Thames Ditton is a pretty little Thames-side village on the outskirts of Greater London, well within the encircling M25 orbital motorway. There are many old buildings, a pretty riverside pub - The Swan, not noted for its food however - and there is Avant-Garde, a small French owned restaurant. The Chef-Patron is Frédéric Dervin. Hampton Court Palace is about ten minutes away by car. The splendid buildings, half of them Tudor, the rest by Sir Christopher Wren are set in magnificent grounds that were meant to rival Versailles. Many of the finest paintings and objets d'art of the Royal collection can be seen there.
Main courses include poached sole fillets with hollandaise sauce, garnished with leek julienne - or veal escalope with a cream of woodland mushroom sauce. Vegetables are carefully matched to each dish and are served on side dishes. Desserts include Tarte Tatin or an excellent selection of French cheeses. This menu is available from Monday to Friday at both lunch and dinner, and on Saturdays at lunchtime only; it changes fortnightly so no wonder the place is popular with locals who can visit often, confident that they will find something different with which to tempt their palates!
From the attractive list of cold starters my partner dithered over the salad of smoked duck magret and goose liver mousse (3.65), but then chose the terrine of salmon, sole and langoustines garnished with samphire on a lemon dill sauce (3.80). The terrine was finely blended and came divided into two colours, white and pink. Home made fish soup (3.30) was dark and richly flavoured, with all the trimmings: rouille and a generous bowl of grated gruyère cheese to sprinkle on top.
I continued with an excellent piece of fillet steak (12.95) wrapped round with bacon in a red wine sauce with roasted shallots and sautéed mushrooms. The meat was perfectly cooked and very tender and the sauce was well flavoured. My partner had marinaded venison fillet which she said was properly gamey. It came in a forestière sauce made from wild mushrooms and silverskin onions and with a lovely little stew of haricot beans, more mushrooms and garlic. Each dish has its individually matched vegetable accompaniments. The sauces are rich, creamy and generously applied, making rather a change from jus and reductions.
Fish lovers are well catered for, main course dishes included a medley of fruits de mer in a pastry case with mushroom sauce (11.10), or you could have a steamed duo of monkfish noisettes and smoked haddock mousse with a saffron cream sauce, a vegetable tartlet and pilau rice, (10.95) There is also a vegetarian speciality each day.
We ended our meal deliciously with a raspberry crème brûlée (2.80) and a remarkable selection of exotic fruits flambéed in Cointreau and served in a biscuit tulip on a red fruit coulis, (3.50).
To drink, we kicked off with a glass each of Kir Royale (3.50) before broaching a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the Domaine des Senechaux, 1993. This would be a really outstanding wine at any price, let alone Stg 16.80. It was intense, smokey and brooding and went well with our beef and game. I was impressed by the very good selection of wines at sensible prices - the list shows a remarkably unchauvinstic selection of new world wines as well as a hearty core of French classics. Each wine has an informative and unfussy tasting note - I wish more restaurants would provide the same.
Our three course meal including wines, coffee and service came to a very reasonable Stg 73.00.
As in so many proper French restaurants, children are not only welcomed, but they are specially catered for. The children's menu is by no means patronising, indeed it offers the under 12s a brilliant introduction to the world of dining out. For Stg 6.75 they choose any starter from the Table d'Hote, then there is chicken supreme or salmon, both with French fires and vegetables, and there's ices to follow.
Avant-garde, 75 High Street, Thames Ditton, Surrey. Tel: 020 8398 5540
Open seven days a week: Monday to Thursday 12.00 - 2.30 and 7.00 - 10.00,
Friday and Saturday 12.00 2.30 and 7.00 to 10.30, Sunday 12.30 - 2.30 only.
Special Lunch menu from from 7.50 for two courses.
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