Bistro Bleu Bloomsbury review: London’s best kept secret

Bistro Bleu is tucked away from the busy streets of central London and hidden above a pub, the Rugby Tavern, making it the perfect, secluded date night spot.

If you didn’t know it was there, you might not even see the door – it really is one of the best kept secrets in Bloomsbury if you ask me.

As the name suggests, the inside of the bistro is a stunning, royal blue colour with accents of burnt orange giving it a luxurious feel.

Bistro Bleu, Bloomsbury (Image: Emma Fradgley)

The menu is brimming with rich, classic French dishes and some more unique options too.

To start, I chose the seared Cornish scallops which came with a “potato carbonara”.

The scallops were sweet and soft – cooked to perfection – on a bed of the potatoes which were creamy and rich.

Bistro Bleu, Bloomsbury (Image: Emma Fradgley)

My boyfriend went for the salt cured foie gras which came with fig and apple puree and toasted brioche, which he also absolutely loved.

For my main course, I chose the chorizo crusted cod which came with ratatouille and a roasted red pepper vinaigrette.

Much like the scallops, the fish was perfectly cooked – it was flaky and beautifully seasoned.

The ratatouille was incredible as well, all of the vegetables were soft and filled with deep flavour.

Bistro Bleu, Bloomsbury (Image: Emma Fradgley)

My boyfriend went for the duck breast which came with confit shallots, dauphinoise potatoes tender stem broccoli and an orange sauce.

The duck was tender and pink in the middle and the sauce complemented its flavour excellently, both of our mains were a ten out of ten.

We also shared a side of the minted peas and lettuce which was fresh and sweet – a great addition to both plates.

Of course, we had to finish the evening with something sweet.

Bistro Bleu has a range of interesting desserts and I opted for the chocolate marquise with a pistachio cream anglaise.

Bistro Bleu, Bloomsbury (Image: Emma Fradgley)

The marquise was creamy and soft but it also had a hint of bitterness from the dark chocolate which I thought balanced the whole plate perfectly.

My boyfriend chose the strawberry souffle which came with a strawberry and basil compote and a scoop of strawberry sorbet.

I must admit, I had never seen a fruit souffle before and it was really sweet and tasty – we would recommend it to anyone paying Bistro Bleu a visit.

The staff were very attentive and thoughtful, making sure that we always had everything we needed and that the food was to our liking.

Despite being directly above a pub, the bistro is quiet and peaceful, really transporting you away from the hustle and bustle of London despite being in the city centre.