Troubadour Cafe & Deli

Lacrimosa

A place of many parts 23rd June 2007

8 found this helpful

It was a balmy June weekday evening, and the Troubadour was very busy out back in the Mediterranean-style paved courtyard, and inside too. Happily it was not so packed that I couldn't find a table, since it's table-service only here: I was eventually informed of this by a member of staff after uselessly standing at the bar for several minutes with my purse out. It's a nice idea which, in practice, is a shambles: service was slow, paying even slower, and the practice of presenting just one bill per table a logistical nightmare for those wishing to pay separately, as we did.

But enough of my grumbling. The Troubadour is well worth a visit for the bohemian decor (check out the photos above), the sea of old string instruments hanging from the ceiling, the layers of old varnish on the woodwork, and the candle-lit tables. It would be terrific for an informal date - low-lit, intimate, and certain to bestow you with kudos for knowing somewhere so individual. I didn't eat, but noticed plates of burgers and French fries going past. We were primarily there for the live music, so eventually wandered downstairs to the basement, an area that loses its bohemian quality to make way for a typical subterranean gig-spot: all dark walls and slightly scruffy looking, with a normal bar thank goodness. Naturally you're not going to see the same line up that we did that night, but - for the record - the four acts we saw collectively get full points, a big tick, several gold stars and all the brownie points they can carry. If this is typical of the quality of entertainment at the Troubadour, I will definitely be going there again soon. There's comedy and poetry nights too.

Last but not least, the toilets deserve an honorary mention. First off, they're semi-unisex: chaps to the left, ladies to the right, with a bizarre font-like communal basin in the middle. But the hand dryers, oh! the hand dryers! You know the type that you have to wave your hands under for five minutes just to get one paltry cough of air? Well, this isn't the sort you'll find at the Troubadour. No. These hand dryers are so powerful your hands dry in seconds and your clothes and hair billow out dramatically behind you. As Major McCa, one of the entertainers on the night, said: "Is that a tsunami? No, it's just the world's strongest hand dryer."

Nearest tubes, West Brompton and Earls Court.

24oh8

11th May 2007

4 found this helpful

An old favourite! Food is not brilliant but has a home-cooked feel and always a good atmosphere. In the summertime it's great to sit out in the back garden as it does feel like a mini Oasis. Only downside is when there are bands playing downstairs the noise can travel up through the floorboards if you're sitting near the back which isn't great fun.

celli

love it 14th February 2007

2 found this helpful

Its atmospheric, chilled but fun, the staff are friendly and you get 2 for 1 cocktails between 6 and 8! I've been there countless times in the last 2 years and without exception had a fantastic time.

Ladis19

Charming 13th January 2007

3 found this helpful

Aside from the lengthy historical description Caffienehit has given us, depending on where you sit, Troubadour is a nice, cosy, comfy, relaxing and easy place to go on a Sunday for brunch. If you are seated in the correct area, it can also be a lovely, romantic, charming little place for a table for 2, may it be for a drink or for dinner. And if you are in the mood, it can be a hip, lively, entertaining, jazzy place to enjoy underground-yet-to-become-famous artists, and I say that in the most positive way.

I have been there 4 times in the past 2 weeks and have to say I enjoy its bohemian atmosphere more and more.

caffeinehit

Trubadour History 7th November 2006

3 found this helpful

Would have to agree with Sokratis as far as it being better in the winter (and in the evening), very cosy. It also has a live music club downstairs for those of you looking to carry on the night.

Anyway, here's a crude cut and paste from their website on their history, maybe it will reveal why it's called Troubadour.

Here's the dictionary definintion:
trou‧ba‧dour one of a class of medieval lyric poets who flourished principally in southern France from the 11th to 13th centuries, and wrote songs and poems of a complex metrical form in langue d'oc, chiefly on themes of courtly love. Compare trouvère.

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The Troubadour was founded by Michael and Sheila van Bloemen in 1954 as part of the second great London coffee revolution. The first, in the late 17th and throughout the 18th century, saw the foundation of London's first cafés. Thriving centres of metropolitan gossip, commerce and finance these coffee houses are perhaps best remembered for Dr Johnson, who used to frequent them, and for Mr Edward Lloyd, on whose premises the London insurance market was founded.

The latest revolution has seen a number of American "chains" "roll out" their "cookie cutter" operations to every London street corner. But after their 19th century decline it was the 1950's which saw the revival of London coffee houses as centres of culture and civilization. Raffish, continental, revolutionary, these new cafés became centres of rebellion and new music for the young and the young at heart. Earl's Court, the wild western frontier of bohemian Chelsea, saw a particular concentration of new establishments, and the most famous was the Troubadour.

So famous, in fact, that whilst others fell by the wayside, the Troubadour settled in to become a west London institution. But if that implies stuffiness, forget it. Through the 50's and 60's this was one of THE centres of London intellectual and artistic life. It's where Private Eye was first produced and distributed; where the early Ban the Bomb meetings were held (the precursor to CND); and where the Black Panthers met when they left Paris after the '68 riots.

The Troubadour was the first place where Bob Dylan performed in London. Paul Simon, Charlie Watts, Sammy Davis jnr and Jimi Hendrix have all played here. Richard Harris fell in love with his wife Elizabeth here (she was doing the washing up). Ken Russell recruited staff for his first shorts here, and it was here that he became friends with Oliver Reed. Led Zeppelin used to come and jam here after their Earl's Court gigs. Tom Robinson and Elvis Costello used to play here too. You can see a fuller list of Troubadours by clicking here

Mike and Sheila sold the Troubadour in 1970 to Bruce Rogerson, who over the next quarter of a century kept the flame burning. Bruce's respect for what the van Bloemens had created was total. In 1990 he refurbished the basement venue, and added an extension to the rear of the Café; but he made sure that the spirit of the place remained unchanged.

Exactly the same attitude has been adopted by the Troubadour's third, and current, owners, Simon and Susie Thornhill. In 1998 Bruce decided that it was time for a quieter life, and he looked around for someone he could trust who would take the business on. Simon was just leaving the Scots Guards at the time after 20 years of service, and was cruising on his motorbike round his old schoolboy haunts in West London looking for a business he could buy. He'd known Bruce and the Troubadour for 20 years; he'd always loved the place; was mad on music and food; and Susie had worked for many years in the wine trade. It was a marriage made in heaven. So the deal was done, and the Thornhills, with their young family, moved in above the shop.

What quickly became apparent to Simon and Susie was that the Troub. was held in even more respect and affection than they realized. Like any new young owners of a business they brought a fresh energy to the place; they changed the menu a bit, bringing in steaks from Susie's favourite farm in Somerset, where she'd been brought up, and adding hamburgers made to Simon's own recipe; and before they knew where they were there were queues out of the door in the evening and space was becoming a problem.

Fate intervened. Yucel Mehmet, the owner of Maxwell's fish bar at 263 Old Brompton Road, was looking to step back from the fryer; and very sadly Encounter Overland, the travel business at 267, went bust. The Thornhills acquired leases on both these adjoining properties, and a massive building programme began.

Most of the early work was structural, and happened behind the scenes; but between December 2001 and summer 2002 the "old lady resting on her laurels", as Simon called the Troub., revealed herself in a succession of new guises. First change was to the café, which with no perceptible change to its ambience doubled in size in time for Christmas. The Troubadour deli opened up next door in March 2002, with the gallery above it; and in July the expanded and completely refurbished Club reopened.

sokratis

Quirky little place 23rd August 2006

2 found this helpful

It’s definitely a unique place; I like it better in the winter with its cavernous character and decoration sprouting from all over. Still great in the summer, but maybe a bit claustrophobic.

Hadn’t been there for five years and then ended up visiting again more or less by accident, but the place has amazingly managed to retain its character and style. Would recommend it for a few rounds of drinks with a good bunch of mates or even for quiet dinner with your loved one.

I’d like to know why the named it Troubadoure though. If anyone knows stick a comment in.

lisas

Very nice garden 28th July 2006

0 found this helpful

Troubadour is very bohemian and relaxed. What I like most is the small garden, you can take food from the next door deli and site there, enjoy a drink and your food while reading a book in a sunny day!

lisas

Nice Food 28th July 2006

0 found this helpful

A very relaxing place and very good food! Fantastic for take away. I also like sitting at the big table upstairs and read the papers, or relax downstairs on the comfy sofas. They also have yoga classes upstairs!

Peyote_queen

Very Bohemian 25th July 2006

0 found this helpful

Very bohemian café/bar/restaurant with live music and poetry evenings. Friendly staff with a nice atmosphere and cool decor