Going down the Bistrotheque – VIVA checks out the eats to the beats

Bistrotheque, it conjures up an eighties Kraftwerk vibe, but it’s the eatery that takes pride of place in the new Cutureplex complex of achingly hip gym, rooms and café, just to the side of Piccadilly train station.

 

It used to be Apart Hotels and has been given a gorgeously stunning make-over that makes the most of this once industrial space.

 

Everything is big here, from the ceilings to the foyer and as we found, the portions in Bistrotheque which snuggles at the side of the building with comfy booths, soft lighting and a pulsing beat.

 

The menu is indulgent and it delivers well with robust flavours that aren’t for the faint-hearted. Staff are knowledgeable and charming without sycophancy as we tucked into a hearty meal. And I mean hearty.

 

 

The portions are huge. My crab remoulade was gorgeous and fresh, but I struggled to finish it because of its size and that was just the starters (priced from £7).

 

It’s rich food as my companions tucked into fried goats’ cheese with truffle and honey (heralded a triumph), a vegan leek vinaigrette that also hit the spot and was the cleanest of the dishes, while  a duck pate, again the size of main, also got the VIVA thumbs up. 

 

The wine list is good too with prices from a reasonable £24 for the house varieties and so are the cocktails as we ended the night with some rum espresso martinis.

 

But back to mains (from £14) and two of us opted for the fillet, again a portion that would have satiated Desperate Dan and cooked wonderfully with a glowing pink inner and a tenderness that a butter knife could have cut. 

 

This was served with a bone marrow jus and was a fabulous mash-up of flavours, while the table shared smoky potatoes (I loved them but again very strongly flavoured and divided the diners between remain and leave) while chips were frankly unpretentiously smashing.

 

 

Our resident chef loved his cod and gave it the cheffy seal of approval as it was perfectly cooked while steak tartare as a main was a slithery, gorgeous treat, again the size was a tad daunting. 

 

Only one of us could manage pud (which start from £4.50) and they highly recommended the pannacotta, all wobbly and sweet. I was seriously tempted by the cheese, but it was just a step too far for my tummy.

 

 

 

 

To book or to find out more visit https://www.bistrotheque.com/cultureplex

 

VIVA verdict: Seriously sexy restaurant with some giant portions and good nosh.