Chez Bruce

It took me almost five years to finally make my way to this Wandsworth institution which has been recommended by many and won numerous awards, but also knocked The Ivy off the top of the list of Londoners' favourite restaurant. This can only be a good thing. Although I should have known right there and then that if The Ivy was the Londoners' fav choice, Londoners maybe don't appreciate the same sort of dining experiences as me... but well.
Now, Wandsworth is a bit of a trek to get to - but the restaurant is always full to the brim. Saying that, I did manage to secure a reservation just the day before, albeit on a table which had to be turned around in a matter of two hours. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the chairs and table were hugely uncomfortable and I couldn't have stayed a minute longer.
Chez Bruce opened in 1995, aiming to offer top-notch French food in a casual dining environment. It belongs to a chain housing two other eateries in the South-West, both of which I have been to: La Trompette in Chiswick and The Glasshouse which used to be our neighbourhood restaurant in Kew for a while where we'd simply drop in after work when we couldn't be bothered to cook. The restaurant's decor is a bit cold for my liking - huge mirrored walls abound, probably with the intention to create an illusion of space in a room that is barely more than 60 square metres, and a rather odd selection of paintings (and kids' drawings) around the room which do not seem to follow any theme. The tables are too close together for comfort, Antonio Carluccio was literally sitting 15 cm from the edge of our table, but then maybe he is larger than your average punter... our table was very small even for two people and it was almost impossible to sit comfortably - I am glad I came with my husband, as the constant struggle for space led to a lot of rubbing of legs, which would have been uncomfortable and embarrassing with anyone else.
Service is very attentive, I was brought a newspaper to kill some time before my husband arrived who had underestimated just how far out Wandsworth is when you're coming from the City, and they never failed to spot an empty bread plate or a need for a refill of water or wine. Although we had only 2 hours and were rather late already, we didn't feel rushed to make our choices or eat up and the kitchen even fit in a dessert order which required and additional 20 minutes of preparation.
For starters we chose Roast foie gras with shin of beef, sweet and sour endive and quince jelly - very strong flavours, but pleasant, and Warm wild mushroom and shallot custard with polenta soldiers and dressed leaves. I actually liked my custard very much, although it was slightly undercooked - perfectly light and fluffy on top and around the edges of the little bowl it was served in, but too runny on the bottom. I couldn't taste any shallots, unfortunately, but it was overall very creamy and tasty and perfect to dip your polenta fries in. One minor quibble might be that the dressed leaves tasted mostly of salt, but I was still very happy with my start to the meal.
For mains, Chris went for the Rump of lamb with braised savoy cabbage, bacon, sarladaise potato and prunes, the potatos being a kind of lasagne of the thinnest potato slivers, cut into 2-cm slices and fried in the pan - again a very rich dish that he couldn't fault but wasn't overwhelmed with. Adventurous as I sometimes am, I went for another vegetarian option (these are so hard to find in restaurants like these and the autumnal feel of Pumpkin ravioli with sage beurre noisette, wild mushrooms, chestnuts and parmesan was something I couldn't resist). The ravioli itself were lovely - perfectly cooked, thick, plump and creamy, the right side of sweet and topped with crispy sage leaves. The girolle mushrooms they were served with were unfortunately overly salted and the whole was sitting on a tomato sauce - yes, you heard me right, a tomato sauce. I just couldn't gather what it was doing on this plate, other than there must have been a mix-up in the plating in the kitchen. The result was a very unbalanced dish, too heavy on the salt, not enough of the lovely, rich butter flavour I was expecting and an entirely alien flavour which really ruined the dish.
Chris wasn't too hungry (or tempted) anymore, so I got to choose (and eat!) two plates of dessert. I went for the Caramelised apple croustade with calvados anglaise aka apple mash in a tent of crispy fillo pastry sitting on a custard sauce that didn't have the faintest hint of calvados even if it tried, and Warm valrhona chocolate mousse tartlet with pistachio sauce and vanilla ice cream. The tartlet was very nice, runny in the centre as it should be, but again the sauce hadn't had much face time with a real pistachio and the vanilla icecream tasted cheap and store-bought.
On a more positive note, my husband had a fantastic half-bottle of wine (a Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe 2001 for £35) and the wine list as a whole has a great selection that extends way beyond the usual French and Italian connection - they have more than 10 Austrian wines, for example, (this may not be a criterion for you, but I just can't help myself being patriotic here), even though, as is to be expected, the better bottles start at £50 - but that's Austrian wine for you!
All in all, I am glad we came, but I also went away slightly disappointed. Although Michelin-starred (I tend to prefer the Gault-Millau for ratings anyway, but they don't think the UK restaurant scene is worth being rated at all), this restaurant is not pretending to be a gourmet haunt on the same level as The Fat Duck, but I would rather describe it as a good neighbourhood restaurant in an area which direly needs it... whether you want to go out of your way to come here, I don't know, but personally, I doubt I'll be back any time soon, purely because I think the value for money is just not good enough: I am comparing a 3-course meal (which had its flaws) at £145 for two with a half-bottle of wine, some water and coffees with the altogether more spectacular tasting menu at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (details to come soon) for £180 again with cocktails, a bottle of wine and coffees... all I'll say is that the £35 extra are so worth it!

Chez Bruce
2 Bellevue Road
Wandsworth Common
London SW17 7EG
Tel: 020-8672 0114

Nearest public transport: BR Wandsworth Common (2 min) or Balham tube (15 min walk)

Comments

[Scott at Real Epicurean]

Now sometimes I'm very very jelous of you, Johanna.

I'm stuck here in industrial Northern England, and you're nestled in London, on the cutting edge of UK cuisine...

[abby]

my experience at chez bruce was similarly disappointing - a few basic errors, several things that were fine but apart from the cheese board, which was superb, nothing shone.

[Jeanne]

What a pity! The food sounds interesting, but when you compare what else you could get for the money, it becomes less of a prospect. OK, I feel less jealous now that I didn't accompany you ;-)

[Martina]

Hy, Jeanne!
I want to tell you that Thomas an I have been in Bad Ischl. We had dinner in the "Villa Schratt". It was really delicious.
So, I could once get a opinion about what you write. Sorry for the bad English. :-)

[Dave Cross]

I've always thought that Chex Bruce was overrated. Which is a shame as it's really local to me.

For top quality food in the area, we go to Lamberts on Balham High St.

[johanna]

Hi Scott, you just have to come down here more often and combine a foodblogger event with a nice meal out ;-)
Dave, thanks for the tip!

[Richard Leader]

A bit late in the day, but I'm a new comer to your site!
I love Chez Bruce (though I haven't been there for a couple of years now owing to Baby#1 and moving out of London), and I have to say I've never had a bum note there - sorry that you did!
One of the best things about it is the cheese (at a supplement, of course) which is terrific - if you do go back, I suggest you try it!