Taking its naming convention from across the Atlantic, Bedford & Strand is situated (not quite) on the corner of Bedford St and the Strand. It's easy to miss it. Only a black doorway and a relatively inconspicuous sign give away the location of this quasi-wine bar. Head down the narrow stairwell and there's a faint feeling of being transported to the a cobbled back street in the heart of Paris.
The decor is simple yet effective. If you book ahead, your table will be situated away from the busy bar, but the size if this place means you are never too far away from the hustle and bustle. Although not overly expensive, the menu has enough to offer for both the adventurous and the reserved, but the real winner here is the wine list.
As any good Parisian bistro should, Bedford & Strand have made wine their focal point. The list recommends each white and red according to price, and guides the novice (and the more experienced wine bore, too) as to where your choice is reliable, honest, decent or good. What's more, every wine on the list is available by the glass, carafe (500ml) or bottle - meaning neither you nor your date will have to make sacrifices if your tipples of choice don't agree.
Despite successfully avoiding the tourists and theatre-goers that restaurants in this area attract (well, almost), Bedford & Strand is particularly popular with the after-work crowd. If you've booked ahead, the hordes shouldn't be a problem, but the bar does sometimes become overcrowded. In fact, it would be hard to spend an entire evening in here before the waiters politely ask you to move from your table. Don't let this put you off, though, Bedford & Strand makes a great date location even greater. If you do find it a bit too relaxed, or the wait at the bar begins to grind, then luckily only five minutes down the road is the perfect Covent Garden cocktail bar to end your evening in. And the chances are you didn't even know it was there - The Print Room at 21.
No comments:
Post a Comment