Pied a Terre

[SamanthaF]

I resemble that remark.

LOL

[Tonyfinch]

Sam, if you're not careful I might just have to post a photo of you in a nineteen fifties grannies M&S pinny which you insisted on wearing during the Great British Roast Potato Cook Off.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Edited December 21, 2002 by Tonyfinch (log)

[cabrales]

The past I heard he was working as a private chef to the family that own JCB and was trying to launch his own restaurant, but without success.

On Aikens, Square Meal reports:

"Gordon Ramsay, Neat, Alastair Little: naming a restaurant after yourself implies a goodly amount of culinary self-confidence and for Tom Aikens, who opens his eponymous establishment next April, that confidence is well placed: Aikens was a leading culinary light during his time at Pied à Terre while his front of house will be suavely overseen by wife Laura (ex-Capital ). Elystan Street, SW3."

http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/news/display.p...hp?CategoryID=6

[Andy Lynes]

I bet we all can't wait for the Brian Turner opening (also reported at the link below). Shall I organise an eGullet outing do you think?

[Gavin Jones]

Took my mum & dad to Pied-a-Terre last night.

Observations:

Sombre chocolatey room at front - the back is a bit lighter.

Small but not unpleasantly squashed. Intimate to overhear other diners conversation without being able to catch a social disease.

Excellent amuses: Ginger & pumpkin mousse, foie gras mousse between filo crepes, smoked salmon & horseradish, Boeuf Bourguignonne in pastry cup (sadly not mini-yorkshire pud.)

Having established we were taking the menu degustation w. paired wines a fairly smooth serving operation swung into place.

1. Spaetzli w. trompettes de mort, quail's egg hazlenut foam. - Riesling

2. Roast scallop, parsnip puree/foam, asparagus - Menetou Salou

3. Seared & poached foie gras in a sauternes consomme - Gewurztraminer

4. Sea bass, oyster, watercress vichyssoise - Chablis

5. Rump of lamb, aubergune puree, cumin - Lalande de Pomerol

6. Cheese: S. France Blue, Vacherin, Goat's cheese in close to Vacherin state.

To this point close to exemplary, small starter size portions applied french techniques to bring out the best of the excellent ingredients. Only false note was one over-seasoned portion of sea-bass.

It's difficult to achieve the same success with the wine pairings which have less of a tight division than the courses - so the chablis was beaten around the head by the very sweet gewurztraminer/sauternes combination.

At this point there followed the slight mis--judgement (to my mind) of the menu.

First a pre-dessert of pine sorbet with an apple jelly.

Great if you didn't inhale - if you did the aroma of Pine loo cleaner came through. Now don't get me wrong, I've got a lot of room for toilet duck in the right place. Was just disconcerted it was at this point.

7. Orange Mousse w. mandarin sorbet. Well that's what it said.

As the dark pinky-tan curve of the mousse rose to meet the blob of sorbet it looked to me like Cynthia Plastercaster had modelled Judith Chalmers' breast for dessert. It was also rather one note (well two). Moussey orangeness against mandarine sorbetness. Good Dom de Durban dessert wine tho.

8. Bittersweet choc. tart w. stout icecream. - Old PX sherry.

This was outstanding - the chocolate oscillated on the bittersweet equator and was elevated by what tasted like the head of a pint of guinness. Great Sherry too.

Then espresso's, petit-fours were late, so more espresso's, then more petit-fours.

The final third brought out the strategic problem with the menu. 2 courses early on had significant sweet notes - the foie gras in sauternes w. gewurztraminer, and the parsnip puree with the scallop.

What with the pre-dessert & the two desserts I headed for an insulin high/low by the time the (excellent) petit-fours arrived.

The other thing that struck me was that the tasting menu approach reminds me of 'italian shack' dining. No menu, no significant choice, somebody just keeps bringing you courses in manageable sizes - probably featuring the

specialities of the place.

