What can go wrong?
Many things. Same as many other restaurants I often visit on the first days of their opening. The service might be slow. The food might not be the best the kitchen can offer. There are, though not always, creases that need ironing out. An unsatisfactory meal can tell so much about the restaurant – the potential that hasn’t been delivered? As for Leon de Bruxelles, the mega chain restaurants originating from Brussels, it struck me as an utterly bad experience.
Sweet mussels..
I like mussels. I like fries. But, above all else, I love Belgian food. Belgium is one of those countries that are overlooked as a gourmet destination but once you are (I am) there, you (I) find it hard to leave (more posts on restaurants in Bruges are coming, ahem!). Leon de Bruxelles did not capture that. The green-and-white, diner’s-lookalike dining room looked as if Ed’s Diner around the corner could just take over any time. The paper mat on the table made commendably bold claims. Sustainability (which I appreciate). Freshness “Yesterday in Seawater, Today at Leon”. And, very oddly, the ultimate claim that the food is prepared fresh for each order (when did I last go to restaurants and was served food cooked weeks ago?). The mussel-shaped menu began with a concise history of Leon de Bruxelles. The food (moules & frites & other things) was priced a few ££ above London’s best known Belgian restaurant….Belgo!
I dug into mussels. Three Cheese Mussels au Gratin (£12) arrived as most of the cheese had missed the mussels. As a result, the barely cheesed ones (Gruyere and Cheddar) were dry and verged on being overcooked. The ones that correctly oozed cheese (mainly Roquefort) were just okay. Ardennaise Mussels (£16 including fries) was no better. While the sauce of white wine and creme fraiche had a broth-y creamy texture and aroma, the slivers of bacon were hardly sliced apart and clung together; the mushroom slices tasted not fresh; and the mussels themselves did not fare above the high-street average in their freshness. They were in seawater yesterday? Or, were they just soaked in seawater yesterday? The fries could put MacDonald’s on a gourmet map. I can’t be bothered to write about the peas (petit pois £2.50).
What could be worse? There was a wait.. around 30 minutes for my Grand-Mere Pauline’s Waffle (£6) to arrive. I’m making it brief. It wasn’t a good waffle. I shattered on my teeth as if a dried out wafer. No contrast of texture. No milky perfume. No taste. Very sorely I wanted them waffles on Oxford Street..
Adding to this, it took me another 20 minutes for my money to be taken and my change returned.
Can this be right?
I am not sure but fingers crossed. The service was erratic and unfocused. Four to five waiters came to our tables within minutes of one another to check if things were alright. Sadly, none of our requests, apart from being pointed the loo, were promptly materialised. And I spent 2 hours of my life for a mediocre two-course lunch. The 50% soft opening discount (17th-20th Jan) cannot be a justification of this.
On the bright side Leon de Bruxelles has a nice selection of drinks that you can enjoy at the bar…
GO FOR: The musical just opposite..
RATING: 1.5/5
LEON DE BRUXELLES LONDON
24 Cambridge Circus
London
WC2H 8AA
Tel. 020 7836 5165
I agree with your review-I was there yesterday and I was surprised by how disjointed the service was-our waitress was lovely and friendly but appeared not to be terribly familiar with the menu. Or her job for that matter. I had the garlic mussels which barely even tasted of garlic, they never brought us any bread, they forgot our cutlery, brought me an apple juice instead of cider and there was a lot of waiting. Especially to pay. The 50% off certainly helped, but I wouldn’t return in a hurry!
That waffle looks awful! As for the mussels, I guess for them, it ain’t easy bein’ cheesy?!
have heard awful things about Leon, even the one in Brussels! ..Eagerly awaiting more Bruges posts
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uhhhh this looks horrible! I am actually lost for words, poor you and what a waste of calories!
uhhhh this looks horrible! I am actually lost for words, poor you and what a waste of calories!!
So – it’s a place to stop if you just need food, but don’t expect magical mussels to arrive on your table. Probably a good place to eat if you’ve got a bunch of kids with you.
In Brussels, Leon is just a chain restaurant: somewhere for a quick bite, rather than a gastronomic experience. Sounds like in Britain — for now — that spot is still very much ruled by Belgo.