It’s all go on Sloane Square: hot on the heels of Martino’s in the old Hugo Boss site, Clare Smyth’s Corenucopia round the corner on Holbein Place and a new pub from the Walmer Castle team opening in autumn comes this first international outpost of La Nouvelle Garde. The brasserie group has 10 Insta-friendly restaurants in its native France, including five in Paris and another five stretching from Lille to Marseille (Brasserie Bellanger, near the Gare du Nord, is excellent before a trip home on Eurostar). In true brasserie style, Olivia is open for everything from breakfast to a post-theatre nightcap after the Royal Court.
Wallpaper* dines at Brasserie Olivia, London
The mood: Cross-channel glamour
First impressions of the space (the old David Mellor cutlery showroom) are Gallic all the way, with a plant-strewn pavement terrace outside and checkerboard tiling within. Mirrors and Murano-style chandeliers soften the light pouring in through wraparound windows, while vintage posters and South of France postcards line the walls.
But co-founder Charles Perez has taken inspiration from the English, too, looking to the sort of grand Riviera hotels beloved of the holidaying aristocracy in the 1920s. Brits abroad, this is very much not, however. ‘The intention was to capture the energy and sophistication of that era through a contemporary lens, rather than recreating a period interior,’ says Mark Bithrey, founder of B3 Designers, the London-based studio responsible for the look of eight of Nouvelle Garde’s previous restaurants. ‘Textiles from Pierre Frey introduce layers of colour, texture and character, helping to create an environment that feels richly layered and distinctly French without becoming nostalgic or overly themed.’
The food: Brasserie classics done right
Head chef Rachide Sambu Baldé has a CV that takes in everything from old-school French (Galvin La Chapelle) to modern fine-dining (The Five Fields). But in the best brasserie tradition, this is not a kitchen focused on the creativity of the chef but on a menu of tried-and-tested brasserie classics that must come out right every time to have any chance of repeat custom.
In that, Brasserie Olivia succeeds. There are gougères full of gooey Parmesan, a garden-fresh plate of crudités to dip into salsa verde, butter-soft brandy-marinated foie gras, and bavette steak cooked rare with a mound of crisp, salty frites. Seafood is taken care of at an oyster counter for shellfish shucked to order and lobster tanks from which to select one’s own crustacean before having it anointed with garlic butter. The crêpe Suzette might not be quite as silkily luxurious as the one served at The Ritz, but it costs a sixth of the price. Spend any saved pennies sampling over 20 wines by the glass on a decent value all-French list.
But possibly the Frenchest thing of all is that dogs are made to feel very welcome – pack your Bichon Frisé in your chicest Chanel handbag.
Brasserie Olivia is located at 1 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8EE, United Kingdom