[Paul Bell]

We went to Pied a Terre a few weeks ago, just after they got their second star. We found it slightly underwhelming, reading the posts here it appears to be very much a restaurant that you like a lot or don't. (Granted our views were not helped by the fact that that they managed to make our reservation for Friday instead of Saturday but eventually found us a table.) Neverthelees we thought the food good rather than great, not up to the standard of say The Square or Petrus. Service was good but rushed (as they squeezed us in I think they wanted rid fairly quickly).

Paul

[Andy Lynes]

Pied a Terre is currently getting the thumbs up on the grapevine and so it seemed like a good time to return to see what all the fuss was about. Although the room and table settings are very elegant (I particularly liked the striking floral glass cover plates) the room is small, bordering on claustrophobic and I didn't like it anymore than the first time I ate there just after the refurbishment.

Dinner started with canapes which arrived before we had ordered any food and were still reading the menu and wine list. This would have been ok, but as one was a shot glass of pea foam and required both hands to eat, it seemed bad timing. The plate, which also included a smear of foie gras parfait between sesame filo crackers, a nibble of tuna and a tartlet of braised beef, turned out to constitute the amuse bouche as starters appeared next. Although all 4 bites were perfectly nice, and on reflection mimicked savoury courses of a tasting menu i.e. a soup, a terrine, a fish and then meat course, they seemed to make no sense in relation to one another when eaten in such quick succession.

Stuffed pigs trotter, snail beignets and bacon arrived on a large, white square plate with two small and quite thin slices of trotter at the bottom, two fritters on the right hand side on which tiny slices of bacon had been balanced and the rest of the space taken up with child like squiggles of sauce and blobs of puree with little tails. I'm sure this demanded a steady and somewhat skilled hand in the kitchen, but did nothing for me visually and simply meant that I had to scrape what sauce there was off the plate with the edge of my knife to get a taste of it.

The beignets themselves were formed of chopped snail meat encased in a brioche crumb and deep fried. These were really quite tasteless and a little oily, as though deep fried at too low a temperature so that the crumb had absorbed some of the cooking medium. A good shot of garlic and parsley butter in there would have made the world of difference, although they still would have been a tad soggy of course.

A terrine of what I think was duck, foie gras and pigeon turned out to be three slices from a slim ballotine balanced one on top of the other with some green beans layered between. I didn't get to try it but it was not greatly remarked upon.

I was looking forward to my main of turbot with oxtail, lentils and red wine sauce and it was certainly a nice piece of fish well cooked. The oxtail and red wine turned out to have been mixed into the lentils and formed a bed on which the fish sat. The exact same mixture then made a reappearance stuffed into two halves of roasted shallot (skins still on). More blobs, this time of parsnip puree and squiggles of sauce completed the picture. Nothing wrong with the dish taste wise, but was overbalanced by way too much of the lentil mixture.

A special of venison came as slices of the "canon" layered on a potato fondant with I believe root vegetables and a game sauce of some description. Competent but not outstanding.

An unpleasant tasting (to me at least) dish of apple sorbet and jelly was a precursor to desserts of an excellent chocolate tart with stout ice cream and a very ordinary roasted peach with almond topping, almond froth and peach puree. With champagne, a bottle of Josmeyer Riesling and one of Rasteau, water, coffee and service, bill for two was £220. I really didn't feel as though I had experienced 2 Michelin star food or service. There was no sense of luxury or of being cosseted. Again, the charms of Shane Osborne's cooking and David Moore's dining room have completely escaped me.

[paulbrussel]

Andy,

Thank you for your post!

Did you have the tasting menu? Since the web site gives a totally different menu.

Well, difficult to decide whether I will stick to my reservation for next week...

[JC70]

Well, difficult to decide whether I will stick to my reservation for next week...

I have only read and heard good things about Pied a terre,(apart from here!), and it is definitely a restaurant on my list. If you have already booked, maybe it's worth to go so you can have your own opinion.

[Andy Lynes]

Did you have the tasting menu?

