The dining room at Bouchon Racine - note the menu on the board on the left. If you fancy something in particular, better get your order in sharpish.
What do we need to know about Bouchon Racine?
The opening of this Farringdon restaurant represents the return to the kitchen of chef Henry Harris. Harris, if you haven't encountered him before, has been involved in restaurant groups like Harcourt Inns over the past few years.
But, before that, he owned the hugely influential Racine in Knightbridge which he billed as 'the elusive neighbourhood restaurant you search for in Metropolitan French cities and so rarely find". Racine closed in 2015 but ever since then the restaurant's devotees have been hoping Harris would find a way to bring it back. Now he has, in more of a Lyonnaise bouchon form - so less formal than a restaurant and more of a bistro.
Where is it?
You'll find it upstairs from The Three Compasses in Farringdon, which Harris also owns with his business partner Dave Strauss (formerly of Goodman and Rockfish). The pub also serves up food from Racine's kitchen - the separate bar menu features smaller dishes like pints of prawns with aioli, mackerel on toast and taramasalata with radishes or gratinated oysters.
The nearest station is Farringdon which is barely a minute from the entrance.
Where should we meet for a drink first?
Obviously you should stop in The Three Compasses downstairs for at least one drink pre or post-dinner. In addition to all the usual beers on taps, the wine list here is very good with an excellent house wine for under £7 a glass.
The Three Compasses is a proper London boozer - just with better bar snacks and a very decent wine list.
What's the layout upstairs?
Previously the function room for the pub, it's now been given a lovely, cosy makeover. There's a particularly nice blocked-in veranda (for want of a better description) at the front with a glass roof that would be rather nice to dine in at lunchtime. At night, with sconed lights and candles everywhere, it's very convivial.
What kind of menu is it?
It's very French and one that changes all the time - hence the various blackboards dotted around the restaurant. We arrived the day after Giles Coren's review in The Times to find the much-praised creme caramel already sold out. Thankfully more had been made by the time we hit the dessert course.
Here's what we had, to give you a flavour:
Carlingford oysters with shallot mignonette (£18)
Escarole and mimolette salad with a tarragon dressing (£8.50) - a perfectly dressed and executed salad
Chicken liver pate with cornichons (£8.50) - a proper rustic pate
Steak tartare (starter size - £9.50) - once again, a tartare notable for being such a perfectly balanced mixture.
Rabbit with bacon and mustard sauce (£23) - A Racine classic and with the most amazing sauce.
Aiguillette for two with bearnaise (£65) - a picanha by its other name, this was cooked medium rare and came with loads of peppery watercress and an absolutely perfect bearnaise. Heaven.
Room for dessert?
You've been doing this all wrong if you haven't kept space for the desserts which are among the highlights of the menu here. We saw an awe-inspiring Mont Blanc for two doing the rounds (£18) which we'll have to try another time.
Tarte Vaudoise a la creme (£9) - a traditional Swiss tart and currently one of the must-have desserts here along with...
...the Creme Caramel (£6.50) with additional Armagnac soaked prunes for £3 a piece. It's fast hitting cult status and you're going to want to order it to know why.
What's on the menu for non-carnivores?
This isn't the easiest menu for plant-focused diners - even the creamed spinach had foie gras in it. In addition to the salad, there was a main of orzo with wild mushrooms and herbs. There's also a more than decent offering for pescatarians.
Overall thoughts:
Bouchon Racine is probably the hottest restaurant to hit this part of town since Russell Norman opened up Brutto around the corner. When we were dining there, Giles Coren was back with the Times writers for his Christmas party and Tatler critic Fay Maschler was in another corner. It's going to be hard to get a table here - but persevere because it'll be 100% worth it.
More about Bouchon Racine and Three Compasses
Where is it? 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP
How to book: Book here.
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @bouchonracine and @threecompassesfarringdon
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Bouchon Racine. Prices correct at time of publication.
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