Bistro du Vin - the best burger in London?

While in New York I spent some time in search of the best burger in town. They varied in price and style enormously, with all kinds of toppings and accompaniments. I came back with an enriched understanding of this popular fast food. However, if I was asked about the best burger in London I wouldn’t know where to start, what establishment to nominate. Black and Blue does exceptionally well rounded burger courses; Chiswick farmer's market do the freshest juiciest lamb burger ever, and Opera Tavern conjure up the yummiest mini burgers - a divine mix of Iberico pork and foie gras. The winner would depend on your preferences: how you like it cooked, the importance of the chip quality, which burger fillings you consider to be essential.

I was offered the chance to assess the burgers at Bistro du Vin, where they pride themselves on offering guests a cooking preference for their burgers which will keep the Food Standards Agency content, but without detracting from the great taste and dining experience. We each ordered one each, mine was cooked medium-well and my friend opted for medium-rare.

Delivered to us on rustic wooden boards, with an adorable little copper pan of mild chilli dressing they certainly looked like posh, high calibre burgers: stacked high with a combination of delicious components (bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion) and kept together with a cocktail stick. You could immediately tell that the Donald Russell sourced beef is of exceptionally high quality. The chips are majestically presented in a golden cone, which slots into a groove on the board showing that this burger experience has certainly been well thought through.

Bistro du Vin use a Josper Grill which allows them to cook their meat to perfection, and we found that the colour and tenderness exactly met each of our requests: mine was firm with a slightly charred edge but still juicy, with only a hint of red. The medium-rare was more crumbly round the outside with a deep pink and flavoursome interior. The brioche bun was nicely toasted to prevent any unwanted sogginess and the textures were perfectly balanced with the crispest crunchiest lettuce and onion and a sweet red tomato slice.

Priced at £14.50, it seems quite expensive for a burger, but considering that for that you also receive a large portion of chips and a separate dish of dipping sauce, I feel it is justified.

Apparently officially the Bistro burger is rated 8th best in London, though from my experience I would rate it much higher. This is a burger that not only exceeds expectations in all the necessary criteria but one that succeeds in suiting any requirement, cooked to perfection every time.

Visit the Bistro du Vin website here.

Bistro du Vin restaurant, Soho

After attending the new Bistro du Vin restaurant opening in Soho, I was invited for supper last week to try out the menu. We went along on a Sunday evening to find the restaurant surprisingly empty, then again so is most of Soho at the end of the weekend. I was unable to see the design at the busy opening, but can now confirm the decor is elegant and refined, a bright and airy layout that I’m sure will entice people in either just for a drink at the plush bar or for a relaxed meal in the main restaurant.

This is the second Bistro du Vin restaurant, after the success of the first in Clerkenwell. The menu is one of British classics, with a focus on high quality meat and fish. The restaurant boasts a collaboration with ‘La Cave a Fromage’ a wonderful cheese supplier who works hard to find the very best French and British cheeses. So with that in mind, it would have been a sin not to try out the display of fine cheeses! For a starter we shared a selection of the artisan cheeses and finely chosen charcuterie. Our friendly waitress sweetly asked which flavours I preferred before bringing us a well rounded assortment of their current seasonal stock.

The cheese and charcuterie arrived beautifully displayed on two rustic wooden boards, along with a variety of fresh breads. All the cheeses were good, some were sublime... I remember thinking that cheese would be my luxury for a desert island, if the cheese I could take was this good. The finest salami and hams came amongst a bed of salad and figs, my favourite was the flavoursome Iberico ham, matured for 30 months.

As the name suggests Bistro du Vin has an enviable expertise in wine, and an awesome hand picked array is on display in the central glass room. A lovely sommelier came over to our table and suggested a white that would complement our starter, Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner (Lossterrassen, Kremstal, Austria 2010). It was one of the most drinkable, light and refreshing white wines I have ever tasted.

After sampling the Donald Russell sourced beef on offer at the opening party, I was keen to choose a dish from the grill section of the menu. From the choice of cuts, I decided on Sirloin - priced at £24, my steak was lean and tasty, a wonderful cut of meat with a delicious chargrilled taste from the Josper Grill. To accompany I had a rich creamy peppercorn sauce and a portion of crispy pomme frites. We ordered a tomato and onion salad to share; I was delighted when it arrived to see the tomatoes were multicoloured, a group of bright orange, red, green and yellows. My friend chose the BdV Burger with bacon, gruyere cheese and grilled mushrooms on the side. A perfectly cooked stack of burger components, served with frites.

