Poulet Rouge – Balham – Review

It was a sad day for residents of Balham when the The Fat Delicatessen closed. A beacon of delectable Iberian cuisine with the odd Italian dish thrown in, we were perhaps more than wary of the new restaurant taking up residence. So when Cattle Grid announced that they were opening Poulet Rouge, we decided to pop along for a visit.

Firstly, it should be pointed out that we visited the restaurant on a Monday night. As a group of 4 we were more than happy to keep ourselves entertained, but as one of only 3 tables it has to be said that there was a slight lack of atmosphere. The menu, as you would expect is mostly made up of chicken dishes, all of which are sourced from Swainson House Farm in Lancashire. There is normally also the option of duck, however on the night on question there was not a quack to be found…. After much discussion the ladies in the group both decided to go for a ¼ of chicken (a bargain at £5.00), whilst the boys chose to try the chicken, chorizo and rocketgalletes, which is essentially a pancake made of buckwheat and filled to the brim. A number of sides were also indulged in, includingpomme puree, panzanella, chorizo cassolet and dauphinoise.

The overall consensus at the table was of chicken-licking deliciousness and the core of the meal certainly hit the mark. The sides were also good, with the exception of the panzanella, which lacked flavour and depth. There was also a good range of drink choices, including a Poulet Rouge ale, which was greatly enjoyed by the boys. When it came to dessert only one of the group indulged, and declared their banana, nutella and honeycomb crepe to be delicious but (and quite frankly to be expected) a definite dish for those with a sweet tooth. One of the clear highlights of the evening which must be mentioned was the staff, who were friendly, attentive and keen to make sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing.