For treating the in-laws
Mon Plaisir 19-21 Monmouth Street, WC2 (020 7836 7243; monplaisir.co.uk)
This traditional French restaurant reckons it’s the oldest in London, having opened in the 1940s. One of its most charming features is the bar, which came from a brothel in Lyon. The onion soup (£6.95) is just right for a bleak day — served gratinée, with a heap of hot, bubbling cheese piled on toast on top. Very hearty indeed.
For a weekend date
Entrée 2 Battersea Rise, SW11 (020 7223 5147; entreebattersea.co.uk)
A fun neighbourhood bistro that does slightly twisted French and Italian classics such as scallop and crab lasagne with chive beurre blanc. The French onion soup (£6) is jazzed up with enoki mushrooms and truffle oil. It also does rather good cocktails in the downstairs Bentley Bar, with live piano music at weekends.
For a quick lunch
Galvin Cafe a Vin 35 Spital Square, E1 (020 7299 0404; galvinrestaurants.com)
This is another venue in the small but growing Galvin group of restaurants. Grab a seat at the bar (it’s quite a dinky place), order a bowl of the Roscoff onion and cider soup (£6.50) and you’ll feel like you’ve taken a winter break to France. Roscoff onions are from Brittany, are unusually sweet and apparently don’t make you cry.
