Chez Gerard

urbanfox

Big sausages, small taste 14th July 2009

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I ended up in Chez Gerard Charlotte Street after an after-work dash around Heals and Habitat on a Thursday, laden with bags (it was the sales) my girlfriend, E, and I chose to eat here, attracted to the 'Toulouse Sausage & Frites & wine' deal on the board outside, and after a recent trip to Paris, we fancied a bit of French. It was full so we had to wait 10 minutes to get seated, but all the staff were very polite. Once seated we were given bread, butter and a anchovy butter-mix. I wasn't to my taste but E was strangely hooked.

It took a little while for our food order to be taken, and we went for the Salade de chèvre chaud (warm goats cheese crottin, with baby salad leaves and sundried tomatoes) and two Toulouse sausages and frites. The wine arrived and was a very decent house red. The goats cheese salad was divine, and the vinaigrette was probably something very simple but the combination of the soft cheese, crunchy lettuce and tomatoes created something very, very tasty. Shortly after, the sausages arrived. I was disappointed with the dryness, the dish was a little bland, and would have benefitted from some kind of condiment. There were two large sausages and a small pile of frites. I like salt on my food but these sausages were incredibly salty, which ruined the tasty, rich meaty goodness I am sure they were. I would recommend getting something from the a la carte or prix fixe menu's.

It was my first visit to a Chez Gerard (there are several around London), and I will go back again, but next time I would like to try one of the steaks on the menu, and a little more of the house red. The two stars on this occasion probably don't do it justice. However before then, I am going to try the Charlotte Street Hotel opposite... whole lobster and bottle of champagne for two for £50. Now we're talking.