Reviews Le Bar A Vin

Zomato
Gingle Lists Everything
+4.5
I have never before ventured to deepest, darkest Blackheath, so when I was invited to a blogger event at Le Bouchon wine bar there, I thought it was a good excuse to visit a part of London that I hadn’t seen before. It was a lovely sunny day, perfect for sitting outside with a few glasses of wine and some cheese and charcuterie, which is what we did, in a very successful attempt to recreate a holiday feeling. Blackheath is one of those areas of London that feels like its own little village (and it’s not on the tube line, which helps). Apparently it was dominated by chain places but quite a few independents like Le Bouchon have popped up, giving the place more character. Le Bouchon was everything I expected a French wine bar to be – small enough to be intimate but big enough to accommodate people dropping by without a problem. Very tastefully decorated with a mix of high tables and stools, and lower tables and chairs, plus big windows that open onto the street and a few tables outside.
Jun 27, 2014
Zomato
Manjiri Kulkarni
+3.5
On a perfectly beautiful sunny summer evening I made by way to Blackheath for a bloggers evening at a French Wine Bar. A first for both going to Blackheath and a French wine bar that claimed to be halfway between a pub and a restaurant.

I think I walked past the bar once before I finally understood my google map. There is something very welcoming about the simple wooden interiors and large paintings that made want to just dump my bag and get started with a chilled glass of wine. First up we were served a Champagne Rose’ and hors d’oeuvre of regular stuff like sun dried tomatoes – not in oil as I expected but these were nice and tangy, very dry on their own though, sweet mini peppers stuffed with cheese and served with Tapenade.
Le Bouchon has ample seating indoors and out on street , it is tastefully done and perfect for a n evening out with friends or with family to have that one glass or carafe of wine ,gaze at the beautiful surroundings and drink in the ambience.Also good to grab a high stool, drink a glass of red with a date.

The sunshine and a comfy table visible outside from the beautiful big windows were too hard to resist so we moved outside to soak up some sun, there was a light breeze …just perfect to get started on wine! Well with the 120 wines on offer with a distinct French touch , I was all set to order my white wine ,I wanted a light and slightly sweet one so on Jeanne’s recommendation I got a German white called Gewürztraminer – an aromatic white which goes well with cheese and fatty gamey meat and tastes like lychees ,floral and with tiny bubbles in the glass. I loved it! I could have done with some bread but thankfully didn’t have any just then as the charcuterie and cheese was yet to arrive. It was fun deciding what cheese to choose with the charcuterie.
I choose Comte - a 24 month old mature cheese with a nutty flavour & hard but creamy texture, Secret – a cheese I’ve never had before – its made from unpasteurised cows milk with fruity and nutty notes and last one I gave into a desire for some blue cheese with Forme d’ Ambert – a creamy and very light blue cheese – prefect to slather onto the accompanying bread .Before our beautiful cheese and charcuterie boards reached our table, little did I expect such large portions , it was more than enough and served as very satisfying main course.

I was seated with some very friendly bloggers and conversation flowed as smoothly as the wine.

My delicious cheese and charcuterie served with red grapes,pickles and dried apricots – perfect with the platter - Comte Saucisson a traditional tasty pork sausage with Comte’ ,Walnut Saucisson – pork sausage nutty and dry but very delicious and a pepper Saucisson 100% pork sausage aged in black pepper.I finished my cheese off with some Spanish Red – Rioja – intense on spices and oak ,fruity with a hint of liquorice.

Travelling into Blackheath by train and walking up the high street is like getting out-of-town into a nearby modern village.Le Bouchon is Blackheaths answer to an independent ,one-off wine bar with a good selection of wine and cheese , in contrast to the many chains that otherwise easily take over majority of the high street. It’s the kind of place you could back to many times over and even make your fav haunt if you are a local – easy.
Jul 02, 2014
Zomato
Gingle Lists Everything
+4.5
I have never before ventured to deepest, darkest Blackheath, so when I was invited to a blogger event at Le Bouchon wine bar there, I thought it was a good excuse to visit a part of London that I hadn’t seen before.

It was a lovely sunny day, perfect for sitting outside with a few glasses of wine and some cheese and charcuterie, which is what we did, in a very successful attempt to recreate a holiday feeling.

Blackheath is one of those areas of London that feels like its own little village (and it’s not on the tube line, which helps). Apparently it was dominated by chain places but quite a few independents like Le Bouchon have popped up, giving the place more character.

Le Bouchon was everything I expected a French wine bar to be – small enough to be intimate but big enough to accommodate people dropping by without a problem. Very tastefully decorated with a mix of high tables and stools, and lower tables and chairs, plus big windows that open onto the street and a few tables outside. Chalkboards with the day’s charcuterie and wine specials adorn the walls. We started with a crisp and refreshing champagne rose, and a couple of amuse bouches. I would say this was the weakest area as they were pretty standard offerings – salted mixed nuts, olives, bread and olive oil, sunblushed tomato (not in oil), cheese-stuffed semi-spicy red peppers (in oil), tapenade etc. I had the red peppers and the tapenade which came with a bag of bread and they were very nice but not anything to write home about.

Having said that, the owner’s stated aim for the food is ‘simple but delicious’ with the focus more on the wine (well, it is a wine bar). And so, this he has achieved.

We were then invited to choose three charcuterie and three cheeses. And this is where things got interesting. And also, incredibly filling. I don’t know if we were given more than usual because we were blogging about the place but I have never seen such generous portions of cheese on a plate in a restaurant before! The amount honestly added up to a proper meal and I was stuffed by the end of it!

