London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Fed up with winter? Files threatening to build a prison around you at work? Need an escape holiday but have neither the time nor the budget for it?

Call a few friends on the way home and meet @ Baranis. This French address, close to the Court of Justice, is sure to take your mind to a sunnier place for a while without emptying your wallet. Affordable and yummy French food in London? No, I’m not kidding!

The place is easy to find -  lovely green shades, already breaking with the greyness of the city. The ceramic tile glisten softly as if calling – this way to step towards the summer!

A few steps and you are entering a beautifil arched room, warm brick colours, soft lights, here and there “booths” for a VIP feeling…

Have a look at the wine cellar: Provence, Corsica. Even a Froggie find those intriguing and fancy a taste… Terracota tiles, saucissons hanging, rosemary on a table… Where are the countryside fields?

Originally form Bordeaux, this is to me the other South. Shame on me, I know little about it apart from sunny names, Nice, St Tropez, Marseille… Well, I have to admit this feels as welcoming as mine (shhh, don’t tell!)…
Even better, you can play pétanque here. Without any threat of rain!

But do it the French way -  order an apéritif first. A Ricard? Or a local liquor £4): rinquinquin à la pêche, gentiane, farigoule… Eenie meenie miney moe, make ours a coktail. Oh you will hear crickets sing after those. How fragrant! Promises of evenings along the beach at sunset, of aromatic herbs cooked by the sun, of doing nothing on a terrasse… Don’t leave without trying the Pagnol (£6.95, pastis, elderflower liquor, cranberry juice, fresh lychee and vodka), a little treasure, light taste of  sugar and aniseed… The Thyme Daiquiri is not to be missed either -  matches so well with every dish (£6.95 white rum, thyme, thyme liqueur, farrigoule, lime juice).

Rather than an evening, think of this as an extended happy hour. Leave your tie on the olive tree at the entrance, this is a place to relax… The menu plays on regional dishes. The portions are just the right size to be shired by two and range from £3-£6: order an assortment, your banker will not panic.

We discover the socca (£2), a very thin pancake made of chickpeas on which I could have dined alone, perfectly salt and peppered. Don’t spoil your appetite though, better try it with the cured ham from the Mont Ventoux (£4.50), presented with marinated onion and pickled capers. We did fall completely for the scrumptious pissaladière (£3), a tart with caramelised onions and anchovies, moist, sweet, melting in your mouth, with just a touch of saltiness. I can only recommend to order two plates at once.

Cheese lovers will lick their lips at the mention of the goat and ewe cheese selection (£8), ordered by strength of taste. It was love at first bite for the creamy Rove des garrigues and the cloud like Banin. Absoluteley perfect on toasted raisin and walnuts bread. I was amazed with the violet jelly. Although encountered before, I would never have thought of serving it with cheese but it does bring out different sides of them. It is best experienced with the Lingot du berger, gives it much character. Soft touches, reasonable portions, just enough not to saturate your tastebuds. Have a glass of Corsica white wine for a match in heaven!

Full but having a sweet toothed, we let ourselves be charmed by the citrus crème brûlée (£3). Thin caramel cover, comfit slices, lemony: at this price it would not be reasonable to try and resist it! (and you still have pétanque to burn those extra calories…). Work? What Work? Have you been here three hours already? Oh, what a soothing place…

Special award for the service -  friendly, welcoming, keen on explaining the specialties, it quickly feels mor like a conversation. The music is fab too -  twists on French classics, prepared by Pascal Aussignac.We urge them to put all this on a CD!
Other delicacies make me swear to come back and try them -  rosemary and lamb skewers… my childhood traditional fish soup… wild mushrooms served with polenta and chestnuts… a praline ice-cream with Génépi chantilly… Oh this sound gorgeous too! Wait, where is this agenda of mine?

Teatime In Wonderland was a guest @ Baranis.

Baranis
115 Chancery lane
London WC2 A1PP
Open mondays to Fridays, noon to 23.00

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