The story
Les 2 Garçons brings straightforward French cooking to Crouch End, where a friendship forged in professional kitchens now fuels a beloved neighbourhood bistro.
Robert Reid commands the stoves while Jean-Christophe Slowik manages the floor. The duo met in 1998 working under Marco Pierre White at The Oak Room and have been friends ever since. Robert trained across France at establishments including Roger Vergé’s Moulin de Mougins and Restaurant Jamin in Paris before joining the MPW team. He describes his approach as using simple ingredients cooked in the best possible way.
Robert sources from local producers to build a menu that shifts with the seasons. The blackboard lists daily specials alongside core French dishes like steak frites and tarte fine aux pommes. Hearty options such as confit de canard appear with white haricot beans and mushrooms, while dry-aged meats and braised ox cheeks bourguignon offer robust comfort. The wine list features a curated selection of vintages from France and Italy chosen because the owners enjoy drinking them at home.
The bijou space sits just down the road from where both partners live. Battleship-grey panelling and undressed tables frame the dining area, which fills with chalk-scribbled specials during service. Guests can book for dinner or lunch, and outdoor seating opens when the weather warms. The Good Food Guide highlights the pitch-perfect wine list and the assured bourgeois cooking found within these walls.
Recognition
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