Another day, another Tier 2 compliant trip to a restaurant thanking the Lord we love the people we live with.

We’d been wowed by the Sunday lunch at Bistrot Pierre previously, so expected good things from dinner. First things first, Covid shenanigans were top notch with hand gel, masked staff, easy online inputting of tracing details, well-spaced tables and Perspex screens. Depressing, but reassuring.

The oh-so-trendy small plate scenario was out in force and at £11 for three plates we went in hard. Chunky homemade humous was so damn fine we resorted to using a finger to polish off the lot while a Croque Monsieur croquette was comfort food at its best – gooey cheese, ham, mustard, breadcrumbs – the stuff of dreams. Punchy mini chorizo all sticky with sweet honey hit the spot beautifully and in truth, we should have ordered more.

From here on in we went for classic French bistro fodder with steak frites doing the job brilliantly. Seared bavette cooked pink, served with crunchy salty chips – there is nothing not to love about that.

Bistrot Pierre has been serving boeuf bourguignon for 25 years, so it would have been rude not to. Warming, tender, rich it was seriously good. The mash was of the smooth cheffy sort that’s impossible to recreate properly at home – and yes we have a ricer – while sweet roasted carrots were the cherry on the cake. We didn’t sample dessert this time but highly recommend the crepes based on our last trip.

We reckon French classics are the way to go here. It’s not fine dining – the clue’s in the name – but it’s a good place to be. Tried and tested tasty dishes are done really well and the vibe is relaxed and happy even with the Covid measures.