Cassette Restaurant

 Modern French Cooking with Proper Craft

Coq au Vin Jaune Pie

London has always had a complicated relationship with French food. For decades, French cuisine represented the gold standard of fine dining, built on classical technique, rich sauces, careful preparation and a respect for ingredients that demanded both time and patience. Then came the waves of modern European cooking, casual neighbourhood restaurants and more globally influenced menus, leaving traditional French cooking occasionally feeling rather old-fashioned. Now, however, French restaurants appear to be enjoying another moment in the capital, with diners rediscovering the pleasures of well-executed classics, excellent pastry and dishes that prioritise substance over spectacle. Enter Cassette, a new independent French restaurant in Covent Garden that seems well positioned to benefit from this renewed enthusiasm. Cassette is an interesting addition to this landscape because it embraces the appeal of modern French dining without appearing to rely entirely on nostalgia. There is something reassuring about a restaurant that takes the fundamentals of French cooking seriously: properly prepared meat, carefully constructed sauces, thoughtful combinations of ingredients and pastry that is treated as a craft rather than a decorative afterthought.

Endive, walnut, celery & Bleu d’Auvergne

Hand dived scallop, sungold tomatoes & bacon

The strongest dish of my meal was the pigeon chou farci, jus gras, mirepoix, which deserves particular recognition for the skill and care involved in producing it. Pigeon is an ingredient that can easily divide diners. It has a deeper, more distinctive flavour than conventional poultry, and its relatively lean meat leaves little room for error. Cook it carelessly and it can become dry, tough or unpleasantly overdone; handle it properly and it offers a wonderful combination of tenderness, savoury depth and character. The chou farci element adds another layer of technique, bringing to mind the French tradition of stuffing and carefully preparing cabbage leaves around a filling, creating a dish that is as much about craftsmanship as it is about flavour. The other notable dish was the day's special, a coq au vin jaune pie. This was an interesting interpretation of a classic French idea, combining the comforting appeal of a pie with the distinctive character associated with vin jaune, the complex, oxidative wine from the Jura region. The pie demonstrated good-quality meat and, particularly impressively, strong pastry skills. Pastry can make or break a dish of this kind. My main reservation was that the chicken was a touch overcooked. It was not enough to undermine the whole dish, particularly given the quality of the meat and pastry, but it did prevent the pie from reaching its full potential.

Pigeon chou farci, jus gras, mirepoix

Mousse au chocolat, olive oil & salt

Opening in London is an unforgiving business, and establishing a dependable rhythm takes time. Menus need refining, dishes need to be repeated under pressure, and the kitchen must find the balance between ambition and consistency. I would rather visit a new independent restaurant that is attempting dishes such as pigeon chou farci and coq au vin jaune pie than one that plays everything safe with an interchangeable menu of fashionable small plates. Cassette appears to have a genuine interest in the craft of cooking, and that gives it something to build upon. It is also arriving at a favourable moment. French food is enjoying renewed attention, and there is a growing appeal in restaurants that offer classic flavours, generous cooking and a sense of occasion without the formality associated with traditional fine dining. It is a very solid independent modern French restaurant, with encouraging signs of real culinary craft and a particularly welcome commitment to dishes that demand time, patience and skill. It may not yet be a must-visit destination for every London food lover, but it has the foundations to become a well-liked name in Covent Garden. With a little more consistency and continued confidence in its cooking, Cassette could turn today's promising start into a genuinely compelling restaurant experience.

Food 3.5/5

What I paid: 
£120 with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£60

42 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LJ

https://cassettelondon.co.uk/