Le Petit Parisien
16 Grove Lane, SE5 8SY Tel: 0207 703 9990
In the site previously inhabited by the Dark Horse, Le Petit Parisien claims to be London’s first French gastropub. On first glance it looks just like the Dark Horse, down to the furniture, though with a new coat of green paint. However, looking closely there are some nice touches. Street lamplight reflects the restaurant’s name from the window onto the walls, quirky pictures adorn the walls, and the vibe is relaxed yet there is something of the occasion to it. Like the Dark Horse, the more relaxed bar area is to the left and dining is to the right. The one waiter found himself busy on our visit, leading to a rather slow and careless service, though perhaps this is part of the French vibe? We had to ask for bread that had been forgotten, and this was unremarkable. The goat’s cheese and caramelised onions arrived without said onions, and was therefore rather bland. The main courses, however, were of a consistently higher standard, the highlight being an excellent vegetable risotto, though the salad nicoise also got a vote for being simple but well done. Our desire for more wine (from a short wine list available only on the blackboard above the bar) went unsated for quite a while until we managed to attract the waiter’s attention, and delivery of a dessert menu had to be requested rather than offered, but the apple tart tatin was excellent when it arrived. As a newcomer to SE5’s gastronomic scene, the flaws we encountered could be attributed to teething problems: Le Petit Parisien’s service may yet improve, and the food is above average (even for vegetarians), the atmosphere convivial and this French ‘gastropub’ is a fine addition to Camberwell.
Food: 3
Service: 2
Ambience: 4
Gay-friendliness: 4