Of this restaurant I only had seen pictures on Instagram. Plenty of them. Especially because of its wisteria covered ceiling… I was curious and booked a table for two at the Selfridges branch (my husband had a meeting nearby, which influenced the choice of location). This venue is lovely, the staff very friendly and the food delicious. Whether you are a tourist, a shopper, a food lover, you’ll love this place for all the reasons I am going to give you in this post …
Aubaine restaurants, London
Aubaine counts 6 restaurants in London (Brompton road, Kensington, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill and Selfridges) plus a bakery in Covent Garden. So far, I have only been to the Selfridges branch, situated up on the second floor of the iconic store on Oxford Street.
Its central position in London and the international popularity of Selfridges make it easy to plan a breakfast, lunch, tea time or dinner here (provided you make a reservation before) while visiting the capital.
I don’t know about the other locations, but the wisteria covered ceiling of this place is creating a bucolic atmosphere which contrasts a lot with the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as you sit near the window, you feel like you’re out of London.
Aubaine exquisite cuisine
“Aubaine is a passionate marriage of French culinary creativity and the discerning standards of the London dining scene”
We enjoyed our food very much at Aubaine. First we looked at our plate and it gave us an immediate idea of the philosophy here: food must look beautiful. Then we tasted our dishes and had to admit it: food must be fresh, tasteful, inventive too.
I had a Chicken breast. Behind this simple name I discovered a delicious dish made of “confit leg, truffle croquette, carrots, baby leek, and chicken cream”. Exquisite. Every bite of it (and as a true French I would have properly used bread to enjoy the sauce until it completely disappears from the surface of the plate … but I had no bread and behaved very well :-)).
My husband ordered a Farro risotto. I think he did not dare destroying the decoration and asked me if I wanted to try it. Which I did (luckily). The vegetables (artichoke and green asparagus) were perfectly cooked, the crispy wild rice was amusing and gave the risotto an original texture, while the parmesan and mint added the perfect flavours to the whole dish.
As we were quite hungry before arriving and too in a hurry to order drinks or starters, we had still space for a delicate dessert. The dessert menu came out as a big plate of the available pastries, presented one by one by the waitress (certainly the best way to really tempt us).
As soon as she pronounced “pistachios”, we knew what to choose. And this Pistachio & raspberry cake was -indeed- scrumptious. We just regretted that we shared it. Next time we’ll order two desserts (and I will choose one of the small tarts).
Aubaine in french means luck, unexpected opportunity. I can only recommend you to take the opportunity to discover these restaurants in London. Their central locations is quite convenient. And the mix of French cuisine (at its best) set in a stylish English decor should do the rest … Bon appétit!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found inspiration here. If you are planning to eat or drink at Aubaine, please share your experience and opinion here!
To go further:
Aubaine Selfridges: 400 Oxford Street, 2nd Floor, W1A 1AB
Website
Simple and appetising menu for a light tasty meal in a very pleasant place . You couldn’t ask for more !
@myriam Exactly! Thanks Myriam
Well ! next time in London! because it must be admitted that we won’t miss such a nice restaurant …
The dishes look so delicious and sweet; and you are right: have a rest in a peacefull place is quite considerable!
Thank you for that tasty post
@elialand Thanks Elialand!