Sandwiches you say? Of course not!
What a preposterous notion that London's fancy ladies should eat such drab, regular fare. However, replace the "brown or white" with French Poilâne, knock off the top slice, pile on some unconventional toppings and give it a fancy drizzle of a balsamico or olive oil, and voila! Leave it to the French to take open faced sandwiches to the next level. Even the name sounds better - "Tartine."
Of course the tartine is not just for fancy well-heeled ladies, everyone can enjoy a tartine. It's very common all over Paris, where the Parisians (who definitely know how to make the best of a good thing) have it for lunch, a quick mid-day snack, or even a light dinner. In London, however - judging from the regular stream of Knightsbridge socialites, waifish Kate's, and well groomed suits that pack the front bar during cocktail hour - the owners of Tartine have managed to make this everyday french fare into almost something of a epicurian fashion statement Most of the women look like they would rather lose an arm than allow evil-carbs to pass their carefully glossed lips.
Well, their loss is my gain, because the food at Tartine is actually very good. Maneuver your way past the thick cloud of cigarette smoke enveloping the front bar by those-who-shall-not-eat-but-drink, and to the back is a very comfortable and cozy area for dining. By the time some of you read this, Britain's indoor smoking ban, effective July 1st, 2007, may have already come into effect and therefore you lucky-ducks will not have to take a few breaths of cancer before your meal. But I digress....back to the meal.
The menu contains over a dozen different types of tartines, with toppings ranging from wild mushrooms, pink prawns, and crab meat, to Moroccan spiced lamb, shredded duck, or smoked salmon. All you vegetarians out there will be happy to know that the Wild Mushroom tartine is one of the best combinations on the menu - which is exactly what I ordered.
A word of warning, before your tartine comes out the staff usually bring over a "house salad" as a starter. I place the term in quotations because as someone who has come to appreciate really great salads, what they place in front of you is an insult to the term "salad." It's basically a few pieces of frilly frisee and leaf lettuce served with a rather bland lemon vinaigrette. I've taken to asking them to skip serving me the salad because I can't stand wasting food (there's starving children in Africa you know?), and if they put it in front of me those sad UNICEF faces guilt-trip me into actually eating it.
So, choke down the salad if you have to because I promise it gets better from there. The tartines are made with French Poilâne - the internationally famous french sourdough bread, lightly toasted with olive oil and then piled on with some rather inventive combinations of fresh and seasonal ingredients. The specials menu is a good place to start, their soups are always pretty good, but the pastas can be hit-or-miss. My top picks from the menu have to be the Wild Mushroom (as mentioned earlier) and the Shredded Duck tartine. If you're a seafood lover, I'd suggest avoiding the Pink Prawn tartine. My friend V ordered it one night and it tasted...well it didn't taste great. When you order your tartines, the waitress will almost always ask if you'd like an order of fries to share. Throw your diets out the window and say "yes," because they are some pretty fantastic fries. Ask for a side of mayonnaise and ketchup and promise yourself you'll eat salad tomorrow.
The wine list is rather short, but roughly half the list is available by the glass, bottles are very affordable, so one needn't break the bank to enjoy a few glasses here. Depending on how much you drink, and I guess how much you eat as well, the bill can vary quite drastically. But if you're on a budget it is still very possible to keep your meal under £15, with VAT and 12 % service charge included. Which, for dinner in South Kensington, is almost a steal.
Overall, Tartine is not without it's flaws; but it is still one of my favorite places for a quick bite in London. The restaurant is never so loud that conversation becomes impossible, the service is always quick and polite, and it is tucked away in one of the nicest neighborhoods in London. With a little direction when it comes to ordering, and a bit of luck getting seated at a roomy corner table, it's the perfect place to go with friends to share a simple but delicious meal, glasses of wine, and lots of conversation.
Tartine
114 Draycott Avenue
London SW3 3AE
Tel 020 7589 4981
Tel 020 7589 4981
Fax 020 7589 5048
Tube Station: Knightsbridge or South Kensington