No, just the a la carte which is totally different from the one on the website. As regards your reservation, as JC70 so rightly says, the consensus opinion appears to be that PAT is hot at the moment. I know that eGullet member Scott is of that opinion and has stated it on the boards several times recently. Both myself and my dining companion were underwhelmed however.

[Scott]

Andy,

you're right I have thought it's been on fire recently. But who knows what explains these things, is it variability or just different tastes.

I hate St John, so gee what do I know

The sea bass I had there is one of the best I have ever had, and the peppered tuna is my best dish of the year so far.

I have tended to steer away from the more classical french dishes, which seem to be the ones that disappointed you most. No reason in my thinking, but perhaps these style dishes are not what they do best?

Couldn't say.

What I find interesting is the 4 little canapes which, for me, rock my world. I LOVE the foie sandwich, and the little beef bourgogne - these have always been sensational to my taste. I note that you found these, basically average, maybe the tenor is set there.

The flavours at PDT I find very clear, but rich and strong. this appeals to me, and maybe differences in preference and style account for varying reactions.

I agree the room sucks, but they have a great burgundy wine list, some at fair prices.

Mind you given the quality of a meal I had at the capital recently, perhaps 2 stars ain't what it used to be!

[Andy Lynes]

I loved the canapes the first time around but somehow this time they failed to wow. The dishes I ordered were the ones that really jumped out at me from what is a short menu, but in my opinion failed to really deliver either visually or in the taste department. At 2 star level, I want to be squirming with pleasure from the wonderful flavours and superb service and at Peid A Terre I just wasn't.

If the meal had been £30.00 for 3 courses and the wine a bit cheaper I might have had a better opinion of it. As it was, the food was fussy whilst failing to impress, and the service would have been more suited to a high volume place.

[paulbrussel]

If you have already booked, maybe it's worth to go so you can have your own opinion.

That's what I will do, in the end, I think, although Sketch is very tempting, mostly because Gagnaire is one of my three favourite restaurants, and it seems to match it. But perhaps I will cross the Canal another time?

[tony h]

Mind you given the quality of a meal I had at the capital recently, perhaps 2 stars ain't what it used to be! 

what happened! Capital is my favourite restaurant (foor, not decor) - I am now very worried & haven't been recently as I don't want to exhaust its appeal. Maybe that wa the night one of Jamie Oliver's thugs was doing a stint...

On PT - recently went through toptable in a moment of faux budgettery restraint - not very good meal. Left feeling very hungry & dissapointed. Had the teasting menu mid-summer which I enjoyed. I also loved the amuses - particularly the foie gras sarnie & beef blob

[tony h]

Sketch is very tempting

don't even think about hesitating - sketch is astonishing. no contest.

[Scott]

Mind you given the quality of a meal I had at the capital recently, perhaps 2 stars ain't what it used to be! 

what happened! Capital is my favourite restaurant (foor, not decor) - I am now very worried & haven't been recently as I don't want to exhaust its appeal. Maybe that wa the night one of Jamie Oliver's thugs was doing a stint...

On PT - recently went through toptable in a moment of faux budgettery restraint - not very good meal. Left feeling very hungry & dissapointed. Had the teasting menu mid-summer which I enjoyed. I also loved the amuses - particularly the foie gras sarnie & beef blob

The Capital is one of my very favourites, Chavot is god. hmmm... must listen more to my therapist whne discussing tendency to exaggerate.

Just a poor meal, they have been great many times, but this time was a bit flat. Ate on my own, which I rarely do, and somehow I felt the maitre'd was sneering at me for occupying a table.

Just lot's of little things, am putting it down to a bad night.

will go back, and will be surprised if it's not great.

[tony h]

I have since booked

[Matthew Grant]

I'm hoping to be able to trash Andy's report after mI visit on Saturday (I mean that in the nicest possible way)

Incidentally Andy, who was your dining companion?

[Andy Lynes]

That, I'm afraid, must remain a secret.

[Andy Lynes]

I'm hoping to be able to trash Andy's report after mI visit on Saturday (I mean that in the nicest possible way)

I hope you are able to as well.

