La Pont de la Tour ditches the soufflés as new chef shakes up the menu

La Pont de la Tour is planning to ditch the soufflés and crêpe suzette trolley when its new head chef Julien Imbert takes over in December.

Imbert, who has cooked at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and was head chef at Jason Atherton’s City Social when it won a Michelin star, says he wants to modernise the menu.

The planned overhaul comes nearly two decades after the famous Tower Bridge restaurant opened in 1991.

The site is now part of the D&D empire and relaunched following a two-year refurbishment in 2015 with Roux Scholar Freddie Forster heading up the kitchen, but the chef left for a role at The Don in the City of London earlier this year.

La Point de la Tour’s new direction will see Toulouse-born Imbert offer his take on French comfort food in the informal Bar & Grill area, with dishes such as croque monsieur on brioche bread; and steak tartare.

The main dining room menu will include Gigha halibut with curry velouté, mussels, and gruyere crust; salt marsh lamb, braised shoulder, black garlic emulsion and lemon yoghurt; and a whole duck to share between two with a confit leg salad.

The menus will change from December when Imbert comes on board, and the chef will announce a new concept for the on-site bakery and Le Pont de la Tour wine and food store in the New Year.

“I have kept the foundations of the menu true to the fundamental principles of French cooking, whilst also introducing modern elements that are reflective of French cooking today,” says Imbert.

“I look forward to celebrating this new chapter at Le Pont de la Tour in the very best way we know; with great food, and good wine.”

The restaurant has also appointed a new front of house team led by general manager Fabien Battut and sommelier Paul Fauvel, previously of Celeste at The Lanesborough.