Food
Taking Orders: Marceline, Canary Wharf
by Nadine Brown
Wharf side dining in a chic brasserie, Senior Food Producer Nadine Brown enjoys the flavours of France in London's East End.
Where is it?
Wood Wharf in Canary Wharf – the current foodie hot spot to eat and be seen eating in.
What’s all the fuss about?
If you can’t quite afford the Eurostar, the menu devised by Robert Aiken (twin brother of Tom) will transport you to Paris with prices that won’t leave you saying, “Sacre bleu.” Despite being positioned in the financial district, the vibe is relaxed and the service attentive and friendly.
What’s the place like?
The space is huge... and floats! Set on water, you have to walk up a little foot bridge to get in. Floor to ceiling windows, large brass mirrors and striking light features feel grand but you can't help but feel cosy, snuggled into one of the leather booths, the colour scheme warm and inviting.
What did you eat and drink?
The menu is refreshingly stripped back. Enough choice without being overwhelming with a pleasing number of mains – a big win for the anti-small plates crew. Leaning towards classic, we had to go for the escargot, and we did with zero regrets. It was our first time and the vibrant green sauce disguised how pleasingly garlicky it was going to be, the herbs adding freshness. Another winner was the steak tartare, the rich fatty beef balanced with the crunchy hazelnuts, artichoke chips and peppery watercress.
For mains, I tucked into the sugar-pit bacon chop with sauce charcuterie (one for the meat lovers, though it’s best paired with a large glass of water), whilst my dining partner hit the jackpot with the trout, perfectly cooked and heaped with green beans, toasted flaked almonds, and swimming in a pleasingly zingy pool of browned butter. For pud, the apple tarte fine with crème chantilly was another winner, with possibly the best caramel sauce I’ve had in a restaurant setting. Being huge cocktail fans, we were majorly into the very French collection of tipples on offer, the Violet Light being a fave with pastis and just the right amount of citrus - the result being a sort of boozy, grown up Parma Violet.
Your verdict?
You really can’t go wrong here – romantic enough for a date night, a menu that would impress for a business meeting and large enough whilst not being too stuffy to accommodate for a large celebratory group (there’s also a private dining room). It ticks all the boxes and sends you away well fed.
Lasting memory?
That deep, rich, smooth caramel sauce. I’d have happily bathed in it.
How to book
Walk ins are welcomed, whilst the salon bar is walk in only. If you want to hit the terrace during the warmer months, it's first come first served.
