Pied a Terre

[ravelda]

Nice review Andy - interesting to see some similar items to the tasting menu I had back in October. I rally must sit down over Christmas and put all my outstanding revies up before there are too many and too out of date!

[adt]

did the tasting menu here last week, still very impressive. although there is nothing especially thought provoking on the menu, the consistency with which one course after another of very concentrated and well judged flavours, perfect textures and elegant, understated presentation were delivered was highly impressive. excepting one pre-dessert (rhubarb with mandarin sorbet, which was a bit heavy/cloying on the mandarin) there were really no 'misses'.

one example -- tuna served two ways, both immaculately cylindrical and suitably raw but one coated in herbs and briefly poached, giving a hint of warmth and softness which suited the comforting tarragon-influence coating, then one elegantly surrounded by cooked red pepper and wrapped in fine crisp threads... a real umami hit, like a (meat free) distillation of the pleasure of a bacon sandwich, a great complement and a great contrast. and that's just for pre-starters... even better were the veal sweetbread (subst) and the venison (not that adventurous with a beetroot and port puree, just bloody good).

surprising to see the chocolate tart and stout ice cream still on the menu, bit unconventional in form -- a very concentrated but light textured rectangle of chocolate, and most effectively partnered by its down at heel ice cream. wine pairings were good, though a red substituted in amongst all the consecutive whites would have been welcome. good service, space rather small but suits the location somehow, bar upstairs in particular not that appealing though.

Edited February 20, 2008 by adt (log)

[tsg20]

I had a fantastic lunch here last week - I still think this is probably my favourite Michelin starred restaurant in London, although I have to confess that I haven't been to any of the other 2* places. The set lunch always seems like very good value, too, at £24.50 for 2 courses. What was particularly interesting to me was that they actually made a serious error (the first time I've seen them do this) - they simply brought the wrong main course for me (not even another dish off the menu, just something involving some of the ingredients that should have been in what in ordered).

What impressed me was how they dealt with it; they came back under 10 minutes later with 2 of my main course, so that my wife could have some too rather than sit and watch me eat, and then didn't charge for my lunch at all. Perhaps this is standard at this level - I guess I've never seen a similar error at a 2/3* restaurant - but I felt they made up for their mistake extremely well.

The food was all excellent, too - I even enjoyed the mandarin/rhubarb mixture mentioned above. The bread was also notable; this time they had a Guinness rye bread that I hadn't had before, and it was so good I had to have 3 slices. Definitely some of the best bread I've had in a London restaurant (probably only Roussillon comes close).

[Food Snob]

Dinner last week at Pied à Terre.

Disappointed.

The food required to much effort to be enjoyed; all the ingredients had to be eaten at once to appreciate the dishes; whilst individually, some parts were bland or ineffective.

The presentation and work involved in preparing the plates is impressive though.

There were a couple of memorables: Rabbit ballotines and bittersweet chocolate.

Dinner at Pied à Terre

Edited November 28, 2008 by Food Snob (log)

[gingerbeer]

I went to Pied A Terre about 6 months ago. The dining room was quite gloomy, and although some individual dishes were excellent as I first began to eat them, at the end I just felt like it was all too much, too heavy, too rich. The foie gras especially actually put me off foie gras generally for quite a while. I didn't walk away feeling good. Like Food Snob said, eating there was like effort or work.

Not to mention that someone there seemed to have stolen our credit card details.

Edited December 3, 2008 by gingerbeer (log)

[gingerbeer]

Ooops, and I agree about the amuse bouche, though, those were wonderful!

Edited December 3, 2008 by gingerbeer (log)

[Food Snob]

Cheers Gingerbeer. I am surprised someone felt like I did!

Did you have the tasting?

Because from what I have heard, maybe ALC is better.

[gingerbeer]

Cheers Gingerbeer. I am surprised someone felt like I did!

Did you have the tasting?

Because from what I have heard, maybe ALC is better.

←

Nope, I had ALC, with the waiter's advice. After having had it I was glad I didn't have the tasting as my father initially wanted to, because I think that would've been even more to get through

[Food Snob]

Well, for me, the portion sizes were not really big, the problem was that the smaller dishes were too complicated maybe.

The combinations and constructions may have worked on a larger plate, but didn't always with the tasting portions.

[gingerbeer]

Well, for me, the portion sizes were not really big, the problem was that the smaller dishes were too complicated maybe.

