This second definitely counts

This review was published in May 2002

Le Deuxi?me is a relative newcomer to the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden, and is a sister restaurant to the much larger establishment Le Cafe du Jardin at the other end of Long Acre. The site at 65A was formerly Magno's, a small brasserie that was a big hit with ad-men and media folk in the Seventies and Eighties.

In its new incarnation the restaurant looks pretty good, simple but elegant. The chairs are comfortable and the service Gallic and slick. The pre-theatre menu is available between 5pm and 7pm every day, and then takes an encore after the show between 10pm and midnight. The price is very reasonable - two courses with coffee for £9.95 or three courses with coffee £13.50.

The menu changes every week and there are three options for each course. To start there will be a genuine soup of the day, or perhaps a pea and sweetcorn risotto, or a salad of saut?ed field mushrooms. This is well-made - a sensible mixture of green leaves with a classic, austere dressing and topped with chunks of saut?ed mushrooms. Mains range from a grilled chicken breast with roast potato mash and a red wine sauce to a large salmon fishcake served on a bed of wilted spinach and with a warm tartare sauce.

But perhaps the best choice of all is the most old-fashioned - char-grilled French minute steak with onion gravy and chips. The meat is sliced thinly (so that it can be cooked in a minute) and ends up very tender but, as it is from an inexpensive cut, still full of flavour - the perfect compromise. The chips are frites, and very crisp indeed. The onion gravy is rich and dark brown.

Going on to pud would oblige you to choose from cheesecake with blackcurrant sauce, a heavy and sinfully rich white-and-dark-chocolate mousse and the 'parfait of the day'. Le Deuxi?me does load your final bill with a 'discretionary' 15 per cent service charge, but adding service seems the norm with special deals and the truly excellent sourdough bread, which comes with both oil and butter, is probably worth the extra on its own. The early (or late) set meal at Le Deuxi?me is that rarity, a real bargain - whether or not you decide to go to the theatre afterwards.

Le Deuxième
65a, Long Acre, WC2E 9JH