For over 30 years, Tim Johnston has been celebrating the “Auld Alliance” between France and Scotland in his wine bar with beautiful bottles and small French plates. Between crates of wine, children’s drawings and photos of rugby clubs, his daughter Margaux (who took over the family business in 2014) and her husband Romain Roudeau (ex-La Régalade) send out clean, unfussy dishes. The night we went, we ordered all of the following à la carte: a delicate watermelon gazpacho topped with fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta; Apulian burrata with zucchini tempura, zucchini pesto and some baby spinach; mi-cuit tuna steak surfing on a bed of pointy cabbage, all electrified by a delicious cardamon-spiced tomato water and a drizzle of lemon verbena oil; lamb saddle from the Ferme de Clavisy surrounded by eggplant caviar, semolina salad with fresh herbs, cucumber yogurt and spicy homemade harissa; before a comforting vanilla rice pudding with salted caramel sauce. // John Mason
FEELING THIRSTY? A selection of wines that have been carefully chosen by the boss: a Saint-Joseph from the Domaine Durant served from a magnum from 1987 (€9 a glass), a Gevrey-Chambertin vieilles vignes from David Moret (€86 a bottle), or Secret Minéral, a 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé from Denis Jeandeau (€135). Want more? The Scotsman had the smart idea to offer up some foreign wines as well: Sicilian vino bianco, table wine from Cadix…
PRICE: Set menus €21, à la carte €47-72.
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