St John's Wood, French Restaurant Guide

“Oslo Court is one of a kind” and “still going strong after 40 years” at the foot of an apartment block north of Regent’s Park. “Old School in the extreme”, it’s a “classic that never goes out of fashion”… at least if your idea of ‘classic’ is drawn from the era of the mid-1970s. “From the peach tablecloths to the generous servings of melba toast, butter curls and crudités, it’s like going back in time… in a good way. Staff make you feel very special, the whole experience is warm and fun and the classic cooking is great”, so long as you are looking for the antithesis of modern food fashion. “The menu is incredibly large and there’s a long list of specials too” (remember Avocado & Prawns? Or Melon with Parma Ham? Dover Sole Véronique?). “Bring an appetite” as “portions are excellent”. Also, go in festive mood: seemingly everyone over the age of 80 in north London is there to celebrate an occasion (“I lost count of how many times Happy Birthday was sung at lunch last Saturday.”). Top Tip – “the waiter who has been there years still serves the best desserts”.

La Patronne, Catherine Parisot, was just in her twenties when she started this “lovely” old-fashioned charmer in St John’s Wood and has run it for over 43 years now. A very loyal clientele from all over London has discovered it over the years, and for them it’s a huge “favourite” that’s particularly “perfect for evenings ‘à deux’”. Her classic ‘cuisine bourgeoise’ is “old-fashioned French cooking at its best (you would struggle to match it in France)”; and features “a number of staples on the menu that have been on forever (her pea soup is unbeatable!”). Its ratings no longer scale the pinnacles they did some years ago, but the overall tenor of reports remains overwhelmingly positive: “so French, perfect food, perfect service, I love it!”