Bob Bob Cité, which opened in the Leadenhall Building in May to ecstatic reviews, has introduced an expanded menu and wine list in response to feedback from the thousands of guests who have visited during the restaurant’s first few months.
Joining chef Eric Chavot’s luxurious ‘haute comfort’ dishes, for which Bob Bob Cité has become known since opening, are some simpler yet still indulgent dishes suited to everyday dining.
These include as a starter Green Beans Salad with silver skin anchovies, grilled baby artichoke, semi-dried tomatoes, Niçoise olives, red & green chilli pepper and chives, as well as a new meat-free main course, Truffle Macaroni Aux Cinq Fromages - macaroni cheese with black truffle, Gruyère, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Parmesan and truffled Pecorino.
The new dishes also broaden the range of pricing of the menu, with starters now from £9 – for Escargots en Persillade, for Chunky Saumon Fumé Impérial, topped with 10g of Siberian sturgeon caviar, and mains from £19.50 for any of Bob Bob Cité’s three famously beautiful pies to £45 for Dover Sole À La Grenobloise or Grilled Lobster Thermidor served on a lobster buttermilk pancake.
Reflecting customer demand for greater variety when ordering wine, there are now ten white, fifteen red and seven sweet wines available by the glass. Whites range from Picpoul de Pinet - a firm favourite at lunch, with oysters - to 1er Cru Chablis, one of five white Burgundies by the glass.
Reds include a Languedoc, five Bordeaux (Médoc, Lalande de Pomerol, Saint Émilion, Saint Julien and Margaux), three red Burgundies, ranging from Mercurey, Domaine Faiveley to Volnay 1er Cru, as well as favourites from Spain, Italy and the New World. Sweet wines meanwhile start with Sauternes and include Vin de Constance – arguably Africa’s finest wine, as well as three vintages of Chateau d’Yquem (1983, 1996 and 2001), the undisputed world’s greatest sweet wine.
The range of by-the-glass Champagnes is now one of the largest, if not the largest, in London - ten champagnes by the glass in total starting with Moët et Chandon Brut Imperial up to Dom Perignon 2008 and Krug Grande Cuvee. The selection also includes three Rosé Champagnes from Moët, Bollinger and Billecart-Salmon, a Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs and a Pol Roger Demi Sec for those with a sweeter palate.
The range of Champagnes by the bottle has also been substantially expanded, to 120 in total, and includes some of the best and most famous houses as well as artisan and grower’s Champagnes in many styles and formats. The list also features a true rarity, five still Champagne wines - three red and two white Coteaux Champenois from Bollinger, Henri Giraud and Charles Heidsieck.
Finally, based on huge customer interest, Bob Bob Cité has expanded its Armagnac list to almost seventy choices, all from Baron de Sigognac in Bas Armagnac. The list starts with an award-winning VSOP and includes sixty-five vintages ranging from the 2005, all the way back to the 1888 for £888.
Owner Leonid Shutov said, “Since opening in May we have been listening closely to what our guests had to say, and it has been gratifying to hear how much they enjoy Bob Bob Cité. They have, however, asked for more of the simple, everyday classic dishes at the affordable end of the scale, but without compromising on the luxury and quality which are expected of us.
“Likewise, diners mentioned they would like more variety and choice of wines by the glass; not everyone has the time or desire for a bottle, especially at lunchtime.
'Finally, such has been the interest in our extraordinary list of Champagnes and Armagnacs that we have further added to the range to create more excitement and to start more conversations about these rare and wonderful bottles. We are excited to see what our guests will think of the new choices!”