ByTom Parker Bowles For You Magazine. Published:07:00 EDT, 6 July 2024Updated:07:00 EDT, 6 July 2024. . . Viewcomments. . A few years back, it seemed that regional French cooking, inLondonat least, had gone the way of le dodo. Where once the capital was awash with rillettes de porc, escargots la bourgogne, lapin la moutarde and tarte tatin, there was gradually, then suddenly, next to nothing la fin de l affaire. Racine, La Bouch e, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe and La Brasserie shut for good. And while stalwarts remained Le Colombier, along with those grandes dames La Poule au Pot and L Escargot, pickings were unquestionably thin for those in search of some serious Gallic succour. And while stalwarts remained Le Colombier, along with those grandes dames La Poule au Pot and L Escargot, pickings were unquestionably thin for those in search of some serious Gallic succour. Then Neil Borthwick that great Gaul by way of Falkirk took the reins at The French House, and last year Henry Harris returned to shake the pans at the excellent Bouchon Racine, swiftly followed by Claude Bosi s magnificent Josephine, a few months later. With that, all was agr able once more. Even more good news followed: Anthony Demetre, a genuinely talented chef who was behind Arbutus and Les Deux Salons, was to open his own Bistrot at Wild Honey at the Sofitel St James. The food is very good indeed, says Tom, who tried dishes including asparagus with crushed poached egg left and p t en croute right. And the food is very good indeed. A beautiful p t en croute of chicken, pork and duck, the pastry soft and golden, the jelly luscious and wobbling. Asparagus come with a crushed poached egg, verdant with herbs. Ham croquettes are immaculately fried orbs of gently oozing beauty, while a slab of crisp pig s head, rich and gloriously fatty, comes with a mound of buttery pommes pur e. Grilled red prawns are as sweet as a mermaid s sigh, while spitroasted young chicken all crisp, burnished skin and sweet, juicy flesh is a masterclass in the art of rotisserie. So why am I not utterly enamoured? The room, for a start, with its oxblood leather banquettes and blackandwhite tiled floor, feels like a hotel lobby. And on this Tuesday night it s all but empty, meaning the large, cavernous space is almost entirely devoid of atmosphere. Not so much the bustle of a bistro as the icy cool of a marble mausoleum. Loud and irritating Muzak makes things worse. Even the service, as flawless as it is warm, cannot make up for its fundamental lack of soul. Because a room like this needs filling, a seasoning every bit as essential as salt. Rating:. About 50 per head. Wild Honey St James, London SW1;wildhoneylondon.co.uk. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday  Metro Media Group
Regional French cooking in London seemed to fade away, but chefs like Neil Borthwick and Henry Harris are reviving it. Anthony Demetre recently opened a Bistrot at Wild Honey with excellent food like pâté en croûte and asparagus with poached egg. However, the restaurant's ambience lacks warmth and feels empty. The food is praised, but the atmosphere falls short.