[Matthew Grant]

I basically ordered the same dishes as Andy and can only concur. Amuse were good. The trotter was OK, the mushroom Beignet was a little oily. The sauce presentation made no sense whatsoever. My Turbot looked like a scrap piece from the end of the fillet, this was overcooked. The dish was completely taken over by the lentils (wish were good) and the oxtail sauce was a little oily (the sauce was separating slightly at the edges. Rachel commented that the dish was all Lentils, she hadn't read Andy's review.

Rachel ordered Langoustines which carried a £5 pound supplement (thankfully forgotten on the final bill). The Langoustines were poor quality, overcooked, and untidily shelled, they were small and had been butterflied, presumably in an attempt to make them bigger, they were completely overshadowed by thyme. Rachel's lamb was well cooked and good quality, I can't remember the rest of the dish or construction but it wasn't memorable.

Service was poor, menus were proffered and they came back about 2 minutes later to take our order, 2 glasses of champagne turned out to be Ruinart 1995 at £13.50 a glass, there were no non-vintages available by the glass. Our first 2 courses were finished less than an hour after walking through the door, we delayed ordering dessert to finish our wine during, when we finished the wine we sat for several minutes without service at which point I suddenly couldn't be bothered to give them another £20 of my money for 2 desserts or cheese (which looked poor anyway). Finished off with 2 coffees and petit fours. Including a £31 bottle of wine and service the bill came to a few pennies under £168.In hindsight I wish I had deducted some of the service charge.

Overall nowhere near 2 star standards for either food or service.

[Andy Lynes]

I associate skipping dessert and wanting to pay less than the standard service charge with really bad experiences.

The piece of turbot I had was probably the highlight of my meal, a decent size nicely cooked. But thats the very least you should expect from a 2 star restaurant.

[Matthew Grant]

Another thing - if I see another fillet of venison/lamb with fondant potato as a 'special' in another Michelin starred restaurant I shall scream. Nothing wrong with that dish but in Michelin restaurants I expect somthing a little more challenging coming out of the kitchen.

Edited November 4, 2003 by Matthew Grant (log)

[Andy Lynes]

We have been advised of some game specials to be served at Pied a Terre during the season :

Partridge and Mallard Pithiver with

Chestnut Purée

Game Consommé with Wild Mushroom Ravioli

Roasted Teal Breast with Choucroute

in a Chanterelle Soup

Terrine of Partridge, Pheasant and Mallard with Beetroot Jelly

and Soused Girolles

Venison Fillet with Pine Nut and Swede Gratin,

Confit Cabbage with Swede and Honey Purée

Roasted Grouse with Sweet Parsnip Purée

Brussels Sprouts with Braising Juice

Roasted Pheasant Breast, Confit of Cabbage,

Braised Lettuce and Fondant Potato

Partridge Breast with Pear and Ventreche Boulanger, Thyme Sauce

No prices I'm afraid or details of when the particular dishes will be served.

Info courtesy of Sauce Communications.

[tony h]

Lunch today

Pre starter of foie gras sandwiched & mushroom mini-sausage in fab pastry. Pasty was hot, mushrooms not - don't know if this was by design.

Starter of oxtail ravioli on a bed of veal tongue with veg dice and reduction flavoured with mustard. Mustard kept well under control. Ravioli - superbly meaty with great depth despite the fact that they looked like a pair of testicles on a plate. Tongue - soft but slightly tasteless.

Mains - pigeon on bed of wild mushroom risotto. Fab risotto with lots of wild mushrooms - good parmesan hit also. Pigeon legs splendidly cooked for ages - meat fell off the bone. Breasts - not really sure what the difference is between very rare & raw – very bloody still. Chewy, tough & on the raw side. But not too overpowering for game.

Dessert - whole poached pear with anise ice cream & liquorice mouse was, in fact, a few slices on a pear (a bit misleading) and the ice cream had half melted by the time I got it.