The Michelin-starred chef, Claude Bosi, opened Josephine on the Fulham Road at the beginning of this year in what clearly represents a labour of love for a couple of reasons. First, it is his debut joint enterprise with his wife Lucy. Second, Claude Bosi hails from Lyons and Josephine is a traditional Lyonnaise “Bouchon”, faithfully replicated in the heart of London, which is named after his grandmother.
Lyon, France’s second city, is an important gastronomic hub and the Bouchon is quintessentially Lyonnaise, dating from the 19th century when the industrious silk workers of Lyons, known as “canuts”, would convene at these small, dark restaurants in the evening after work and share the hearty, comforting home-style cooking over a glass or two of local wine.
Josephine offers just this and is a far cry from Socca, a French bistro in Mayfair that Claude Bosi opened with Samyukta Nair last February and the upmarket British racing-inspired rooftop restaurant, Brooklands, which he opened atop The Peninsula Hotel on Hyde Park Corner last September.
The discreet, dark blue entrance to Josephine leads to sumptuous, heavy, red velvet drapes which conceal the classic interior of a French bistro, complete with an ambience which is bustling, boisterous and intimate all at once.
That sense of intimacy is reinforced by dark wood panelling, burgundy leather banquettes, linen curtains at the windows, flower shaped chandeliers and plentiful French vintage posters which are reminiscent of a bygone age. Candle-lit and closely packed tables with starched white tablecloths complete the tableau. Only a French piano player is missing.
Josephine serves simple, warming fare and the starters include Lyonnaise staples such as cheese souffle, soft-boiled egg in jelly, soupe a l’oignon and country-style terrine. The main courses include confit duck leg, rabbit (French not British), veal sweetbread and veal chop. British diners may be glad that other traditional Lyonnaise dishes, such as blood sausage, breaded tripe and sheep’s trotters salad have not made it on the menu.
Some of the portions are generous, such as the succulent frog legs drenched in garlic butter and the expansive, ever-so-creamy potato dauphinoise. The rich, tender and distinctly gamey sweetbread was rather more bijou and I was glad when the Rum baba pudding, drenched in vanilla Chantilly cream, arrived.
Josephine’s wine list centres around wines from the Rhône valley which lies to the East of Lyons and has served the bouchons and other restaurants of Lyons for centuries. The wine list is therefore bursting with rich flavour derived from robust grapes such as Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. This reflects a sensible – and traditional accompaniment – to Josephine’s hearty Lyonnaise dishes.
Josephine is a lively, neighbourhood eatery which should remain popular with the Fulham crowd despite its prices and embellishes the sometimes sparse Fulham restaurant scene.
Related: French-inspired brasserie Marceline to open in Canary Wharf
