Casse-Croute, 109 Bermondsey Street,
London SE1 3XB
29/03/2014
She said: What some might call cheesy I
think of as classic. I’ve always had a soft spot for restaurants that evoke our
stereotypical cultural ideas, without falling into the offensive: breadsticks
and hanging waxed wine bottles in Italians: red lanterns and dragons in
Chinese: and, as with Casse-Croute, red and white chequered table cloths,
Bibendum posters and Brel in the background. Casse-Croute is definitely a
throwback to a neighbourhood brasserie, complete with black and white family
photos on the walls and a chalk board menu with the day’s classic French
offerings. I was very excited and loved the cosy, relaxed feel of the room. I
went for the Asparagus starter which was fine but essentially boiled Asparagus
with a hollandaise sauce on the side which I had to remove bits of pig from
(I’m guessing it was ham). The main was a mullet which was tasty, a good
portion but a bit too buttery and salty for me. Being London (be it
Bermondsey), prices were on the slightly high side at £50 for just the food but
maybe I’ve just not kept up with the times and what may seem like a local is
still in our nation’s capital and prices fit the neighbourhood. I liked
Casse-Croute as a place but was hoping to be blown away by the food. It was
just fine.
He said: Casse-Croute does a great job
at emulating the typical neighbourhood restaurant you’ll find in just about
every quartier up and down the pays. The food was satisfyingly and classically
French: technical, lots of butter and no surprises at all – good ol’ comfort
food and friendly, laid-back service. This will be a perfect place for me to
visit once Alzheimer’s sets-in, and I can half remember memories I never had,
tasting really familiar food, in a cardboard cut-out environment, served by
smiling people who seem to know me. I really don’t know what else to say about
Casse-Croute; it was nice, and I enjoyed it in the same way you might enjoy
almost any good, unfussy French meal. I’m a little surprised by some of the
gushing praise this restaurant has received. But I suppose that if you are a
trend-surfer, then the ultimate novelty is getting good, straightforward food
that doesn’t desperately try to impress. It’s no big deal for our French
cousins, just business as usual. I guess for me that’s the trouble with French
food: even when it’s good it’s always the same.
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