I chose the venison saucisson, the walnut saucisson and the saucisson with the comte (I can never resist comte) and two other cheeses I hadn’t tried before – Secret and Le Bon Grivois. Well, the cheese stole the show for me. Even now I cannot decide which was my favourite. The creamy, just the right side of gooey Grivois, or the Secret – a tangy cheese that was soft but not runny. The Comte as always was delicious but not the star tonight, for a change. The board came with cornichons, grapes and also dried apricot which I really enjoyed with the comte. And we had plenty of bread to spread our cheese on.

I started off with a beautiful, dry yet slightly creamy Sancerre and then finished my evening with a red I hadn’t had before – Chichon, which I would say was medium-bodied with a bit of acidity to it, which was a welcome accompaniment to the fatty and rich cheeses and meat.

Le Bouchon is everything you would want from a local wine bar – and even on a Tuesday it was buzzy, yet retained a relaxed atmosphere. Blackheath is lucky to have it.
Jun 28, 2014
5
Silvi Nuñez
+5
Excellent wine bar. Loved the fact that the wine menu is considerably bigger than the food menu. We bought a bottle of a french wine, which was amazing, and some cheeses. Staff was very friendly. We went there with our dog and sat outside.
5
Ladif Erence
+5
I just wanted to share my recent visit in this wine bar. I was blown away by the exceptional quality of their wine. From the first sip, I knew I was in for a treat. In addition, the service provided by the waitress was top-notch. Her professionalism and attentiveness made the experience all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend this wine bar to anyone looking for a good drink and great service. Keep up the great work!
4
Annie Gentil-Kraatz
+4
I have been a regular at Le Bar à Vin and have even celebrated several of my birthdays there (combined with the Guy Fawkes fireworks). I have to say it seems to have improved significantly. I have been told the French manager was on maternity leave and that it had been taken over by a local couple. Our waitresses, the last few times have been nice, which was a relief. Some managers had been particularly abrupt in the past. I persisted on going because I am French and love the atmosphere with some French music in the background. The Food is French too and similar to what you could find in France. The first floor room has been refurbished and it will be nice to sit there once indoor dining is allowed. A good cosy wine bar in Blackheath.
5
Hasitha Subasinghe
+5
Very good wine. Very nice atmosphere.
4
Ani Kreku
+4
A bit pricey but nice atmosphere and good wine!
5
R B
+5
Unexpectedly visited this bar today, Sunday 04th September. Had a lovely busy vibe, great selection of cheeses and a wide selection of wines! I opted for the French champagne which was in a beautiful glass and very crisp! The service was quick and attentive. I’m looking forward to returning already! Highly recommend.
5
Andre Dylan
+5
The place is lovely I have to be honest I come here probably 5 times and checked various plates and observed how the place is managed the menu etc So I have to say the place improved over the years increasing the items on the menu and also well done originally they had a very small cheese plate now the cheese plate is outstanding very generous portions that hard to see in LONDON Menus improved added few traditional French plate such as bourguignon Well done guys major improvement and this is also confirmed by Well cleaned wine glasses and the place is lovely and cosy One side note for you being a sommelier I would recommend to improve your wine glasses quality You have a nice wine glass to some table but not to everyone and being a wine French place you should make sure you provide the right glasses and avoid the horrible cheap cantina glasses see picture
5
Jordan
+5
Great place! Wife and I shared a carafe of French wine and some bread and had a great chat while people watching. Staff was very friendly. Great atmosphere and kept very clean. Highly recommend.
5
Thayani Conaggin
+5
Great atmosphere with musicians and friendly crowd on a Sunday evening :) I have been living in the area for 12 years and it is the best bar in the area.
5
2011dunk
+5
Booked a table at the bar on Friday night and I was very happy. My friend and I shared a bottle of wine and a 6 piece cheeseboard. High quality produce. A special mention to the young waiter and waitress who were very pleasant and helpful. Looking forward to returning.
5
Taras Chaban
+5
Very friendly staff and great wines and cheeses. Thank you for allowing us to stay after your closing hour
5
Raphael F.
+5
Exactly what you need on a Friday evening! Very nice staff and atmosphere (the lady singer is great), beautiful wines, and the food!
4
Carolina Correia
+4
Great little wine bar, decoration is gorgeous and has a decent French food menu. Could use a bit more wine variety other than French. And for a 5 star rating it could pair up the wines with the food in the suggestions. Reasonably priced, and staff was super nice!
4
Sharon “Dinky” bagwell
+4
Still as lovely inside as it was when it was la bouchone. Bit disappointed with the French onion soup though. Normally would expect a dark brown soup where the onions had been caramelised but it was a bit pale amd just an onion soup. Cheese and bowl of croutons came in separate bowls rather than the traditional grilled version. That said wine was lovely and nice place to sit and watch world go by
5
Dave Cocozza
+5
Great wines, malbec was lovely, and nice snacks! Highly recommended for a cozy evening
5
Luke Roberts
+5
WOW! What a hidden gem. The most delicious French Onion soup outside of Paris. Our sprightly server (Clare) could easily recommend any of her delicious wines! (I highly recommend the Provence rosè and White Rioja.) Attentive staff and great music. We’ll be back.
5
Hannah Gingell
+5
We recently went Le Bar a Vin. We were sat in one of the window seats . Drinking and being entertained all evening. Fantastic service, ambience and to be honest the best wine and snails around … we will Be back!
5
Lorna Logan
+5
This bar has just been taken over by a lovely couple. I was made to feel so welcome with some really refreshing customer service. The wine and cheese boards remain as good as they ever were and the new comfy outdoor seating was just what the doctor ordered after working at home all day. This place looks pretty swanky but it's not pretentious at all. I would highly recommend this place for an alfresco glass of wine and delicious French sharing plates. Thank you and good luck with your new venture!
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