Chez Elles is truly an understated gem –that’s the only way to describe it.
Situated in the heart of brick lane although it has a parred down exterior this wonderful French bistro has been successfully running for over 4 years and it’s easy to see why. Chez Elles is run by two women, Lili and Nadia (who was incredibly helpful and lovely throughout our time there) and injects some undeniable French charm into East London. The first thing that strikes you upon entering is this vibe of casual dining which is so quintessentially French, you feel as though you’re entering a person’s home not a top notch restaurant. ‘My house is quite similar to this’ Nadia smiles.
The décor is kooky and charming with a mish mash of vintage French posters adorning the walls, French signs, a charming chalkboard with the regions of France lightly sketched on it, lights adorned with tiny ornate birds and relics picked up on Brick Lane. The venue itself is small and cosy with rustic wooden tables and chairs complete with cosy cushions, some red velvet seating areas and the crowning glory, the table at the back of the restaurant – an adorable bench with an ornate arch decorated with flowers. It’s so incredibly romantic, you could just imagine so many proposals taking place in that intimate corner.
After chatting with Nadia extensively she mentioned that some people see it as ‘too girly’ but I mentioned that people have obviously confused girly with ‘too much character’ considering that the cliental that Chez Elles has is a wonderful mix and you cannot deny its full of character. In fact don’t be surprised to see a throng of business men sitting at their tiled bar drinking Ricard. The place is favorited by locals, Nadia mentioned that usually a guest will dine with them once and then keep coming back. ‘On Saturday evening I can be working and I know pretty much all of my customers’ which reinforces the friendly – almost family type ambience of Chez Elles which can be quite difficult to find in modern restaurants.
I would return in a heartbeat just for the décor – however it’s time to move onto the most important aspect of any restaurant, the food! Now I am a French foodie, I adore French cuisine and in this case it’s no exception. Chez Elles is a bistro so they offer a brunch, lunch and dinner menu with two services running in the evening. We went during the lunch time service and again, I can’t stress this enough the atmosphere was so relaxing and leisurely, however the evening is known to get incredibly busy and once the lights go down and the candles are lit, I’ve been told that the general mood of the restaurant is even lovelier. (Which is hard to imagine, but I can’t wait to experience it!)
The menu is changed four times a year, depending on seasonal ingredients and fresh produce. The majority of the ingredients are sourced locally with the exception of wine, butter and cream. (Some things France just do better, you can’t deny it) Their Christmas menu will be starting soon with the promise of traditional oysters and fois gras. Knowing that Chez Elles source quality ingredients it seemed only fitting to order the holy grail of combination, bread, cheese, ham, béchamel and egg- aka Croque Madam. Complete with a well dressed side salad and a glass of white wine from côtes de Provence, it was the perfect combination. Even though French cuisine can sometimes be interpreted as simplistic (which of course it isn’t) it’s often a case of mastering the classics and making sure the dishes are made with quality ingredients and prepared perfectly. Also, the riquette salad garnished with goats cheese, honey, courgette and eggplant is equally a delight for the taste buds. To make things even better the prices at Chez Elles are extremely reasonable given the high quality wine and food they have on offer. Then to top it off, the service was superb. There were no lingering waiters waiting for you to hurry up and finish your food, we were left to enjoy your food at our own pace and believe me in a busy place like London that is a welcome change. (Of course the lunch service isn’t as busy as the evening service but still.)
Chez Elles was a place where I found myself searching for some kind of flaw but as much as I tried I couldn’t find any. Hearty, authentic French cuisine without a hefty price tag or side dish of pretention I couldn’t recommend Chez Elles enough. I would say this however if you plan on going make sure you make a reservation beforehand as in the evening it can be very busy and although Chez Elles is great, it is small so just plan ahead. As I headed out of the door I found myself making my way over to the bar before I left, I had to make a reservation to come back again.
Chez Elles
45 Brick Ln
London
E1 6PU