Before dessert, I asked to try a summer cocktail of the expert bartender's choice. The waiter delivered to me the sweetest peach-flavoured creation, a drink made specially to suit my request. For dessert, with our aromatic fresh mint tea we ordered the Belgian waffle, fresh strawberries and Valrhona chocolate sauce. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the waffle had just been homemade by the pastry chef in the kitchen; it was crispy and scrumptious with the darkest bitter hot chocolate sauce and sweet red fruit.

Soho is home to a wealth of tempting restaurants, but at Bistro you will find a little pinch of extra sophistication.

Visit website here to book and find out more.

Bistro du Vin Clerkenwell wine and Miller Harris fragrance pairing

With nose and tastebuds at the ready I took myself off to the Bistro du Vin wine and Miller Harris perfume pairing, a civilised evening hosted by the bistro in Clerkenwell. A group of stylish girls gathered at 6.30pm... we were handed deliciously crisp champagne and offered numerous tempting canapés: hot arancini balls, steak tartare and smoked salmon blinis. The evening was relaxed and friendly and was the perfect chance for me to chat to a few other bloggers and compare notes.

Having recently visited the Soho Bistro du Vin, it was intriguing to see this other branch of the chain. The decor here is sophisticated and smart, but also feels snug and comfortable, thanks to the warm lighting and plush sofa seats. After an enthusiastic welcome from the head sommelier Romain Audrerie and fragrance expert Robert Gorman from the Miller Harris team, we sat down for the tasting and smelling session. It was lovely to be at an event and learn about two luxuries that we all enjoy in ours lives; all the way through I felt very much like our needs were at the forefront of the discussion.

We were presented with six pairings, first a glass of wine and then an accompanying scent that had been picked for its similar qualities. Here are the selections we tried and tasted:

1) Scent: Noix de Tubereuse Wine: Verdejo, Rueda ,Spain
2) Scent : Figue Amere Wine : Pinot Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
3) Scent: Encens de Bois Wine: a special bottling, Chateau Musar, ‘Hochar&Fils’, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon HIM
4) Scent : Feuille de Tabac Wine : Fiano di Avellino, Campania, Italy
5) Scent: Vetiver Bourbon Wine: unique blend, Veneto – Corvina/Syrah from Allegrini
6) Scent: L’Air de Rien Wine: Vina Ardanza, La Rioja Alta, Northern Spain

Each fragrance and wine had been picked for their special character and matched to complement one another. I am no wine expert, but have been to tastings before... this selection was far superior to those I’ve tried previously. I have always preferred white, but at Bistro I truly began to understand the merits of good red wine - the colour, smell and different tones, where the vintage was made and how the climate and surroundings can affect the taste. I found as the presentation went on that I could gradually recognise the different flavours, some more obscure than others. The Verdejo, Rueda from Spain was particularly delicious with a light and slightly sweet taste, it was paired with a scent that had sensual tones of orris and amber, a mysterious and exotic smell with a girly sweetness. Of the reds I preferred the Vina Ardanza, La Rioja Alta - a rich mature red, with a rustic feel; this was matched with the L’Air de Rien a very individual smell that reminded me of incense.

The perfumes were all exquisite, high quality fragrances with real personality. It was very interesting to hear about how a perfume changes once it is on your skin, from the zingy initial top notes to the lasting base that stays with you for the whole day. Apparently scents are suited in relation to your skin tone, hair tone and even temperament. Miller Harris offer a bespoke service, for £8000 you can have your very own perfume made, including three days with Miller Harris creator, perfumer extraordinaire, Lyn Harris. This fragrance is then exclusively for you and cannot be created or sold to anyone else. One exception is the scent, L’Air de Rien (‘Air of Nothing’) made for icon Jane Birkin - this perfume has an eccentric but beautiful mix of flavours that has become one of Miller Harris’ most successful sellers. We tried it last and though I was initially shocked by the unconventional and nostalgic blend, after it settled on my skin I found it the most alluring.

With our new found knowledge, my friend and I left Bistro du Vin with lovely Miller Harris goodie bags on our arms... a really special and informative evening, I just feel sorry for those on the tube who must have been intoxicated after my excessive perfume sampling!

Visit the Bistro du Vin website here, and Miller Harris here.