La Trouvaille

[Winot]

As mentioned on the Eating Alone thread, I checked out La Trouvaille last week to see if it really was going downhill as recently suggested.

I started with one of the worst G&Ts (£3.55) I've ever had, bearing out Simon's observation that French bar staff don't know how to mix drinks. I should have gone for a glass of house champagne (£6.50) but G&T is my default aperatif and I wasn't thinking.

Starter was carp mousse with spinach and lobster mayonaisse (£8.55). The mousse was a good portion in an earthenware pot. It was a little bland but that may be the carp mousse gig -- I like strong flavours and probably mis-ordered. The spinach was formed into a thick disc on the side and was suffused with the mayo which had a good strong taste and the whole thing was well matched.

Main was pigeon stuffed with foie gras cooked in a cocotte (large lidded dish) with celery (£17.50). This was a great dish with the bird and liver flavours mingling gamily in a rich gravy. There was loads of celery which wasn't overcooked. Parts of the bird meat could have been cooked a bit longer for my taste but this was a minor criticism. A satisfying winter warmer.

Finally I went for quince tarte Tatin (£5.95) which was served pastry up in an individual cast iron pan with a sweetened goats cheese sauce. Excellent flavour combo and the quince was perfectly cooked but the pastry could have been thinner. It was served with a west country cider (£2.75) which was a good match but a little flat for my taste (I think it was its natural state).

Service was charming and efficient and they were unfazed by my eating alone. Also, I can't help thinking that they've decided their USP is that they're Freeench -- positioned by the door I was in a position to observe the evening's meetings and greetings (all in French) and after repeated exposure it became a bit hammy. Interestingly most of the English clientele attempted to reply in French, only switching to English when it became too much. I was left with the impression that La T. has positioned itself as the Linguaphone™ of the London restaurant scene.

More seriously, although I flopped contently onto the street feeling that I'd enjoyed some good French regional cooking, I thought it was pretty overpriced even for London. With coffee (£2.50), half a bottle of macon fuisse (£13.50) and 12.5% service the bill came to £60.75. This is probably double what you'd pay in regional France. So La Trouvaille seems to be back on form, but poor value, even throwing in the French lesson.

Edited January 21, 2003 by Winot (log)

[Simon Majumdar]

Thanks for the report

Sounds like the food is back up to snuff. I think Sebastian was overseeing both places for a while and that may have caused a problem. The food you chose looks interesting. What else was on the menu?

It has always been quite pricey, but I always thought it reasonable value for that part of London. The rather hammy staff routine can be a bit grating but, it is well intentioned and the staff are genuinely nice.

As for their ability to make drinks. What on earth did you expect? every experience I have had of a Frenchy making drinks has been a disaster!

S

[mogsob]

I believe that the axiom that the French cannot mix drinks is belied by La Closerie des Lilas in Paris, which is a watering-hole of the first order.

[Simon Majumdar]

I believe that the axiom that the French cannot mix drinks is belied by La Closerie des Lilas in Paris, which is a watering-hole of the first order.

I have the unfortunate task of having to head back to this atrophied monstrosity of a city in the nexy month, so tell me where this place is and I shall give it a fair hearing, er drinking.

I have me doubts though

S

[dallardice]

Tried Brasserie La Trouvaille in Islington last night, and found it extremely disappointing.

Starters

White asparagus, poached egg, cantal - tasty, a bit over-dressed, but probably the best thing I had all night

Venison pate en croute - straight from the fridge, pastry dry and unpleasant, too much overpowering onion marmalade

Mains

Cassoulet - like baked beans with meat. The meat was very fatty, and didn't give the impression of having melded with the beans over a long cooking time

Lapin au moutarde - totally overwhelming mustard flavour with no sense of rabbity undertones.

Dessert

Tarte tatin - might have been quite nice if it had been warmer.

Interesting wine list, mostly regional French, lots of things I wanted to try. Choice of six dessert wines by the glass.

Total bill came to a surprising £130 with a glass of champagne each, bottle of nice red Languedocian (about £30, didn't order and didn't note which) and a glass of Jurancon each.

All in all, for that price, disappointing - service was friendly and professional. The room is oddly-shaped and not very welcoming, they haven't really overcome the problem that most of the previous residents of that space have experienced.

For French food in the area, I'd go upmarket to the (not too much more expensive) Almeida, or downmarket to the Montmatre/Sacre Couer/Petite Auberge chain, which have too-long menus for their size of place but can still give you a decent meal for not many £££s.

I notice too that Time Out gives Brasserie La Trouvaille a cool review today.

[Scottf]

That seems very expensive. You can eat in most of London's starred restaurants for that (or less) if you're careful with the wine.

[Simon Majumdar]

That does seem an awful lot of money for a not great meal. Ho hum

I was planning to try on Thursday but will probably give it a miss

Upper st is getting depressing now for non Angel manga style eating. The Almeida is fine ( good service ) but not great food and Lola's was hugely depressing last time I was there

S

[Scottf]

Have you been to Lola's since the chef change Simon?

[Simon Majumdar]

I am not sure what the chef status is there

The menu is the same as when HJ was there and I was told that Robert Ried had left. There was however no evidence that he had ever been there.

So not really sure

[Mrs Woman]

Robert Reid has indeed moved and gone to Madame Prunier. Tis in Restaurant magazine and also on its website (see 'On the move' story, third one down) www.therestaurantgame.com

Seems he wasn't a happy chappy at Lola's

[magnolia]

I believe that the axiom that the French cannot mix drinks is belied by La Closerie des Lilas in Paris, which is a watering-hole of the first order.

I have the unfortunate task of having to head back to this atrophied monstrosity of a city in the nexy month, so tell me where this place is and I shall give it a fair hearing, er drinking.

I have me doubts though

S

171 blvd du Montparnasse (6th) TI can't comment on whether they do good cocktails but for such a tourist trap - and one of the reasons to *like* Paris is that even the tourist traps do good food - they have good standard hearty brasserie food and it's not horribly priced (last time I ate there - a little over a year ago - I think the prix fixe was around 45 euros for three courses and half a bottle of wine).

If you do eat there, be sure to specify you want to eat in the brasserie part - there is also a restaurant, where prices are much higher and I can't imagine the food is better...maybe more choices and more 'refined' - but that's not why you go to Cl. de Lilas, you go for the night-time live jazz piano; the 'if walls could speak, they'd cough ' atmosphere; and the bespectacled and black-turtle-necked guys named Didier. Simon - you'll hate it.

[Scott]

I have heard they BYO - does anyone know if this is true?

[Suzi Edwards]

Ate at La Trouvaille on Upper Street last night. Mediocre to say the least.

There were a few nice touches, radish on the table, a house aperitif of chestnut liqeur with champagne and some nice bread.

We ate:

Octopus with harissa - nicely fishy but could have done with more of a chilli kick

Charcuterie plate - parma ham from sainsburies up the road, rillettes that were either tuna or duck. i really could not be sure. some nice terrine.

Salad Nicoise with Gurnard- I never realised that sweetcorn kernals were involved in regional French cookery

Ox Cheeky with mash - Slightly over braised but a nice haunting beefy flavour. Mash was FULL of butter and cream. MMMMMMMMM.

They did about 8 covers all night.

We had two aperitifs, two glasses of wine, bill was £70.

Still haven't found anywhere to tempt me away from my weekly Moro-fix.

I'll give it 5 out of 10 (one for each radish)