Located at the north end of Gloucester Road in SW7 (perfectly situated between shopping areas of Kensington High Street and Knightsbridge we might add), is L’Etranger (named after the Camus book of course). But there’s nothing existential about this French- Japanese hybrid that harks from a different era – that is, the 80s. Though restaurateur Ibi Issolah (Opal) opened this just in 2003 there is something very ‘expats who wear Oscar and Valentino and their offspring who pilfer their mom’s clothes’ about this place that reminds us a bit of Darryl Hannah's character in Wall Street. (e.g. At one meal, every table around us, from the Thai teenagers on holiday to the retired art collectors on our right were wearing those 80s Ferragamos heeled bow flats.) Packed every evening, they do sushi and nouvelle French food with Asiatic flavours from Jerome Tauvron (St Etienne in France, Le Louix XV in Monaco, Quo Vadis), such as a miso- grilled eggplant or confit duck salad with watermelon and cashews. We loved a grilled giant King crab which were whole crab legs done minimally sauced served on a simple bed of greens. Noted for their wine collection and wine store just around the corner, there was something about the quasi- private wine room that screamed ‘fashion magazine luncheon’ to us. Don’t miss the passionfruit soufflé, beautifully risen with a mango – passionfruit coulis to pour in.

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