The Bastille - 100 St Paul's Road, N1

I’m not feeling great this morning, not through over indulgence last night you understand but because I injured myself in The Bastille last night. I bent down to retrieve my napkin and whacked the side of my head off a poorly positioned shelf. Very sore and I now have an unsightly bruise. People in work whisper behind my back (no woman is allowed to have an accident these days, you know).

Tony Blair, rumour has it, frequented this place, no doubt with Cherie, in his days before becoming PM. They had a house round the corner.

So, was it worth it? Not entirely convinced. I’ve wanted to go the Bastille for ages because it looks nice, it’s French and it’s a gastropub, I am a fan of all three of these. We weren’t hugely hungry so forwent starters though there appeared a wide ranging selection of soups, fish and meat based options. Veggies beware though, it’s garlic bread and pasta n sauce all the way here, the French like their meat. Main course for me was a char grilled rib eye steak with blue cheese sauce. It was not a stingy piece of meat by any means but it was a trifle too chargrilled for my liking and too heavy on the blue cheese sauce. Blue cheese is a hugely strong flavour which is its strength undoubtedly, but there is no need to absolutely drown the meat in it. The French fires on the other hand were exactly as they should be, crisp and light. Mr Gorb, being more adventurous than me went for a spiced sausage option which arrived looking like grilled frankfurters and tasting like frankfurters masquerading as chorizo. That said he did get six of them which is rather a lot. The whole lot with a bottle of house white (a very nice Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc) came to about £40 which is bit too much for too cheesy chargrilled steak and spiced frankfurters.

Disappointed we repaired to the bar for afters. Now this is the only reason to go to the Bastille and they only reason I shall be returning, the bar is comfortable, chilled and well stocked, Budwar for Mr Gorb and more of the Sauvignon for me.