its 1930’s art deco origins.

It’s advertised as value for money; which you wouldn’t expect within such a grand setting with live music to match.  The dishes are bursting with French flavours and rustic rather than just exquisitely presented.  You can go to town on the Alsacienne charcuterie and ‘choucroute’- which is on a par with the Wolseley, or go full out on a South of France speciality ‘cassoulet de confit de canard’ which is a typical regional dish of a roasted duck on a bed of white beans and sausage, swimming in a delicious sauce.

Mains start at £23.00 but stretch as far out as £37.00 if you want chateaubriand to share; which realistically is the case for a lot of good restaurants.

Front of house is exceptional here in terms of making you welcome but once at the table its a different story.  There is a very obvious hierarchy in the hospitality team and they seem to be forever busy but not as attentive to what should be going on with the tables in terms of where you are at with your meal.   This could be however; due to the fact that the space is quite expansive, and there were probably not enough waiting staff to cater to the 240 covers.

For starters my salade of chevre chaude was wolfed down on its bed of well dressed lettuce.  My perfectly mixed steak tartare was fine and not too spicey but I was slightly taken aback that as well as Tabasco – Lee and Perrins was brought to the table to add to it.

And when I started to tuck into my main course of steak tartare with pommes frites and a salade verte – there was a rush to come over to try to whisk the table cloth away; whilst what I actually wanted was the wine list back.

Despite this, its’ carved out a niche for itself as a refined setting for a brasserie restaurant with a lot to choose from and a step back to another era with its nostalgic appeal but non-stuffiness.  And the beauty of it is in the choice that it offers with its selection of regional French dishes that verge towards pricey compared to local brasseries but given the exquisite setting and its Central London location; it still remains a sought after choice for dinner and entertainment in one.

Zedels Brasserie is located at
20 Sherwood Street
London W1F ZED
http://www.brasseriezedel.com