Langan's Brasserie

Langan's Brasserie Restaurant Review:

Nearly four decades after it opened, this large, glamorous brasserie---one of London's first---still casts a spell despite the fact that the cooking is rather pedestrian and the crowd is less movers 'n' shakers and more bridge 'n' tunnel. The cooking follows the same principle of if it isn’t broken, why fix it? So expect a glorious old-fashioned meal of smoked salmon or even an avocado and prawn salad, cod and chips, calf’s liver and bacon. There are some modern dishes, perhaps grilled swordfish with rocket and Parmesan. Then go back to tradition with treacle tart and custard. The images of the original founders, including Michael Caine with cigar and Peter Langan, the original hell-raiser founder, are on the menu. The wine list delivers a good balance of French, European and new-world; service has a professional bustle. The downstairs room---walls strewn with notable pictures---has a distinctive buzz, even exuberance.