Going French in London

First impressions last. While it may have been French inspired, our first lunch at Aubine in London’s trendy Mayfair district left a pleasant taste in our mouths from first to last bite.

It was the perfect start to what promised to be a visit to a foodie’s paradise. Many times a good friend told us London is the best food city. We now wholeheartedly agree. But more research is required. Too many restaurants, too little time … c’est la vie.

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Aubine was just the beginning of our culinary adventure, but a noteworthy one that set up a trip of pure taste pleasure. I was even more surprised to find out later the bistro is part of a chain.

First up, we shared a cup of cream of cauliflower soup and a lightly dressed salad of Roquefort cheese, arugula, frisee, figs, spiced pear and walnut. Saving room for dinner, we chose for our main meal a few appetizer courses, which included a coriander- and chile-seasoned fried calamari dish for my husband and delicious duck-filled spring rolls with watermelon sorbet and praline crumb for me.

The food perfectly matched the light, airy space of the restaurant. The black-and-white tiles, tin-covered tables, warm woods and floor-to-ceiling windows in the front invited us to linger. Each adornment and seasoning seemed deliberately chosen to accent the natural aesthetics of the place and food. If I lived in London, Aubine is the kind of place that would make our regular rotation list of restaurants.

Aubine is truly a tres-bien experience in London.