At Les Associés, your coats are stored in a rickety wardrobe at the front of the restaurant. The doors are loose and wire hangers jangle inside. Mid-way through your meal, the chef will likely come out of the kitchen to present your beef bourguignon, and by the end, you’ll wonder whether the entire thing was a figment of your imagination.
Sandwiched into a line of Victorian terraces in Crouch End since 1989, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it French restaurant in Crouch End takes every strange and endearing neighbourhood restaurant characteristic and folds it, like its white napkins, into its 1980s dining room.
The menu is hand-written, the French onion soup is not the richest but still pleasant, and the bourguignon (as with every main) is served with a spoonful of dauphinoise and a scattering of green beans. None of it is cutting-edge. But nor do its two proprietors intend it to be. The locals inside Les Associés are here for maison rouge and classic hospitality, and that’s what it delivers.
Food RundownL’Escargot Camembert
A dish for the weak of stomach, this is not. Expect a molten bowl with a dozen or so garlicky snails floating in a pool of melted camembert. It’s fine, if one-dimensional, and is best enjoyed smeared onto complimentary bread.
video credit: Jake Missing
Rib Beef Bourguignon
This isn’t the saucy bourguignon you might imagine. Nonetheless, it’s very nice. The beef pulls away from the bone perfectly, there’s a rich red wine-flavoured sauce, and the portions of dauphinoise and greens are both cute and spot on.
photo credit: Jake Missing
Tarte Tatin
Caramelised, a little crisp, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. What’s not to like?
Dining and Cooking