Renowned for its moules frites and hearty Flemish classics, Chez Léon, one of Belgium’s oldest and most famous restaurants is opening its first international outpost in London in the city’s Cambridge Circus. Entrepreneur Léon Vanlanker first opened Chez Léon back in 1893 near Brussels’ Grand Palace and to this day the company remains family owned and run. While nowadays it’s part of a nine-strong group in Belgium with 67 franchises in France, the original menu remains practically intact.
The new London outpost seats 220 at marble tables draped in crisp black and white gingham. The interior represents a contemporary take on the Belgian original with sleek black and brick red leather banquets, dark wood chairs, white and black tiled walls and parquet wooden floors. There are also two art walls commissioned from urban artist Fin DAC.
Jessica Lavender (The Hilton, Sydney) heads up the kitchen which promises a signature list of eleven variations of mussel dishes served Léon style in large cocottes or au gratin. We’re talking traditional Marinière to the more unusual Ardennaise, with white wine, crème fraiche, smoked bacon and mushrooms, Madras in a light curry sauce and Riviera in a tomato sauce with garlic, parsley and gruyère cheese.
However, there’ll also be a range of hearty brasserie classics including starters of Fish soup with rouille, croutons and gruyère cheese; Smelts (small fried fish with homemade tartar sauce); and King prawns cooked with chilli and garlic butter. Additional mains will feature Flemish Carbonnade of beer braised beef with frites and Salmon with crushed new potatoes, white crab meat and sun blush tomatoes. And for pudding, what could be more Belgian than a pile of waffles?
To drink? Order from the wine list or better still go native with Léon De Bruxelles’ own range of micro brewed beers.
Opening mid January 2012
Léon De Bruxelles
24 Cambridge Circus, WC2