The combinations and constructions may have worked on a larger plate, but didn't always with the tasting portions.

←

No, sorry, I didn't mean in terms of portion size, but just in terms of sheer effort. I felt like I was working to eat most of the food and I felt after that it was just rich and too overwhelming, the plates were sometimes badly put together - my foie gras specifically.

[gingerbeer]

Well, for me, the portion sizes were not really big, the problem was that the smaller dishes were too complicated maybe.

The combinations and constructions may have worked on a larger plate, but didn't always with the tasting portions.

←

btw i just took a look at your blog - it's pretty good! i'm adding it to my blogroll

[Food Snob]

Well, for me, the portion sizes were not really big, the problem was that the smaller dishes were too complicated maybe.

The combinations and constructions may have worked on a larger plate, but didn't always with the tasting portions.

←

btw i just took a look at your blog - it's pretty good! i'm adding it to my blogroll

←

Thanks. Apprecaite the 'link love'

[felixhirsch]

Was there yesterday again. My second lunch proved to be just as good as the first one, desserts even better. All in all, their lunch menu is maybe slightly less complicated than the alc. Personally, I always enjoy this little restaurant, where one feels really well and enjoys great food.

more on the blog

[MaLO]

Looking at the pat site I notice they have a post theatre menu.

Is there time for canapes / amuse / pre dessert or is it three courses served up asap? It seems good value at £40ish.

Has anyone got any info?

[sped98]

Have posted the link up in another couple of London threads so please excuse if im repeating myself again.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24726943@N06/sets/72157624597463977/detail/

Had lunch yesterday , 3 course set at £29.50 with an appetiser and pre dessert thrown in.

All in all the food was good value.....However , 2 "very small" glasses of fresh orange horrendously priced at £10 somewhat rocked the boat a little.

[Man]

Maybe I am becoming too easily pleased, or it's Christmas, but I had another good lunch today at PaT.

I was shopping around, it was past 1.30, and while walking in Charlotte Street I just could not resist the impulse of entering and asking if they had room for me. They did (but just about, as the restaurant looked packed). I was in the small ante-room which I can't bring myself to like. It feels small and crammed.

The lunchtime deal is great value at £23.50 for two courses (excellent, balanced and precisely cooked the main of roast brill with very apt mini-capers). Then I foolishly succumbed to temptation and ordered an item from the a la carte which cost me more than the rest of meal (£37.50). It was a very good pigeon cooked in two ways (poached -meaning sous-vide- and roasted) to perfect textural effect, perhaps just lacking a little in depth of flavour to be judged fantastic. The caramelised onion and the sauce were indeed great. That said, the price tag is in my opinion excessive.

Petit fours were high quality and varied, too.

All in all very clear flavours and excellent texture contrasts all around. Everything seemed effortless, the seasoning perfect, and not a single execution problem. Except...

...the espresso coffee was terrible (in terms of preparation, not quality of coffee). Coffee is about the only dish I send back when I don't like it, as I can't bear ending with a poor coffee. The charming sommelier to whom I sheepishly expressed my issue was very understanding. 'I believe we have good coffee and that I can make you a good espresso'. As a matter of fact, the second specimen was only marginally better than the first, but I concluded the problem was 'cultural', I hypocritically complimented him, grateful for the effort, and steeled myself for the horrendous bill.

The service was really charming; the sommelier is a special asset of this place. With £30 from the bar, the 2 course lunch menu, the extra dish, coffee and service charge, this solo lunch topped £100. It's Christmas.

[marcusjames]

Have to concur about the sommeliers there, of which I believe there are two, an Englishman and a Frenchman. The latter (Manu if I recall right) used to be at The Glasshouse in Kew for years and built up a really interesting list.

On our last visit to PaT Manu was upstairs in the private dining room, but the night was made by his colleague. We gave him a budget per bottle and told him to go pick for us; he then made us guess grape, region, country etc before revealing the choice. It turned into one of the most fun dinners we'd had out in a long time, though things obviously became more amusing as the bottle count increased!

I like PaT. It's in the middle of media central so isn't stuffed full of austere suits all the time (infact, there's no dress code whatsoever) and, considering it's 2 star status, does have more of a neighbourhood, relaxed feel to it.

[MaLO]

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2011/03/04/337344/shane-osborn-to-leave-pied-terre.htm

[Corinna Dunne]

Going here for lunch on Friday, lunch menu looks great value. Good to see Shane Osborn hasn't left yet. Anyone been recently?