London Food & Culture

Review: Cafe Pistou, Exmouth Market

A bit of Provence in EC1. But service could be just a bit...quicker...

Cute counter seating - if you don't sit outside. Photo: PR
Cute counter seating – if you don’t sit outside. Photo: PR

It was a warm night, a rarity for this strange, blustery summer. What other pedestrianised street in the city, we wondered, possesses quite such a holiday vibe?

More than familiar with the likes of Caravan and Moro, we settled on newish Cafe Pistou instead. Its schtick? Provencal dishes, washed down with plenty of rosé, of course. Very South of France.

Pissaladiere oozed richness. Photo: SE
Pissaladiere oozed richness. Photo: SE
A short wait for a table, but that was fine, and the service smiley enough. The pal and I were seated outside, grabbing the last available spot for two, with full view over the leafy terrace. Slightly irritatingly, the menu was displayed in the window next to me, allowing passers-by to lean over and contemplate for long minutes the delights on offer.

You can share plates, or plump for your own, the usual London thing. We did a bit of both. First up was a sizeable wooden board lined up with sliced pissaladiere (pictured right), the classically savoury tart here topped with anchovy and caramelised onions. A definite hit, it oozed richness and depth – joyous with the pale, dry pink frosting the glass.


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Chargrilled lamb cutlets came next (below left), with sweetly roasted sunblush tomatoes and ample dollops of the signature pistou, the rather life-affirming sauce made from basil, garlic and olive oil (like pesto, but without the pine nuts, in fact). Rosy and with the smoky hit of wood, the meat was a real winner.

Rosy with the smoky hit of wood: lamb cutlets. Photo: SE
Rosy with the smoky hit of wood: lamb cutlets. Photo: SE
And then nothing. We waited and waited, and still the last dish, an unseasonal choice of cod brandade, didn’t show. We asked the waitress, who said it was coming. But still, nothing. The carafe empty, another was ordered. And on we lingered, the evening remaining warm, but the diners on the pavement starting to thin out.

Finally the brandade appeared, piping hot and seemingly overdone. Once it had cooled down, the classic combination of salt fish and buttery potato puree was OK – just not the triumph we had hoped for. And hardly worth a very long wait. Not to mention a higher wine tariff.

No matter. I liked Pistou; and would return, for sure. With a little work on the service, and some of the detail, it could yet rival those longterm stalwarts Caravan, Morito and Moro.

[review]

Cafe Pistou, 8-10 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QA. Small plates from £5.50, large plates from £10.

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