Winter is made for restaurants like Androuet where the food is deliciously warming and hearty. Set in the hustle of Old Spitafields Market, the crux of this restaurant is gourmet cheese and it has the best selection this side of Paris. They have been making and maturing cheese since 1909 in Paris, and since then have seven shops in Paris and one in Stockholm and now their first London establishment.
The décor is stylish in both the shop and restaurant with an old French brassiere feel in the sweet little restaurant. It’s got a romantic feel to it and the blur of shoppers passing by, along with patrons in the shop and the twinkling lights from the market adds to the charm. The chef is situated in the outside part of the restaurant and makes your mouth water whilst your waiting, and the aromas of cheese just make the waiting even sweeter.
Take a seat at the restaurant for lunch or dinner and you will discover the delightful menu of cheese, meats and homemade pasta. You can also stop by to share a cheese or charcuterie board with a beautifully selected fine wine with waiters on hand to help you choose if you need it. If your lucky enough to work or live nearby they also serve toasted cheese baguettes with a variety of filling such as the Alphine which has a raclette, saucisson, pesto and quiche filling,
We decided to go for the Androuet classic fondue, which consists of an 18-month old Comte, and Emmental Grand Cru served bubbling of course in a cauldron lit with candles. It comes served with a baguette sliced up to miniature bites to dip into the cheese, and as extras we added Charcuterie and Baby Potatoes to accompany the bread. It was a delicious combination, and the fondue was thick, creamy and smooth. It was cheese heaven.
To have a bit of variety we also ordered the Gnocchi home-made of course with a wild mushroom and ricotta filling and choose out of three sauce options the blue cheese sauce. The Gnocchi was light and as you bit into it the filling burst open allowing the goodness within to reach your taste buds, and boy did it taste good. The blue cheese sauce fit the dish with excellence and I wouldn’t pick any other accompaniment. Drinking wine with cheese is a pretty much must as well, and the selection here has been picked with care.
This really is for cheese lovers only, where classic dishes such as raclette comes alive in the heart of East London. It’s dreamy, it’s quaint and you can snack or have a full meal, as well as shop their range of home-made cheeses, meats and wines. You may not want to look at cheese for a day or two after though. Visit Androuet for a Parisian voyage.
Where To Find:
Old Spitalfields Market, 10a Lamb Street, London E1 6EA 02072477437 http://www.androuet.co.uk/
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