The Green Man and French Horn - review

It’s not an obviously crowd-pleasing format, especially in hard times: defiantly French food with an uncompromising emphasis on quality ingredients and obscure “natural” wines. But since opening Terroirs off Trafalgar Square in late 2008, this has been the winning formula for Ed Wilson and Oli Barker. Their little chain now also includes Brawn (Shoreditch), Soif (Battersea) and now the Loire-themed Green Man & French Horn.

Of course, there’s more to the restaurants’ success than that. Their highlight is simplicity combined with attention to detail that make this, quite simply, terrific bistro food in a way far too often forgotten today in France, let alone England.

Like the others, the Green Man is comfortable and a bit funky (leather banquettes, stools by a retro bar, stripped brick) without being clichéd — a far cry from the boozer it used to be. Service is informal and very Gallic — might some of the staff be exaggerating their accents? — without being sluggish.

The simplicity and quality are clearest in the food. A starter of dandelion, beetroot and hazlenuts was fresh and flavourful, the soft sweetness of the beetroot balanced by the dandelion and crunch of nuts. Girolles, artichoke and warm egg yolk was a beautifully rustic mix.

Of the mains, I enjoyed rabbit with salsify, a rich and wonderfully autumnal dish. But the main menu innovation at the Green Man over the other three restaurants is the addition of fish. Thus fat scallops were cooked to perfection, bursting with flavour. Likewise sardines à la plancha with parsley and garlic were spanking fresh, as evocative as any I’ve had on a harbour front.

Desserts are simple but well executed: fromage blanc with berries was light and delicate, sweet but not cloying.

It is with the cheeses that the Loire focus becomes more obvious, with several unusual ones I’ve never seen outside the region before. But the theme is clearest in the huge all-Loire wine list, put together, like those at the others in the group, by Les Caves de Pyrène, the UK’s leading natural wine importer.

Some are a bit too self-consciously weird for their own good. But Domaine de la Chevalerie’s Bonn’ Heure 2011 is a fine Bourgueil; Domaine Clos Roche-Blanche’s Cuvée Pif 2010 is a bright, lip-smacking Touraine — and a good-value house red at £4.75/175ml. There are 19 wines in all available by the glass or 500ml carafe.

The Loire as the leading edge of London’s restaurant cool? Stranger things have happened.

54 St Martin’s Lane, WC2 (020 7836 2645, greenmanfrenchhorn.co.uk). Open Mon-Sat noon-11pm. A meal for two with wine, about £80.